Santa Barbara Hosteria

One of our favorite getaway spots is Santa Barbara (Ecuador that is!) in the picturesque town of Gualaceo where the people are warm and friendly, and the town is bustling with leather shoes, purses and jackets.

We spend one or two days every three months at this oasis and each time we think our stay can't get any better, but it does!

Santa Barbara Hosteria is located about 22 miles from Cuenca and for 60-cents you can be transported by bus to the subtropical paradise of Gualaceo where beauty knows no limits. You can catch the green Gualaceo bus every 10 minutes at the Terminal Terrestre in Cuenca and the scenic drive takes about 45 minutes to an hour because it stops to pick up passengers along the way.

Once in Gualaceo, you'll be dropped off at the bus station and you can take one of the white pick-up trucks (aka taxis) to Santa Barbara Hosteria (cost $1.50). Driving up the palm-tree lined entryway reminds me of Santa Barbara, California (without the ocean). There are tennis courts...gardens, pools, horseback riding...and a luxury spa area. Each room is well-appointed with every imaginable luxury and a five-star restaurant, La Campiña del Sol, which literally means "Countryside of the Sun."

If you book a room Monday through Thursday, it's $75 per person and includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their meals are absolutely divine and one of my favorites is the Penne Picante with jumbo shrimp.

This time of year, they're all decorated for the holidays and since we didn't put up a Christmas tree this year, it was a treat to be surrounded by all things cheery and bright.

The service at Santa Barbara Hosteria is impeccable, including a welcome drink when you check in and you always feel like royalty as soon as you enter the reception area. When you call them for a reservation, be sure to mention if it's a special occasion. It was our anniversary and they had some special surprises for us (I won't spoil it by sharing!).

The views are spectacular and this time we had balcony with a view that took my breath away and while Mark took his afternoon nap, I treated myself to the spa area. We usually book a Monday or Tuesday and we practically have the place to ourselves. I wouldn't suggest making reservations on a Friday-Sunday as this is a popular hot spot for weddings.

While we were in California for seven months in 2012, we passed through Santa Barbara many times but I have to say that even though there's no ocean view, I love this Santa Barbara better. At night, the twinkling lights from the city of Gualaceo are simply magical.

Our next visit will be for Valentine's Day and we already know what room to ask for in advance. Hope you enjoy this place as much as we do.

Until next time...hasta luego!

Also, the Second Edition of "Living and Retiring in Cuenca: 101 Questions Answered" will be available in 2015!

My Favorite Things

Mark affectionately calls "my favorite things" -- Connie's uniform!

If I had to do it over, I would have brought less of everything to Cuenca, including clothes and shoes. As it turns out I wear the same thing practically every day of the year: jean jacket, jeans, Nike walking/running shoes, North Face Jacket, scarf, Tote's umbrella and my leather boots. That's it! I brought shoes from the States that I haven't even worn yet. In fact, it's not much different from my California look, except I wear jeans instead of Capri pants and flip-flops.

On occasion, I do have some fancy dresses which I'm glad I brought because we're being invited to Ecuadorian weddings and other special events which require nice attire, but other than that it's casual, casual, casual.

While we were in California for seven months, I got a great deal on a North Face Jacket with a fleece in my favorite colors -- pink and black. It retailed for over $250, but I got it for $95 as it was on clearance and it was a children's size 14. I normally wear a size 4 or 6, so I've found out that I can get away with a kid's size 14 sometimes which is a lot less expensive. I wear that jacket every day and it has inside pockets, so I don't have to carry a purse. It also has an attached hood, so it's great when I forget my umbrella like I did the other day when it just poured down rain during the Anniversary Celebrations in Cuenca.

My jean jacket was on sale at Old Navy for $14. It has outside as well as inside pockets, so it's perfect for carrying a coin purse, keys, Kleenex and a tube of lipstick. The jeans are my favorite -- boot cut -- so I can wear them with my leather boots or tucked inside which is pretty popular these days.

The diesel fumes really irritate my eyes if I'm in El Centro for any length of time, so I do have a variety of sunglasses; I wear them even if it's cloudy! And, of course, I always have a scarf with me to cover my face when the clunky blue buses start sputtering out diesel fumes. I've actually come home and had black soot on my face. I realize that El Centro is a popular place (lots of shops and restaurants), but I absolutely could not live there. I'm horribly allergic to the fumes and sometimes it takes two days for my eyes and nose to calm down. We've been in El Centro a lot this week because of all the Anniversary Celebrations of Cuenca and let me tell you...I've suffered for it. Don't get me wrong...I love Cuenca, but my body sure doesn't like black sooty diesel fumes!

