The last week in Cuenca

An example of an event gringos get up to. A local group of writers and wanabee writers, WIT,& my design for a poster.

The sun has been out the last couple of days. What an
improvement this makes in attitudes. Mine is up because of the
sunshine. There seemed to be weeks of rain without breaks up
until a few days ago. I am flirting with the idea of Mexico. The
rain pushed me to it. A couple of gringas one who lives there
now and another who has extensively traveled there have been
lobbying for it. It does satisfy my criteria of late, Spanish
and a warm sun. Hearing that this rain isn't normal doesn't do
much for my confidence as I make the choices regarding residence
here. In Ecuador people don't doubt climate change. The weather
in the mountains has been SO consistent for so long that this
change is conspicuous. I do like the city of Cuenca. It is a big
city layed out as lots of small neighborhoods abutted. The grid
of narrow one way streets makes being a pedestrian feasible

despite the pin ball behavior of the vehicles. I could live here
but maybe I want to do more exploring. Meeting so many people
who have been to Peru, Argentina, Columbia,Uruguay, etc...has
perked my interest. There is a summer in Maine ahead, not a bad
country to revisit. Also thoughts of Europe. Lots of EU tourists
have come thru the hostel in the two months Ive lived here. Just
two reasons I am not in Europe now, winter and cost. Maybe the
fall in Germany and Spain and the winter in Ecuador or Mexico.
Need to price the airfare for that thought. Had I world enough
and time, I would see it all.

A photo of Ponche, the boss of upper Hermano Miquel, the street I live on in Cuenca. Ponche keeps order here, he allowsno other dog to lay on the sidewalk. No other dog can mooch a meal at the several restraunts. Car alarms are barked at by Ponche until they stop. Tires are marked with an attention not matched by any meter maid, as soon as a vehicle parks.