MOTORCROSS!

On April 1st.   After lunch we take a short drive to the outskirts of the city searching for the auto emissions place and stumble across this racetrack.  We make our way down and watch for a bit.  I got some great shots. 

Flying with no wings! De verdad!..No foolin!

I'd never been to a motorcross race before.   The whole thing lasted less than an hour.

I told you it is a photographer's paradise!

In the future, I'll be adding picts to this site on the "doors", and the "flor" of Ecuador. (sorry, I just couldn't resist the corny ryhming).  This is a sneak preview of what you will see.  It is amazing.

Every now and then, I need to remind all my family and friends.
I MISS YOU and love you. So here is my shout out for today. Expect reminders and shout outs, OK. Also, keep sending picts and videos. I love it.

Although my friend Cathy in Covina thinks I am just here attending festivals. LOL We are moving forward with getting the Church established. Pastor gives evening bible studies in our home in Spanish and I do more bible studies with the ladies during the week. We've put the word out we are looking for a place for the church and spend alot time scouring the city and looking at buildings.

There are lots of locations with very small areas but not many with large.  Buildings here grow up, not out, so there are usually lots of stairs to climb.

Here are some picts of the great folks helping us and coming to bible studies. Of course, we must always make time for some cusine.
Everyone is patient with our Spanish. We just help each other out.

Top left and center is home bible study, bottom left is ladies' study.

Do I really live here?

Does this really look like us? I'll have to thank the guy for shaving off some weight! We had this made during one of the many festivals.

Finally found a place to settle in.  The view is not too great, but it is temporary.  I'm just happy to have a place to call home.  At this point we had moved seven times.  One more move is planned.  Just waiting for availability in May. 

A view of our street, Primero de Mayo.

Unfurnished here, means an empty shell, though  this place does have a stove top. There is no room for a stove with an oven, so I get a microwave.  Now I just have to learn how to really use it.    Augghh,!!! all the instructions are in Spanish.  I don't think a half a semester in Junior High School is gonna cut it.  Thanks to the internet, I downloaded enough info in English.  

The most important button here is the Palomitas button.  Popcorn.  Popcorn is served with your meals in restaurants just as chips or bread might be served in the States.  We eat alot of popcorn.

This will have to be my garden for now.  But, if miss a garden too much, I just have to wander outside and take a little walk.

Across the street from our apartment building. Beautiful. For a girl from a dry southwest, this is amazing.  I could compare it to northern New Mexico somewhat.  Imagine greener and perfect temperature all year long.  Living on the equator sure does have some advantages!

Introducing Cuenca

The country has a holiday its seems every couple of months. We landed right into this one a month or so before Christmas. This is the square in the center of old Cuenca.

This is good. Fried banana chips (not really banana, but I've forgotten the name), onions, toasted corn, limon, and tomato in some type of liquid sauce.

We seemed to run into these kiddos where ever we went the first few weeks after our arrival. We walked everywhere and so did they.


Welcome!

Hello and welcome to Living in the Andes. 
Since this is my first experience with 'blogging', it might seem a little clumsy, so please have patience. 

This is my little window to the world through our experiences in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador.

We landed here in Cuenca at the end of September 2011. The first couple of months for me were just total confusion!  But I am happy to report that has changed, now I am just a little confused.  Fortunately, my well traveled friend Erin, advised me to google earth to find out where I am. (That's priceless Chica, thanks).  You can check out her blogspot at ' theitalianguyandi '.
Ecuador is a photographer's paradise, so colorful with beautiful mountains and rivers, fantastic and unusual flowers.  The people are friendly and colorful too.  I'll try to capture that for you.

Here we go!!

Our first impression of Cuenca, the airport.  We have many memories there as our lugguage did not arrive when we did.  Our new friend, Angel, was a blessing to us (no pun intended).  He kept an eye out for our bags as they straggled in.  After about three months, all had arrived.