My uniform!

Walking is tricky -- at times -- because there are uneven sidewalks, rebar sticking up out of sidewalks, no grates on gutters, and unexpected holes that appear out of nowhere, so a good pair of walking shoes is important. I love my Nike Air walking shoes and will probably have to get another pair soon. The great thing about Cuenca is it costs only about $2.00 to have something resoled. I've had my boots done twice already! They also have sneaker soles as well, so two pairs of shoes go a long ways.

I also have one pair of switch flops and ballerina shoes by Lindsay Phillips with 20 different snaps. One pair of shoes that turns into 20 different ones.When I go to a special event, I wear my high heels and immediately switch into my ballerina slippers with their classy snaps to match just about any outfit I own.

I'm sure there are other expats who own a ton of clothes, but I'm just not one of them. I feel most comfortable in a pair of jeans. Also, I own four bathing suits as I go to the thermal baths at Baños. That's it, my wardrobe for Cuenca!

I do more with less and my favorite color is black because you can accessorize with it easily with scarfs and jewelry and since I ride the bus quite frequently I don't have to worry about stains. I do have some summer tops and Capri pants, but I only use those for the beach.

Through the years I've had a variety of hats -- expensive Panama hats and others, but I do a very good job of losing them. My favorite hat I left at the Guayaquil bus station last year, so now I only buy cheap sun hats.

One thing I don't understand is the "jungle camouflage look" that I see a lot of expats wearing. Maybe they're just visiting and are planning a trip to the Amazon, Galapagos, and the Andes, so they need those zip off pants with Indiana Jone's hat and vest. It's okay if you're passing through, but it's probably not a good everyday look as it screams "gringo."

Oh, I almost forgot. I have a Samsung tablet that I bought two years ago and it goes everywhere with me along with my $1.00 pink earplugs. And, my Clinique essentials in their to-go bag which fits nicely in my pocket. My gratitude goes out to all the visitors who come to Cuenca and remember reading in my book what I missed in the States and surprise me with a Clinique Bonus Day bag and products. You are my forever friends!

That's it...my favorite things!

Until next time...hasta luego!

We're Back!

It's been two months since we returned to Cuenca and it's been exciting to see all the changes. And I have to say, when you're away for a long period of time Spanish comes back in full force. It's as if we never left!

After we received a $16,000 bill from 1-1/2 hours in the ER while we were in the States, we hopped on the next plane back home to Cuenca. Unfortunately, even with the medical insurance policy we took out, it barely covered anything. So one of the first things we did upon returning to Cuenca was to sign up for another insurance policy -- Confiamed.The $98 we spend per month-- for both of us -- includes: 100% hospitalization for Santa Ines, 80% for other hospitals; prescriptions, outpatient services, life insurance, travel insurance and burial insurance. Try to find something even close to that in the States. We were paying $622 a month and that was for catastrophic only.

There were a "few" things that changed in Cuenca as well:

(1) Mucho más gringos! In February of 2010 when my husband made his first exploratory trip to Cuenca I asked him if there were a lot of gringos in Cuenca. He mentioned that he saw a few, but that was it! I realize that gringos (expats) only make up about 2-4 percent of the population, but they are mostly concentrated in "el centro." We now live on the other side of town -- Primero de Mayo -- where we rarely see any Americans. Today we met friends at Coffee Tree on Calle Larga and I felt like I was in America with all the English speaking folks. What a contrast to what it was just a few short years ago. I guess all the promoting of Cuenca has worked!

(2) Places to Eat. Some of the older establishments like Zoe's are now for rent, but many more restaurants have taken its place. It seems like every week another place opens its doors, only with gringo pricing! We have visited some of our old favorites along with some of the newer places like Oliveto (Italian) on Calle Larga and Windhorse Cafe (Calle Larga and Hermano Miguel) which is a great place to meet and greet. Other popular places are Bananas (where Kookaburra used to be) and San Sebas Cafe which is perfect hangout all during the week.

