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Wednesday July 8, 2015
Yesterday I started off by going to Spanish class then walking to the bank to get my money for the Colombia trip to take to a Western Union office to send it to Cristina for transferring it to the local currency, pesos (about 2600 to $1). I knew there was a Western Union sign a few blocks away so I continued there, however this office apparently only receives, and does not send, so that meant a bus trip to one in El Centro. I waited my turn rather than use my Tercera Edad, Old-Farts, privilege and everything got sent OK.
While I was downtown I figured I had better get a black printer cartridge for my HP printer. Well that was a chore and a half, because nobody had any, anywhere,except one place who wanted $36 for the basic small cartridge. Since I was accustomed to paying about $22, I refused to pay and left. I was chased down by a man who was in the store and he turned out to be the distributor for such items and he promised that he could get me a triple cartridge for $30 so I followed him to his storefront. It turns out the new import taxes by this broke government are really affecting such products. This fellow shows me a triple size color cartridge for $30 but he doesn't have the black one... So I buy the color one anyway, I will need it sooner or later and the price was certainly right. I criss-crossed downtown until my shoes were falling apart without success so I headed home. I went grocery shopping then hopped on the scooter and went to a nearby store, Gran Aki, who almost always has this cartridge in stock, and yes, they did, for $37. I swallowed my disgust and bought the darn thing.
Today I took the scooter to the Immigration office to hopefully continue the process to get my Visa transferred to my new Passport. Patricia had told me to return Monday but I knew the govt. employees has Monday and Tuesday off for the Pope's visit so I was hopeful that she would have received the confirmation of my Visa from Quito.
It was not to be though, and at least she gave me a number to call her tomorrow to see if it has arrived, so I do not waste more trips to that office. I want to get this done before I go to Colombia and she says it takes 3 days after receipt of the confirmation.
My next stop was to pick up a MagicJack that had been advertised on GringoTree. Don't ask me why I bought it, other than the price was right... I already have had NetTalk for almost 4 years and it is the same thing. I figure that somebody will need it sometime...
Then I zipped home, switched backpacks, grabbed the big camera, and off I went again. I even got on the Autopista and had the bike over 70 kph on an incline briefly (it is still in the break-in period so I can't run it wide open) so I figure that its top end will be about 80 kph on the flats. I went up to Turi and took a few shots, then headed behind Turi around the Control Sur and caught a few more sights. There are more Inca terraces on the mountain sides back there, and a huge prison facility... Then I circled back to just below Turi and went down Solano and investigated the road south of the Yanuncay, probably 27 de Febrero. The scooter is so great for this kind of exploration but I still have to remain conscious of my surroundings and my vulnerability.
I cruised over to Paseo De Los Canaris and stopped in to the Picanteria of my old friend Segundo and his family. There I had the best pollo apanado (breaded chicken) in Ecuador, with soup and juice for $3. Totally delicious! And Segundo's wife was proud to say that the organic chicken came from her own farm. Segundo wants me to come back often so that he can practice his English. I will.
Tonight I heard from Cristina that she did manage to get the pesos conversion from Western Union so all is well.
I hope you enjoy the photos. That was the day's excitement, Cheers, Al
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| The beauty of Cuenca as taken from the Mirador de Turi |
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| A very distant view of El Centro |
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| Zoomed all the way in from miles away |
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| The Inca ruins at Pumapungo |
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| The church at Turi that you can see from most points in Cuenca |
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| More views as I move along |
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| It is neat how Avenida Solano almost points to the big Cathedral |
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| Part of a restaurant complex below the Turi church |
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| The beauty of the boulevards on Avenida Solano |
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| Rear view of this huge prison in the Control Sur |
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| Inca terraces on the left, Prison on the right |
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| More Inca terraces on the mountains |
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| More views of our lovely city |
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| East of Turi is what I call "Mast Mountain" |
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| Another Cuenca view |
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| OK, one more... |
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| OK, two more... |
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| OK, three more... |
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| OK, this is the last... |
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| The beginning of 439 stairs to climb to Turi |
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| Regina, this is the electrician I was talking about... |
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| My buddy Segundo wants to practice his English |
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| His Picanteria Los Canaris needs a new sign |
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| It is a spacious restaurant, and they live in the home above |
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| Sorry, I started eating this delicious meal before taking the pic |
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| One of the lovely daughters along with his sweet wife |
