Puppets

So we are settling into life.  Honestly, we are finding ourselves feeling more and more comfortable and really beginning to know the city.

Cuenca has been so much fun exploring and of course Jared is always in the "know" on what's going on.  He subscribes to a "blog/newsletter" called Gringo Tree and its wonderful all the news we get... Just a quick tidbit of news that I read this week in Gringo Tree:  A "gringo" was found dead in the park near our casa... YIKES, right?  Well turns out he was sitting on a bench in the city center, at the cathedral (a very touristy place) and another gentlemen decided to sit next to him and started chattin him up... However, he became offended when the "gringo" didn't respond, and with glasses and a hat on, the local Cuencan man thought he was being rude and not communicating!  So he left and went shopping for a couple hours, when he returned he found the man in the same position.. Turns out he had died on the bench, he was 80 something!  Later we had heard he'd suffered a heart attack....  So natural causes... It was sad he died, but I was so relieved that it wasn't something violent... Also just an FYI, it was later posted that he had worked for JIF (peanut butter) in the states and was the sole reason, that extra crunchy peanut butter exists today!! No seriously, that is what his wife told the newsletter!! :)

Everyone continues to reassure us that Cuenca is VERY safe...

So, anyhoo lets get back to, Jared with his reading of the Gringo Tree each day, he saw an advertisement for a puppet show at a small theatre about 10 blocks from our flat.  We asked our "new" friends to join us, Rich, Jen, Jessica and their kiddos.  Coco absolutely LOVED it, even though it was in Spanish and she only understood a few words here and there.  She kept laughing so hard, hard enough that all the kids kept smiling at her and laughing with her...  I think the play had to do with water being taken for a dam and the effects it had on the animals... :)

Yep, guess who had no problem "scooting" towards the front and pulling the cats tail?

And then continued to play!! :)  This was at the end of the play during Q&A which none of us could understand, they were perfectly fine with "Isabel" and her precociousness.

After the puppet show we went to Jen and Rich's apartment for lunch.  There pad is so much more "up to date" than ours.. They actually have a microwave, oven, hot water in the kitchen, and washer..

Though I have to say we really are LOVING our VERY humble abode... :)  SIMPLICITY!! :)

We took the girls to the park and let them play, which meant they got all wet in the fountain... :)  Well at least Coco did... :)  Good thing the water in Cuenca is drinkable, because this kid gets into everything...

Coco and her friend Clara... 

We ended up walking 6 miles that day (I have my life fit watch) just walking too and from the theatre, their flat, and getting groceries.. We've been averaging about 5 miles a day of walking and are trying hard to not take taxis.  Surprisingly my joints have been feeling amazing!! :) Must have been the spa! I guess I need to go back sometime soon (good excuse)...

Yesterday, we went to an AWESOME church... Thousands of people attend it and the services are in Spanish, but they have headphones you can wear in which someone interprets for you... Coco was so brave and went into kids church... She wanted me to stay initially through the children's worship, I was so impressed with how courageous she was, especially since once again she was the only blonde, American in the room.  Furthermore, there was a 17 year old girl who was mentally handicapped who followed Coco around and kept touching her hair.  Coco didn't seem the least bit annoyed, fearful or imitated with the girl, who was at least three times her heigth and kept patting her head and mumbling... She has such good intuition and is so sweet to everyone... Except her momma, lol., she asked me confidently to leave her there... Of course Jared and I kept going back and checking on her the whole service.. She later told us she LOVED it, even though "I couldn't understand much".

Today we decided to walk to the river and laid on its banks, while Coco played on the shore, throwing rocks and getting her feet wet... People slow down here and really take in the moments, though how could you not when you live in the land of eternal mountain summer, with fresh breezes, butterflies, hummingbirds and 70 degree temperatures...

We then went to the market to buy a few things:  look at all of our finds for $10.00...

The white is Mozzarella 

I've been cooking so much and found an AMAZING website on Ecuadorean cooking, as its hard to find ingredients for many of the foods we're used to eating and we have loved all the foods here, thus far.. Plus, we don't have an oven or microwave only a gas stove and a very small refrigerator, so preparing meals as they do, is much simpler.

Out little kitchen :) 

Jared said last night, "THIS IS THE BEST MEAL I'VE EVER HAD!"... He is very honest so I know this was a real compliment.  I  made Ecuadorean chicken soup (fresh tomatoes, cilantro, onion, green onions, garlic, oregano, avocado, paprika, shredded chicken, corn chips and a hot red pepper)! Organic and very healthy...

Today I also made fresh hummus and salsa... :)

I found the most incredible mint, though it doesn't look like mint we get in the states.  Its interesting buying herbs since there are hundreds and hundreds of plants to chose from and again the names are not the same in English.  I find myself sniffing everything and then going home with a stuffed nose and sneezing..  Tonight we had an amazing mint tea...

Jared loves the coconuts and has been experimenting on the best way to "crack" them open... :)

"I am MAN!! I WILL crack open this coconut... :) "

Oh the satisfaction!! :) 

Also wanted to share a few pics of our terrace and the beautiful sky...

Andes Mountains in the background at Cajas National Park

Not to impressive, but cathedral spirals.. :)

Crazy sky today, but beautiful city in the background. 

Every night there is either a basketball or soccer game going on below our rooftop, which provides us with evening entertainment... :)

There's always so much life and energy! The elementary school turns into an open gym and college at night...

I also wanted to let everyone know we have officially released the "New Direction" for Project 81 (our Haiti work).  Please feel free to look up Project 81 Facebook, link below this paragraph, for more information on this coming year and the project.  Clay Nylund (co-founder of Project 81 and doctoral student at University of Florida) will be implementing a study on Haitian education, in order to gain baseline data for future interventions.  We are absolutely excited for the next couple of years! :)

https://www.facebook.com/notes/project-81-incorporated/the-baseline-project/10152176580298913

Finally, I wanted to leave everyone with a favorite quote from one of the authors I admire most Paulo Coelho!! :)  His great book "The Alchemist"  truly gave us the extra bit of courage to follow our dreams and go after our "personal legend", as he calls it in the book!! :)  He's also South American and I see his amazing pieces of literature in almost every book store, I pass here in Cuenca..  Its amazing where life can lead you, if you allow it!