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Thursday August 31, 2017
Went to IESS to see Diana Calle today, (totally different lady than my other Diana Calle), and she was very helpful. Yes, we are hooped
to our present pension incomes to calculate our healthcare premiums, and not the amount used to get our original Visa. The other lawyer totally mininformed us the prior Thursday. We have an appointment to see her again Sept 6, after the school rush, make the amendments, then the
new payments take effect in October. At that time we should get a Certificate of Registration in some form to take to the Immigration office before the Nov 8 deadline. However,
my trusted source for immigration issues, Jodie at Visa Angels, says that Immigration is nowhere near ready for this task and will only be ready sometime in November. If we don't do this process right then we may just get our Visa cancelled. Nobody wants that yet....
I tried to explain to her that, as a Canadian, our pension is paid in Canadian funds, and when we transfer it here it must be converted at the rate of the day, plus 4% bank fees. Today the conversion rate is 1.26, very favourable lately for cash but this will mean that my premium might be in the range of $230... OUCH! And this will especially hurt if the rate goes back to the 1.40 it hit earlier this year... We will get less cash but still be stuck with the high premiums.. I don't know how they intend to solve this and then deal with folks who have other Visas, other than pensioner, like Professional or Investor Visas. This is already highly discriminatory against seniors and foreigners so there will have to be some huge decisions and adjustments made to this law. Technically, if this Human Mobility law is against the Constitution due to discrimination and other factors, then te law is legally null and void. We just may have to go to court over this. This is very stressful.
I picked up my moccasins at the shoemaker and he did a superlative job making them look the same except I didn't look closely, until I got home, to see that he only put a new thong in the injured right one so they don't quite match, but then they are only used at home and nobody would really notice.
Tonight was the usual Herederos ride but there was a complicating factor of the World Cup qualifying match between Ecuador and Brazil at 7:45. I tried to get the group to meet at Santa Canela bar just above the Broken Bridge, which was cclose to our usual meeting place and had safe parking. But I was overruled by the President to go to the TUKU bar on Remigio Crespo. They should have listened to me, because we had to sit outside on the patio, in the cool air right next to where all the inconsiderate smokers were, and the service was really slow.
Then a tinpot traffic cop did not like us all parked on the grassy area in front, completely away from bothering anyone at all, but insisted that we find parking on the street... So the owner of TUKU nicely moved his car so we could squeeze together. I didn't see this cop too concerned about the 5 or 6 cars parked illegally in the bus stop next to us... Somebody said it was just harrassment to try to elicit a bribe..
I was hungry so I wanted to order the ribs that were so good last time, but all they were offering was a boneless rib sandwich which turned out to be fatty and chewy. I also ordered the battered deep-fried shrimp which wasn't very good either, overcooked, and without any dipping sauce, just a bowl of Aji. The only good things were the fries... Then Ecuador lost the game 2-0, soundly beaten by the Brazilians.
Only a few of us continued for a short ride to La Condamine where my favourite statue to the greased pole climb is located. Somehow I don't recall seeing a lovely large mural done on a neighbouring building in amazing 3D. I fell in love with it.
Then we continued on to stop at San Sebastian square wher we had some fun with Christian and Pierino trying on a ladies knitted hat. Good fun with good people....
I hope you enjoy the photos. That was the day’s excitement.
Cheers, Al
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| Unmatched shoelaces, but great job.. |
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| Hard to tell which one was repaired |
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| Dr Juan took this photo with my camera. Good job! |
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| Watching the end of the Argentina-Uruguay game |
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| Sisters Carmen & Isabel |
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| My two dishes at TUKU, not very good this time |
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| Sitting in the cool area next to the smokers... yuck |
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| Most of the group that came tonight |
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| Too bad Ecuador did not do better in the futbol match |
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| The 3D wall mural on La Condamine |
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| Different version with different lighting |
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| This is always a favourite stop of mine too |
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| Love this greased pole statue |
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| This is hilarious to see the real thing |
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| Working together to reach the prizes at the top |
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| I would hate to be the bottom people |
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| Great art! |
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| getting ready to go to San Sebastian |
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| Sisters again |
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| Sisters always |
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| San Sebastian church had the fountain going tonight |
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| Fun group |
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| Looking across to the Modern Art Museum |
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| Christian didn't want this photo taken |
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| Good sports.. |
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| Pierino reading his crystal ball |
