A little decorating around the house....

We have a large apartment with BIG WHITE walls and light tile floors. That means we need to add color any way we can. Pillows, throws and wall decorations. We obviously are on a budget so are always on the lookout for inexpensive ways to put something on the walls, both for color and sound deadening.

In our bedroom we initially hung one of our Artesa plates over our bed since there was already a nail there. (We have plaster walls so we don't want to add a lot of unnecessary holes to be patched.) It was a stop gap measure and one of our readers pointed out that we might want to move it just in case it ever dropped off the wall onto our heads! We did find a better wall for it.

Here is what it looked like with the plate and still using our guest mattress as our box springs.

Fast forward to a metal bedframe we found for under $300 delivered and a comparison of the blank wall our my new find - metal drapery rod for $16.05, handmade tablecloth for $25.

Amazing what a little color can do! I really like it in the evening when the bedside lamps are softly glowing.

Here are some other photos of how we're decorating....click for larger images.

This is a shawl I bought on our first trip. The bench will eventually be painted in bright colors.

Biggest splurge, even on sale. From Artesa...same place as our dishes.

First item bought...last August via email with a friend. Love my rocker!

Yes, this is now hanging over our bed. Bench will be painted bright colors.

How did we move all our stuff?

I know I've discussed this in various back posts but it was hit or miss. I keep getting questions about how we moved all our stuff and thought I'd put it all in one post.

At the Airport

Also, note that not everyone moves in suitcases like we did. Many folks ship pallets or shipping containers full of their stuff. Each person must make their own decisions about what is important to THEM. We had made an exploratory trip so had a general idea about what to bring other than clothes.

This is what flew with us on American Airlines, December 2013. We flew business class which gave us THREE FREE bags each! We paid $150 for each additional bag, thus our three extra bags cost us $450. Also, by flying business class we had a weight allowance of 70# each bag!

• FIVE plastic Sterilite footlockers purchased at Wal-Marts in our local area.. We initially thought we could make it with only four but as we continued packing things, five it was! We purchased luggage straps and put one on each one as well as a TSA approved lock with a flexible hasp.

• TWO large duffle bags:
  Kelty X-Large was used for Stu's scuba bag and gear
  
  
  Northstar Diamond Ripstop Nylon Duffle was used for all the last minute clothes from our cruise and two weeks on the road, visiting with family & friends
  
  
• TWO High Sierra Rolling Duffles
  

• TWO High Sierra Rolling Carry-ons (with removable backpacks)
  
  
  
• TWO Personal Carry-ons:
  Stu carried a laptop bag and I carried a tote-bag with my purse and other necessaries.

The next post will give more detail about what we packed in the above luggage!

Parque El Paraiso - Expat Meet n Greet

What a great day! It started out drizzly, overcast and stayed gray but we didn't mind. We took a taxi to Parque El Paraiso for our impromptu picnic meet 'n greet with other expats. The weather kept some at home but those of us that ventured out really enjoyed ourselves.

We were a diverse group with five of us currently living here, one recently moved, two on their exploratory trip, and four on extended vacations. Home areas ranged from Alaska to Tennessee, California to Vancouver. Oh, and one puppy, Chica, who enjoyed all the attention.

There was an amazing array of potluck food which meant no one went home hungry! We will have to do this again and the park is a perfect spot. The park is gorgeous and now on our must see list for anyone coming to town.

The conversations flowed for hours, various topics encompassing both Ecuador, past lives, future plans and coincidences. Around four we finally wandered off, leaving the gazebo as clean as we found it.

Here are a few photos, you can see the rest in our SmugMug album.

Normal? It's all in a day...or two, or three, or more!

Some things just leave us scratching our heads but we go with the flow and know it will all work out, eventually.

We opened our savings account several weeks ago, depositing a check from our US bank as a starter. Each month we will write and deposit a check to cover our anticipated monthly expenses. We will use the local bank's debit card and ATMs to make withdrawals as necessary.

Stu got his card and the first time we attempted to use it, everything was in Spanish. We tried the best that we could and he entered what he wanted for his new PIN number. The next screen gave us pause and we cancelled out. We knew we'd be back at the bank to get my debit card and we'd see if we could get help.