(3) Higher Prices. When it's difficult to find a cup of coffee for a $1.00, we just laugh. It's all relative. I just remind myself that 1-1/2 hours in the ER is 16K (U.S.) so what's the big deal about $1.25 for a cup of java. Liquor and wine are now being taxed 30 percent, but you can still find great deals at Coral. A bottle of wine there is still $4.25 which is cheaper than the boxed wine -- Clos. Since Mark and I don't drink alcohol we definitely save money compared to our drinking friends who complain almost constantly about the prices. If you imbibe, be prepared to pay the price. Housing prices are also going up, but the Ecuadorians are the ones raising the prices so it's what you're willing to pay. It's still cheaper to rent a house ($250-$300) than a condo, but security is an issue for some. We have looked at some brand new 2 bedroom, 2 bath apartments for $300 unfurnished and some furnished for $400, so don't let anyone gringo gouge you! We love our new neighborhood along Primero de Mayo along the Yununcay River; it has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths with a balcony. We get morning and afternoon sun which makes our home a constant 68-70 degrees. Our friends who live in places that don't have the morning sun, usually need electrical heaters during the day or night. The other nice perk is a 7-minute walk to Mall del Rio. I find reasons to go there about twice a day!

(4) More police presence (everywhere) and the new transit police which have sharp looking uniforms. Most of the police are centered in "el centro," along the rivers and near the parks. Parque de la Madre with its underground parking garage was "under construction" when we left for the States in July, but now it's open and awaiting the unveiling of the planetarium. Video web cams at intersections are now being put in which will crack down on speeding and aggressive driving.

(5) Cuenca keeps making the news!  Publications continue to write articles on the benefits of retiring abroad, including Cuenca. NBC with Ann Curry did a special series on the Amazon with the oil drilling going on there. ABC's Primetime with John Quinones was here last month interviewing expats, and -- of course -- International House Hunters continues to target Cuenca as a hotspot. When we were first exploring Cuenca in 2009 there were a few blogs and tidbits of information on the internet, but today resources abound. It seems like every week there's a new e-book written about this colorful city.

One of the things that has changed drastically since we left is the ease of getting your residency visa at the Ministerio de Exteriores (Zone 6). It's now possible to go through the process without the services of a lawyer and since the "censo" is no longer needed, folks have been able to get their residency visas in a month (or less). The English speaking staff in the office is one of the greatest perks and without the extra red tape of the censo, some are getting their cédula in as little as two months!

It sure is great to be back home!

Until next time...hasta luego!


Connie and Mark

Milestones

Today marked a milestone in our language learning. We left this morning (before language school) to wait in line at the immigration office to get our updated censo (the last step before getting our "cedula").

The cedula is an important document; it allows us all the rights and privileges of an Ecuadorian citizen with the exception of being able to vote and run for office (not one of our aspirations!).

When we first arrived at the immigration office -- three weeks ago -- we could hardly say the word "hola" without stuttering. But today we reached a milestone...we not only understood everything the officer said, we were able to answer all his questions to his satisfaction. We walked out of the office with our new censos in hand!

I wish I could say that it is always the case...fluent Spanish, but it is not. The other day, Mark went into Sukasa (think: Crate and Barrel in the States). He went up to one of the associates and said, "Quisiera una tostada por favor!" The clerk's smile turned into a grin as he led us to the toasters. Unfortunately, there are a lot of Spanish words that are similar in sound, but with totally different meanings. The Spanish word for "toaster" is "tostadora." If Mark had been at Taco Bell, he would have been correct!

At the end of the day, we count it a privilege to have made mistakes...it's the only way to really learn a language. Some of the biggest mistakes we made in Italy -- while learning Italian -- still keep us laughing. Mark has his own way of learning a language and I have mine. Although we learn differently, we always celebrate the milestones.

Today our Spanish professor was sick and we had a free day so we went to "el centro" and celebrated with "helado" (ice cream) and Mark bought me two dozen roses at the flower market. Later we walked to Parque Calderon and met up with friends.

Part of the journey of living in another country is celebrating the milestones along the way (and never taking yourself too seriously!).

Until next time...hasta luego!


Consuelo y Marco

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Men in Little Green Suits

One of the first things I noticed about Cuenca was just how clean it was (and continues to be!). The men/women in little green suits -- cleaning, sweeping, and throwing away garbage -- seem to abound on every corner.

I'm not sure if it's due to the UNESCO status that Cuenca holds or if it is just a squeaky clean city, but it never goes unnoticed (by us!).

When my husband first visited Cuenca in February of this year, he used to tease me on the phone and say, "There goes another one in a 'pink' suit!" He was referring to the multi-diversity of the cleaning uniforms (green, blue and orange). The rainbow of colors are all doing the same thing...keeping Cuenca beautiful.

