Dia de la Guitarra

Started guitar lessons today.  Mi profesora es no professora es professor That explains things. Very nice young man.  He speaks very little ingles, but music has a somewhat universal language. He was pleased I had some background.  He says he likes 'classic rock' better than what is out there now. His classic rock is Bon Jovi.  I didn't have the heart to tell him he needs to go back a few years from that. He understands I would like to get the basics, in a latin way. He is obviously classically trained on piano and guitar. Once he saw I knew a few chords, he started me on a series of three arpegios. It was grim.  He gives me a lot of time alone to practice, so I am not making a total fool of myself throughout the whole lesson. My fingers were on fire during the session. They are semi on fire and numb tonight.  If past memories serve me, my fingers have a rough week ahead.  I am encouraged, though.  To keep time, he puts on a beat from a keyboard instrument.  It is a waltz tempo, latin style. When we work together, he gives me that latin stress.  I am sure there is a name for it. I will worry about that later.

Spanish class continues to improve. We are past the break in phase and now are working fairly hard.  I think it will serve us well.  Weather continues to suck.

Chordeleg - Gualeceo - San Bartolome

Sunday was another out of Cuenca trip.  This outing was much better than our first, Although the weather was not too cooperative (we are getting use to it), the trip was well organized and comfortable.  And cheaper. We traveled in a new mini-van.  Our companions were a young man from Panama, in Cuenca for training for his job.  He works for an Ecuadoriano company. He wanted to practice his Ingles. The other passenger was a young woman from Switzerland. She spoke German, Spanish, English and I think French.   She was willing to speak in any language.   So we got to practice our espanol in a very comfortable environment.

We first stopped at San Bartolome.  We had coffee and sugarcane pastries at a small house in the village. We saw a small cathedral. Even though relatively small, the ceilings were tree stories (or more) high and had beautiful ceiling paintings. No pictures there. We then went to a guitar artisan's house.  This place was along a bumpy dirt road outside of town. Apparently, this family is known world wide for it's guitars.  they ship 2-3 to Japan per month. Apparently, a maestro from Spain just received one. We got a brief demonstration of the process. It is very intricate. Interestingly, the wood used is Canadian pine. We saw some finished products.

Chordeleg was next. It is a puebla known for silver. Outside the city, we stopped at another modest place that is the home of a family know for its use of the filigree process for jewelry making. The son, is a Phd professor In Cuenca.  He showed us parts of the process. He looked like he should be in a rock band rather than a silver shop, but was quite skilled.  He crafted the largest earring of a certain type (forgot the name). It is on display in Chordeleg. Picture posted. We wandered the village for a while.  A large church ceremony was concluding. Apparently, the night before and Sunday were dedicated to a Virgen saint of the village.  I goes we missed a big fiesta on Saturday night. Following the service, a marching band lead the congregation in a march around the town.  A podium with a statue of Jesus was carried in the parade.

Last was Gualeceo.  We visited a huge food market and vegetable/fruit market. Also, went to a camp, outside the village. This place specializes in weaving of shawls, panchos, etc.  They use methods developed by the indigenous people of the area. It was similar to what we observed in Oaxaca, Mexico. No bargaining with these people.

Back to la escuela español today.  Lecciones de guitarra start this morning.

Fotos:  En route (3), house in San Bartolome (outdoor oven - Pizzas?, backyard (2), perritos, cuys), guitars (4), silver (4), silver earing piece , around 3 pounds, silver sculpture, Chordeleg central plaza (2), Chordeleg procession (2), Gualeceo food market (5), Galeceo Vendedorita, outside market,  weaver (4).

Feria Libre

Just returned from the Feria Libre.  It is a gigantic mercado.  It must be acres and acres of covered and uncovered market.  Anything and everything is sold here. Thee was a crush of people.  We were not prepared for the scope of it, so didn't stay long.  We will go back again and get a better sense of it and more pictures. Will post a few now. Tomorrow mas compras.

Fotos:  Hallway(4),  carne (2), pork/salad and side, perrito, cuy (someone's dinner tonight - a delicacy in Ecuador), animals, periquitos, Jose the crab guy sign.

More exploring

Went to town to get some art supplies and more items for the kitchen.  We went to a shopping area near the river. We thought it had several shops and a museo. Turned out to be totally dedicated to panama hats.  There was a small museum that had displays of the history of the hat making. There were three women demonstrating how the hats are made (mostly by hand).  It is a difficult process of weaving a kind of reed/fiber (pajo taquilla for you aficionados) into the hat structure.  Ecuador developed the hat in the 1500s.  Cuenca became the center for production in the 1800s.  The hat was very popular with American workers in Panama in the early 1900s, hence the name.  The main style, in Ecuador is called the Montecristi. There are two major companies that make the hats (both in Cuenca). We visited the Barranco family outlet.

Had lunch at our favorite restaurant on the main square. It is right next to Iglesia Nueva.  It is, actually, called Catedral de la Immaculada Concepcion - but everyone says Iglesia (or Catedral) Nueva. There is an  Iglesia Vieja across the square that is now a museo. The restaurant looks out onto the square. There is a long paso with archways just outside the restaurant. At each archway, there is a shoeshine man.  They have a portable, metal cart.  It has a chair, foot rests, drawers for supplies and a newspaper rack. The shoe shiner sits on a small stool (about a foot off the ground) facing the  shoes. The man, outside our window, was fascinating to watch. He applied the polish by hand, caressing the polish into the shoes. His customers were mostly businessmen.  Their shoes appeared to be expensive leather. He then took two brushes and brushed both shoes at the same time.  He had this kind of choreographed routine that was very entertaining. Then came the rag to polish. Then a repeat of the polish, brush and rag.  He went into this rocking motion, at times, like he was in a trance.  A true artist. Had seven customers while we ate lunch, also.