This week we did just that, got my debit card but this time the clerk called over a gal who spoke some English. She accompanied us outside to the ATM and helped me through putting in MY new PIN number. At the point where we had stopped with Stu's card was when we had to re-enter the new PIN for verification. A big AH-HA! She stayed to be sure Stu's card was changed and we were good to go! Phew!

Our other adventure was finding ink for our printer. We had been warned to buy a printer in Ecuador, not bring one from the US since ink cartridge refills could be hard to find. So we did just that, found a printer we liked (approx $20 more than we would have paid in the US for a comparable model). It's worked well for us....until it quickly ran out of ink.

After much research I discovered:

1. The black ink cartridge is only rated for 120 pages.
2. You can't buy the correct ink cartridge in the US, it's not available.
3. The same model series in the US and EC take different ink cartridges.
4. You can't get HP help for an EC printer on the US HP website.

...and more, but you get the idea. We've been searching for the refills every time we are out, never seeing the number we needed. So we finally posted in the Facebook Ecuador Expats group and got a couple of places to check.

Next trip to El Centro we headed to the address of the closest one to where we got off the bus but on the way we happened to pass an open door to a place FILLED with printers! We stopped in and met the owner, Wilson, who quickly helped us. He called his supplier in Quito and told us we had three options:

1. We could have him refill our current cartridge. Not our first choice.
2. We could have our printer adapted to use a tank on the side that you can refill with all the colors of ink. Also not our first choice.
3. We could place an order with him and he would get it brought in from Quito the next day. Okay, now we're talking!

We placed an order for two black and one color at $15 each, made a partial deposit and planned to come back in two days to get it (even though he said it would be there the next afternoon). We dropped in on Friday morning - not in yet. Now it would be after 4pm that day. We didn't want to hang out all day so we didn't return.

On Tuesday I had a hair and pedicure appointment and afterwards walked to see if our ink was in yet. It was around 1pm and the doors were closed...okay, siesta time. Yes, many businesses do close for an hour or two or three anywhere from 11 to 3pm. Again, I didn't want to wait up to two hours so headed home.

Wednesday was the day we presented ourselves at the bank for the above Debit card adventure. From there we walked to our little ink shop. Doors closed...this was at 10am. Oh well, we did a nice walking tour of El Centro, enjoyed some coffee at The Coffee Tree, waved and made faces at a little one while there and saw our first RV in Ecuador.

Then we walked along the Tomebamba river, back towards the printer shop, always an enjoyable walk.

Lo and behold, it was at around 1pm and the doors were open! Now to see if our order was in. Wilson wasn't there but his assistant was..and yes! Our ink had arrived! We quickly settled, paying the balance and left with our brand new, made for Latin America HP ink cartridges.

Life is good....but what's normal other than a setting on a dryer. ;)

Do the locals welcome Expats?

We met and made friends with several local Ecuadorians &/or Cuencanos during our exploratory trip last April/May. They were warm and welcoming, helping us learn a little Spanish as we became familiar with our now current home.

Since then we've read rumors that expats aren't so welcome here. Well, we don't believe it. We smile and wish those we pass on the street a Buenos Dias or Buenos Tardes as the time of day dictates. We live in a mini-subdivision where we and our downstairs neighbor are the only Norte Americanos. Everyone has been friendly and helpful.

Outside our little compound we have had the following encounters in just the last two weeks!

~ We were on the bus and there was a sweet little girl sitting in the front row facing backwards, no one between her and us sitting in about the middle row. We smiled and waved and she hid down behind the seat, slowly looking back up. We continued smiling and waving and before long she was singing to us and showing us her little pink toy pony.

~ We had taken our friend and translator, Emilio, to Banco del Pichincha to open our savings account. A week later we were to go back and get our debit card and access key for setting up our online access. We looked at the signs, shrugged and got into the first line. We quietly chatted while we waited our turn. A gentleman in front of us turned and introduced himself. He was Ecuadorian but spoke immaculate English. He asked what we were there for and he read the signs and directed us to the line beside ours. We moved over and chatted with him until we were called forward. Thank you to Santiago for taking time to help us!

