Saturday, December 31, 2016

Saturday December 31, 2016 HAPPY NEW YEAR



Please see more of my artworks for sale at my NEW website:  http://souvenirphotostudio.neocities.org/
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Saturday December 31, 2016
The bunch went shopping toay, checking out the artisans around the city.
I tried to watch the Canada - USA Junior hockey game but another glitch made it impossible to enjoy, never mind that the USA won, very deservingly.
We had a late supper and checked out the neighbourhood where almost nothing was happening.  No bands, just some sporadic fireworks that will go on all night.
So, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL
Turning age 67 tomorrow will likely be quiet as well.
 I hope you enjoy the photos.  That was the day's excitement.   Cheers, Al 

© All my work is COPYRIGHT protected and may not be used in any way without purchase, or without my permission. 
If you want to borrow a picture for sharing with family and friends, PLEASE give me credit for the photo.

NOTE that you may click on any photo for an ENLARGED VIEW.

Late supper with Cristina, Ana & Christian

Ana returns to Colombia tomorrow

Christian is staying another 10 days

Happy to start a new year with my lovely wife

Happy New Year everyone


Friday, December 30, 2016

Friday December 30, 2016 Turi



Please see more of my artworks for sale at my NEW website:  http://souvenirphotostudio.neocities.org/
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Welcome…..  Please note that you may try to SUBSCRIBE to this Blog on the right although, because of a glitch in Google,  it doesn’t seem to be working at all.  Therefore I sincerely do appreciate the hundreds of regular followers.
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Comments are graciously accepted at souvenirphotostudio@gmail.com.
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Friday December 30, 2016
My good wife wanted to go to the mountaintop on the right of Turi this morning so I rushed home from my appointment with the Spanish School, Instituto Cuenca by 11am.  In true Latin fashion, we did not get away to Turi until 3pm...
In 2012 I checked out this mountaintop and spoke to the owner who was just beginning to make major changes to make it a major tourist stop.  He claimed that he bought 300 meters by 300 meters of the mountaintop for $30,000 in 2010, right when we were there scouting the place out!  So there are 2 sites on the Turi mountain that, in hindsight, we should have bought.  At the time, the climb up was quite treacherous so I suggested that a funicular would be the thing to get people up and down safely...  Guess what they have running now, just in the last 2 months, called the "Turiferico"..!!  And it is painfully obvious that it is homemade, built in Ecuador, complete with old bus seats,... but it works smoothly...
You can now climb up many safer concrete stairs for $1 entrance fee, of you can ride the Turiferico for $1.50.  
Up above you have one of the "end of the world" swings out over the mountain's edge, some other swings, a bar, a food stand, zip lines, many little swinging walkways, and several huts for views and photos.  I managed to stay out of trouble while Christian had to try the zipline.
A few of the photos are taken by Cristina with the Lumix.
We walked down, explored the Turi site a little before catching a cab to Pizza House for supper.  I must say that my appetite is surely waning these days, and my new slimmer self is the result of the diet that Cristina has imposed on me.
Again, I must compliment my lovely wife for all she has done, without complaint, since the accident.  She has been absolutely incredible.
I hope you enjoy the photos.  That was the day's excitement.   Cheers, Al 

© All my work is COPYRIGHT protected and may not be used in any way without purchase, or without my permission. 
If you want to borrow a picture for sharing with family and friends, PLEASE give me credit for the photo.

NOTE that you may click on any photo for an ENLARGED VIEW.

The obligatory shot from the Mirador de Turi

The new funicular, just up the road

Starting up the funicular, nice view

Higher and higher, to treetop level

Looking down at the base station

Up yet higher

Another great view

Someone swinging out over the edge

Homemade rig with bus seats up front

and bus seats in back too

The group, at the top

Worth the extra 50c to come up this way

Neat stairway for good photos

Another hardy soul braves the thin air

Cristina and Christian

Always need more than one shot

Ana and Christian

The traveling buddies

Who, me??

One of the many viewpoints

Taken with Christian's phone

Another less dangerous swing

Love this shot..

Same shot with Ana


Christian psyching himself up

Great view of Cuenca from up there

Another swing is idle

I wonder if this could be the reason????

First stage of the zipline

He's done this before

Crossing the 2nd stage

Still crossing

Ok, one more

Landing and moving to the next platform


Nativity scene inside the church

Third stage

All done and coming back on a swinging bridge

Kid on a concrete slide

Posing above the church

Great backdrop, don't you think??

Including the broken guy

Glad I came to be with my lovely wife

I know that I am a lucky man in many respects

Back down to church level

The church was open

Priest agreed to pose