That is not to say that there isn't the occasional litter along the streets, but "magically" by the next day it seems to be clean once again. We even see the street vendors washing off their section of the sidewalk at the end of the day. It seems like the Cuencanos take pride in keeping their city looking pristine.

Mother nature also seems to help out by giving almost a daily dose of rain (either by night or by day) to finish off what the men in little green suits started!

Until next time...hasta luego!


Consuelo y Marco



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Tiestos!

Since first reading about Cuenca, there was one word that resonated..."Tiestos." It seems to be the mecca for expats and Cuencanos alike where the best chef in the world mingles with the guests, serves the first portion of food, gives you a table (when you didn't have reservations!), and basically makes the dining experience more like an "event" rather than a meal.

We invited our "neuvos amigos" -- Rhonda and Jerry to join us. The portions were huge and the food is probably the best I have ever tasted (sorry Italy...you are now bumped to second place!). The dinner is served piping hot in a tiesto dish (hence the name of the restaurant "Tiestos"). But before the main course arrives, an assortment of appetizers, salad, and condiments for the main course abound at the table. Juan -- the owner and chef -- presented the main course with a flare all his own which certainly described his feelings for the profession of gourmet cooking! We ordered "filet mignon"-- in portions unheard of in the States -- that literally melted in your mouth. Oh, and did I mention dessert...it was a work of art!

During our meal, we greeted other expats -- especially Nancy and Rich (I've been following their blog for over a year and it was great to meet them in person). By the way, Rich and Nancy..."Happy 22nd Anniversary."

After we left Tiestos, we took a walk to "el centrol" where the Festival of Azuay was going on in the square. There were street vendors, live music and dancing. We were entertained by a 70-year-old woman who was teaching a little girl "muchacha" how to dance. It's only when you're in that environment that you realize how fortunate you are to have found a place in the world that combines all the things you love most about life: great friends, rich culture with a deep heritage and history, and the best food I've ever tasted.


After taking our walk to "el centro," we took a taxi drive home, enjoyed a glass of wine with Rhonda and Nancy in their lovely apartment where we watched fireworks from their balcony.

Life is so rich and full here -- a sense of true belonging. We have bonded with the culture and often wonder if the Cuencanos realize just how great they have it. This is truly paradise. But I suppose they may take for granted what we realize is almost sacred and special.

Tiestos marked the anniversary of our first month in Ecuador and our new life. We couldn't be happier. We finally got it right this time...this is truly home!

Until next time...hasta luego!


Concetta y Marco

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Matters of the Heart!

Today I searched my heart and asked myself, "What's so important that you can't live without?"

When I answered that question (which will be different for everyone), I started to clean out my office. It was crucial to ask that question first because I had 31 three-inch ring binders full of "stuff" to go through.

Half way through the "ordeal," I thought, Did I really do all those things? I was a teacher of medical terminology and beginning Italian, personality trainer (Myers-Briggs), author, speaker, medical transcriptionist, tumor registrar, editor, wife, mother, and friend (not necessarily in that order!).

Out of the three-foot pile of black garbage bags, I kept exactly three things; two of them I will share with you and the third I will keep private (if you don't mind). The first is hanging over my computer and reads, "Remember: If it was easy, everyone would be doing it!" That pretty much sums up our move to Cuenca, Ecuador. The hardest part is getting there! It didn't help that I spent all day yesterday in the ER and today at the orthopedic surgeon's office (probable torn meniscus of the right knee).

The second item I kept is a card from a friend which pretty much sums up life (in general): "Ten Rules for Making Every Day a Great Day!"

1. Think and expect good things will happen!

2. Express gratitude to a loved one.

3. Let go of your grievances!

4. Be patient to an annoying person.

5. Do something special for yourself!

6. Reach out to someone who needs comfort.

7. Live and fully experience the present moment!

8. Learn from a mistake.

9. Look closely into a flower and see and experience its true beauty.

10. Smile all day and laugh as often as you can.

Things I did not throw away, include: my birth certificate, marriage certificate, and Social Security Card.

There you have it! After 35 years of hard labor, life boiled down to a few pieces of paper and lots of memories. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be (really!). It was almost cathartic because I realized that what mattered most to me (my husband, my sons, and my family) were already in my heart and, therefore, could never really be taken from me.

Until next time...hasta luego!

Connie and Mark

P.S. Each day I will post a picture of Mark's recent trip to Cuenca. Looking at those steps, I'm pretty sure I will need my knee fixed prior to boarding the airplane!