~ We went to try out a different shopping mall, Monay, and saw a big pharmacy out front. We pulled out our US Rx and went it to see what they had or didn't have. Turned out there was only one that we couldn't get. The clerk understood a little English but spoke almost none. Between what I understood in Spanish, we managed quite well. Without our asking she registered us for a discount card and as she handed it to me, a local gentleman waiting at the register offered us assistance if we needed it. He was concerned that we might not understand what she was saying and he felt it was important that we did. Another huge thank you to him for his help!

~ One thing I've been looking for is witch hazel. While in El Centro we saw a neat little shop with Botica in the name so we stopped in. I had forgotten my note with the translation for witch hazel and tried to communicate what it was to the clerk. Even after writing down the name she was confused. A twenty-something girl came over and asked what I was looking for. She roughly translated the name but still no recognition. Then she asked me what it was used for and translated that. They didn't have it, or anything like it, so we thanked the clerk and our impromptu helper. We told her how good her English was, so much better than our Spanish, and she blushed as she thanked us.

~ Still in El Centro, a stop at another pharmacy. We were looking to find out if they might carry the one prescription medication we were unable to procure. Again, no luck but as Stu was walking away from the pharmacy counter, a woman approached Stu, making sure he had gotten correct information. She appeared to be knowledgeable about medications and agreed that seemed to be unavailable in Cuenca.

~ We stopped in a little shop full of paintings, tiles and other painted ceramics. The woman proprietor spoke no English but did ask if we spoke French. We shook our heads and she continued in Spanish, speaking VERY slowly and carefully. Slowly and carefully enough that I could pick up several words in each sentence and get the gist of what she was saying. We greatly appreciated her effort to be understandable without our asking. We plan to go back and buy some of the tiles her husband had painted.

So, we've seen no signs of an UNWELCOME mat being put out by anyone....in fact, just the opposite!

Hardship? Round 2 - Sojo Spa

Ask any woman what the toughest thing to do while traveling or after moving and she will tell you it's finding a new hairdresser. Even worse than a gynecologist! I've moved a LOT over the years and having spent over six years as a full-time RVer (living by traveling year round), I can truly attest to that.

So when it was time to get a haircut and a pedicure (my last ones were on our cruise in the middle of December), I asked for recommendations from the local expats. One name came up consistently, over and over again. Sojo Spa.

I booked an appointment on their Facebook page and today was my appointment day. I arrived maybe ten minutes early but they were ready for me. Diego got me seated, feet in the warm bubbling water and massage turned on in the chair, while Jessica got me a glass of cool water.

An hour later my feet were soft and colorful and I moved over to get my haircut. First step was Jessica, who does the manicures I believe, and she efficiently washed my hair. Side note, having arthritis in my neck, I greatly appreciated the chairs with the high sinks...much more comfortable.

Then Armando, the owner who spent over 22 years in Chicago and his English was excellent (much better than my Spanish, but I kept practicing) asked me what I needed in a cut.. He quickly understood what I wanted, did an excellent cut, dried it, trimmed it and then sent me off to Jessica to rinse out all the tiny little hairs that always remain when short hair is cut. Then he dried it again!

It's short but that's a good thing - less bed head in the mornings. LOL!

So once again, no hardships here! Oh, and the cost for my over an hour of pampering? $20 - and that would have included a free manicure if I had wanted one (special going on right now).

For any Cuenca folks reading our blog - please stop in to say hello and book an appointment at Sojo Spa.

Diego, Jessica & Armando

You won't be disappointed!

Hardship? Popacuchu Cafe Splurges!

Some may think we are experiencing hardships here in Ecuador. Well, we'll let you decide....

A new shop has opened about a mile from our home and we've now walked up it twice (but I've been there three times, once for lunch). They have a daily soup, great salads and sandwiches but their main offering is pastries. Sweets to die for!

The name is Popacuchu and you really should take time to read how the name came about as well as a little more about Pete and Michelle. We met the owners while walking on the Yanuncay River walking trail one day but had to delay our first visit due to my fall. Pete runs things and Michelle does the baking...oh my, THE BAKING!

Enough chatter...here are some photos we took.

This was our second visit, on a Sunday afternoon, accompanied by live music. We didn't lick the plates but we were tempted!

Yeah, real hardships....LOL! We're sure glad we get to walk a little over two miles up and back....