Week at a Glance

We've had a good week. Eating is like entertainment here. There are so many restaurants to choose from. We came from a small town with only a few restaurants, so we've having fun trying out the restaurants in town.

After our banking was finished on Monday, we walked to the Kookaburra Cafe and had lunch with a friend. An Australian couple own the Kookaburra Cafe and the food is very good plus everyone speaks English.

Tuesday we went to see our new doctor and both had physicals. He was pleased with our condition, but said that I need to reduce the salt in my diet to lower my blood pressure, and Mike needs to reduce! (about 10 to 20 pounds) Hopefully, with our walking and healthy eating, that will happen. Even though we're going out to eat more than we used to, the food is fresh and the portion sizes are smaller than back home.

Also on Tuesday, we had a big bright full moon. Couldn't resist to get a picture from our kitchen window.
















On Wednesday, we went grocery shopping at Super Maxi and stopped first to get pizza for lunch at La Fornace right next door. It was also very good.

Thursday, we went to the Coopera which is a food co-op, like a Farmer's Market. Mike loves their fresh-squeezed orange juice. He says it's the best he's had since he was a kid back in Ohio, and he says that the tomatoes taste like tomatoes should taste. Here's pictures of the oranges being squeezed to make the best orange juice in the world, according to Mike. He's amazed that oranges that aren't that pleasant in appearance can make such good-tasting orange juice.




















































































Friday, we went to dinner at Zoe's where the ex-pats meet. We met quite a few people and actually met the couple that rented our apartment just before us. I have a new love. It is called "corvina", a mild white fish. It is delicioso. I had stuffed corvina for dinner with clams, all covered in a seafood sauce. It was divine.

Today, we walked to breakfast in town. It took about 25 minutes. We ate at the California Kitchen, a restaurant opened about four months ago by a family who moved here from Tucson, Arizona. We enjoyed meeting the owners and having an American breakfast. Here are pictures of our walk into town and the restaurant we ate at. By the way, there are about 2500 taxis in Cuenca, so you never have to wait long to catch one. We usually walk one way and then catch a taxi back home.

































































So that's it for now. Our Spanish is improving. I feel like I'm a 2 year old just learning to talk. Oh well, it's good for the brain.

Chao for now,
Patty