A Man's Perspective!

Mark arrived home from Cuenca late Thursday evening/morning (3:30 AM to be correct!). He barely got through the door when I asked, "Where's the camera?" He shuffled through his backpack and gingerly handed over the camera.

I wrapped my arms around him and whispered, "Oh, honey, it's wonderful to have you home!" And then I ran upstairs and downloaded the photos (all 70 of them!) onto the computer.

Seventy photos may seem like a lot, but to me--the photographer in the family--it seemed like "muy poco." Partly because 60 of them were of the same thing. I have a video of our apartment, but no pictures. I have pictures of streets (but no people); it was a Sunday! I have a picture of a cathedral (covered up by a tree), and many, many pictures of the river (I know there are four, but I think this was the same one). Oh, and let's not forget the yellow taxi, the pharmacy, and a strip mall.

"So what do you think?" inquired my hubby.

I tried to hide my disappointment, but it was simply too much (or too little?!). The words tumbled out, "That's it? Where are the rest of the pictures?" Mark had a glazed-eye look from lack of sleep and couldn't figure out why I was so upset about.

Of course, he couldn't...that's the difference between a man's perspective and a woman's; we need details...lots and lots of details!

At least he remembered to take a video of the apartment and walked me through it (and that's what he went for), so it was a successful mission for which I am thankful!

Yesterday Mark turned 55 and we celebrated with dinner out, lots of cake, and phone calls galore, so the pictures (or lack of them!) are now a distant memory.

It's no big deal -- right? I'll get to take my own in a few months ("mas/menos").

Until next time...hasta luego!

Connie and Mark

P.S. Thank you Chuck and Nancy for meeting Mark for coffee; it's the only picture I have that is proof that Mark was there (with people and not the river!).

Best and Worst Places to Live

Recently when my hubby and I sat in the Travel Clinic to receive our necessary (and not so necessary!) shots for travel to Ecuador, I picked up a magazine—“National Geographic’s Traveler Edition” with the top 109 destinations rated.

As I flipped through the pages, I was amazed—shocked really—to find out that one of the “worst rated places” to live was “Lancaster County Pennsylvania” – our home (score 45)! It was wedged between Deadwood, South Dakota and the Pennsylvania/Maryland/Virginia US 15 Corridor!

Why was Lancaster rated so poorly? The author cited many reasons, but one in particular hit me hard: “The Amish are lost amid the sprawl and schlock.” If you travel anywhere in Lancaster County at 4:30 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon you will most likely understand and respect the writer’s opinion. We share roads with Amish buggies and all that goes with that (I’ll let you use your imagination on that one!). Some drivers aren’t so patient with the Amish and often put them in harm’s way as I witnessed recently during one of our record-breaking snowfalls. A car speeding 55 mph almost toppled an Amish buggy in the snow (with three small children inside).

Contrast Lancaster County to one of the best rated places to live: Wachau, Austria (score 88). It’s not difficult to understand why Austria consistently makes it into the top ten spots. This past year I had the privilege of traveling with my author friend, Kathy Pride, to Austria. We stayed in the idyllic town Bad Gastein. It was quite arguably the most beautiful place on earth (sorry Switzerland you just got bumped into second place). No wonder I cried when we left; it was simply breathtaking.

As I flipped to page 120 of National Geographic’s top 109 destinations, a smile spread across my face. Nestled between “Sitka, Alaska” and “Morelia, Mexico” was “Cuenca, Ecuador” with a score of 68. It was listed with the cities that are “doing well—“retaining a sense of place with few insurmountable problems.”

Hmm…I like that!

Cuenca scored so highly because of its aesthetic beauty and because it has earned UNESCO World heritage status in part for its architecture. The article ended with the words, “Cuenca’s future depends on proper planning now.”

Is it any wonder that we chose Cuenca as a place to retire? Having had the opportunity to travel to many places in the world, I have to say that Cuenca combines all the qualities that we love: the mountains, nature, city life, Old World charm, and much of what we enjoyed in Sicily (in the way of food, culture, and the warmheartedness of the people).

"The Best and Worst Places to Live" are really just one man’s opinion and in the end, you have to be guided by your own level of comfort and ability to adapt. No place on earth is perfect, but Cuenca is “perfect” for us!

Until next time...hasta luego!


Connie and Mark


P.S. Mark arrives home this evening (actually 1:00 a.m.), so in the next few days I will post pictures of his journey!