Cuenca Parade of the Children 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

Chuck and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

Once again, on Christmas Eve, we watched the Paseo del Nino (Parade of the Christ Child) in Cuenca.  I take so many pictures that it is very hard to select which pictures to use, but here is a sample of the beautiful children of Ecuador.

Enjoy!

Love,

Nancy and Chuck

Foto Friday - 12/19/2014

Dear Family and Friends,

Christmas is a wonderful time of year, full of love and sharing.  Chuck and I are so fortunate to have our good friends, Robin and Jim, from the U.S. sharing Christmas with us in Cuenca.

I was looking through some old pictures trying to find a suitable picture for today's Foto Friday and I came across a family picture made about 12 years ago when we were still living in Washington state.

What a bunch of silly folks!  Crazy picture I know, BUT it is appropriate because all our family is crazy and full of love and fun.

We are missing our family back in the U.S.  Sending all of our children and grandchildren hugs and kisses.

Merry Christmas to all....

Love,
Nancy

Foto Friday - 12/12/14

Dear Family and Friends,

Today's photo is of my mother and me.  This picture was made exactly ten years ago at Christmas in 2004.  My mom passed away two years ago at 91 years old.  She was beautiful inside and out.

Thank you mom for all your love.

Love,
Nancy

Foto Friday - 11/28/14

Dear Family and Friends,

This week's Foto Friday was taken in Nice, France.  It is such a day brightener to see larger than life art that is fun!

It is funny because as soon as I saw it, I thought of a head cold.

Love,
Nancy

Montevideo, Uruguay - What a trip!

Dear Family and Friends,

During our trip we took a ferry across the River Plate to Buenos Aires, Argentina.  We spent several days there enjoying this wonderful city.

I do not have any photos to share about this leg of the trip.  Hopefully, Rich and Nancy have a picture or two to share with you.  I took many pictures of Buenos Aires several years ago and if you are interested you can see them by clicking here and here.

After Buenos Aires, we took a high speed ferry back across the river to Monte Video, the capitol of Uruguay.

We stayed in this wonderful 92 year old hotel.  Lucky for us Sofitel has remodeled and updated it.

A view of the charming neighborhood outside our hotel.

We ate ourselves silly on the wonderful food.  Our best occasion was celebrating with Carol and George on their 49th wedding anniversary.

We had a wonderful tour east to Ponte del Este, a beautiful resort city on the Atlantic coast.

We walked the tourist route in Montevideo.  We started at Plaza Independencia.

Walked the closed to traffic tourist streets and enjoyed the parks.

We enjoyed a lot of coffee breaks during this trip.

We went to the old town meat market and had the most wonderful meal.

They really know how to grill.  The meat is awesome!!

Rich took this picture of Chuck and me.

We had a wonderful time and are so thankful for such great friends to travel with.

Love,
Nancy

Foto Friday - 11/21/14

Dear Family and Friends,

Rich, Nancy, Chuck and I were privileged to share George and Carol Evans' 49th wedding anniversary last night during our trip to Uruguay.

Such a beautiful couple with beautiful hearts.

Love you guys!

Love,
Nancy

Tour of the Oldest Winery in Uruguay

Dear Family and Friends,

While in Colonia, we took a day trip to the oldest winery in Uruguay, Los Cerros de San Juan.  They do not export their wine...it can only be purchased in Uruguay.

We started our tour in the vineyards.  The drive was spectacular.

Rich checking the grape vines.  You can tell he has California roots....he looks like a natural.

This winery is 150 years old.  The buildings were very old as well as some of the machinery.

Here is George checking out the processing machinery.

If we started to feel we were in France, all we had to do was look at one of our drivers.  He is drinking the traditional yerba mate (herbal tea).

We toured the cellars.  Huge oak barrels imported from Europe many, many years ago and still in use.

At the end of the tour we had the main event in our books, the wine tasting.  Here is Chuck and George waiting for the rest of us.

The wine tasting is held in the old company store.  The shelves where the groceries were displayed are now filled with bottles of wine.

These guys give "belly up to the bar" a whole new meaning.

YES!!  We scored.  Wine to enjoy back at our hotel.

What a fun day!!

Love,
Nancy

Colonia, Uruguay

Dear Family and Friends,

We are having a terrific vacation with our friends, Rich, Nancy, George and Carol.  We have been in Uruguay for several days.  Our first place to visit is Colonia, Uruguay.  This is a lovely town.  Check out the pictures.

Beautiful tree lined cobble stone streets...

Lots of colorful plants...

Surrounded by water....

Lots of outside restaurants....

We rented a cart, piled in and drove around town....

This old house has the bougainvillea trained to side of the wall to keep the sidewalk clear.....

Lots of old cars.....

Regrouping at the hotel, deciding where to have dinner.

Cooking with wood...he scrapes the hot coals under the grate.

Satisfied customers....

We are having a wonderful time.

Love,
Nancy