Went to another local mercado near our route home.  Not as big as the one downtown.   It was pretty quiet.  Sunday is the big day. Bought some new frutas from an indian lady.  She was very nice and helpful.  She seemed to take a liking to Becky. Most of the indian women vendadoras are strictly business. This lady was about her business, also. But when we were finished she loosened up and actually laughed at one point.  I think it was the first time we have seen laughter from these woman.  We think they live a hard life. They all look much older than they probably are. We pass a young indian woman on our way to or from school, occasionally. She is all of 17.  Has a baby strapped to her back.  She pushes a large cart full of oranges that she sells on the street. She wears the traditional clothing. It is a reminder of how or why life ages them so quickly.

Found some brush cleaner/media that doesn't reek. I am going to do several small paintings of the morning view out of our apartment.  Thought I would finish yesterday, but can't get the houses/rooftops right. I am going to have  to send a picture to my coach Leah Mantini.  Socorro, Leah.

Going to the gigantic mercado this morning. Hope to get some good pictures. Anything goes in this place, supposedly.

Catch up

We have been having computer problems (internet). The internet seems to go down in the evening. We have the same problem with Charter, in Athens - it goes down around noon everyday. Our realtor is helping.  Our Spanish isn't good enough to deal with the vendor. I will have to do the blogs in the morning. I did one on Monday, towards the evening. It disappeared.  So this one may be a bit long to catch up.

Our Spanish is going well.  We seem to be making progress.  Our professor is a bit eccentric but she is very patient with us and is working us hard. We start our next two weeks with her on Monday.  We have been able to arrange a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday schedule.  Basically, 2:00pm - 6:00pm.  She usually keeps us until 6:15. We get home around 7:00pm.  Dinner at 8:00pm.  We are living a South American schedule. Unfortunately, we get up at the same time in the morning.  The serenade of auto buses, car horns/alarms, roosters, workers, school kids, dogs and whatever else, starts around 6:00am. Our exploring will have to be done on our off days.

We are enjoying the new foods. Ecuador is one of the largest fruit exporters in the world. There are many that we don't have in the states, such as tomato de arbor (for salsa), granadillas, guanabanas, pitallas and more.  Becky made Sancocho last night. We get great empanadas at school.

On Monday, I signed up to be the gringo guitarist for Cuenca.  I am going to take lessons with Ecu Stars Music. Guess they will make me a star. Thirty lessons for thirty dollars.  I start this Monday. I will go Monday through Friday for an hour a day starting at 9:00 am.  My professoras middle name is Pablo. I didn't ask about that. I am sure there is a good reason for it. I hope my guitar playing days come back to me.  I would like to learn some basic nuevo flamingo techniques. On Sunday, we are going to a town known for its guitar making artists.

The office person at Ecu Stars is Mayara.  I think she was shocked to see: (a) a gringo and (b) such a large, old gringo - that wanted lessons. She does not speak any English and was petrified at the prospect of trying to get this set up. My Spanish actually got us going pretty good. She then started to revert to her normal pace of speaking (light speed) and normal vernacular. After several starts and stops, she understood that she had to speak very slowly and simply. When we concluded the transaction (they have computers here - but a lot is still done on paper and in handwriting), she was ecstatic. It was like we just signed an Ecuador - US treaty. Maybe I signed up for 30 weeks and not 30 days?

Wednesday, we had a field trip for most of our Spanish lesson.  We went to the Iglesia Nueva on the main square (two blocks from school). It is incredibly huge and ornate. I will post some pictures.  We will go back for more at a better time. We , also, visited some markets and side streets.

Yesterday, we went into town to do some shopping for vegetables and herbs. We stumbled into a huge indoor market that had just about everything and tons of it. Pictures will be posted. Thursday and Sunday seem to be Market days in Cuenca. For as immense at the market is, it is very clean. There was a meat area, with all parts of meat on display and hanging in the open.  But it looked very clean and fresh.

There was, also, a fiesta for health on the main square yesterday. There were  tents and signs promoting things like smoking cessation. There was music and food.  The food appeared to be prepared by local students of a cooking school. We had humitas and a papas item.  We got a small chair for me to use to paint. I started yesterday afternoon.  Found tat the mineral spirits I got from the local Sherwin Williams shop (yes, Sherwin Williams - very small tienda/he poured some  mineral spirits into a Coke bottle for me) reaked something fierce. Need to go back to the art shop in town for some odorless stuff. We don't have a deck or porch, so I have to paint inside.  Do have a window that opens, so that helps.

Enogh for today.  Sunday, we go to three small towns for their markets.  Tomorrow, we may check to the huge Mercado de Pulgas, close to our apartment.

Fotos:  Iglesia Nueva (2),  Simon Bolivar Escuela de Español (lobby, last flight of stairs to our classroom, sitting area, break room, classrooms), daily market, indoor market (8 algunas con gringa), flower market (3 una con gringa), mime on ledge - heel on ledge, more iglesia (la primera con una fantasma, second is the main altar).