Christmas Time in Cuenca

Happy Santa at Fundacion Christmas Party

    This is my first Christmas in many, many years that I have not experienced snow at Christmas time.  The other day I was at Super Maxi and Bing Crosby was being blasted with "I am dreaming of a White Christmas" - I am not sure sure these Ecuadorians are dreaming of such.   This lack of cold and snow has gotten my bearings a little off- not that I am complaining though.  I will take 75 and partly cloudy, but only for this Holiday season.

    Linda and I have had some very meaningful experiences over the past few weeks.  Along with 3 others couples (two Canadians, and one Finish), we hosted a Christmas party for 11 orphan boys that live at the Catholic school where I teach English 2 days a week. We all chipped in and bought them new school uniforms and shoes.  Then we bought a Christmas Tree (the artificial type of course) with all the decorations, along with small gifts we stuffed in stockings.

Kelvin tops off the tree with assistance from  Paul

We joined the boys for the party on Sunday afternoon, December 11th. After decorating the tree, we played did some relay races  and had a rousing game of basketball.

Relaxing after Basketball

Then we retreated to the cocina where we sat down to eat pavo (turkey) with El Padre, the 75 year old priest who has been at the school for 50 years.

Who is Hungry?

El Padre with the Gringos

  He said some very nice things to us that bought tears to our eyes, thanking us for keeping his boys dear to his heart. These boys either have lost both parents or have been abandoned.  What a joy to see their smiles and hear their laughs!

 The following week we organized a Jingle Bell Run/Walk to benefit the Foundation where I volunteer 4 afternoons a week.  This Foundation is located in a  poor section of town, next to a huge market, Fierre Libre, where many indigenous families have small stalls to sell their fruits, vegetables, and other items.  The foundation provides an after school program for the kids of the parents that work in the market.  Rather than being on the streets after school, shining shoes or selling newspapers, these kids come to this program and get structured help with homework and other skill development.  

Participants relax after the Run/Walk along the Rio Tomebamba

The start of the Jingle Bell Run - Staff and Kids from the Foundacion EL Arenal 

 We raised enough money with the Turkey Trot and Jingle Bell Run to buy a Chancho (pig) for the foundation Christmas party.  A chancho is considered a delicacy in Ecuador, which these families have never been able to afford over the many years they have had this party. The party was held at the foundation on Sunday December 18th.  It was non stop fun for 6 hours with games, singing, dancing, theatre, and even a Mass by the local priest. Yours truly had his acting debut as "Dwarf" Timido (Bashful) in Blancanieves (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). The most touching moment for me was when the Priest asked me to sing the English version of Silent Night with my Brit friend, Ossie.  Don't worry, I have not been asked to join the local choir!

The Cast of Blancanieves

Mass Before the Chanco arrives

Singing Silent Night In Spanish, German ,and English

The Chanco Arrives!

Carving up the Chancho

Aramndo and brother Wilman, with parents, my two favorite kids

      In between these Holiday events we were invited to the home of a new Cuencano friend, Mane, an English teacher at a local high school. Mane took us to the amazing Christmas display, put together by a family of modest means.  This is meticulously constructed over two months, and every year the display is different.  Quite a change from the huge light displays in the US.

Our Host Mane, and friends

We wish you a Blessed Holiday Season and Buena Suerte for the New Year!

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Bike ride Ecuadorian Style!

We saw a poster for a bike ride through the Andes Mountains and immediately signed up.  We had already met lots of wonderful Ecuadorians who loved to bike, so this seemed to be a natural next step.  Sure, it was 100 K, but that’s just 60 miles and Mark and I ride 60 miles all the time.  Plus the route was 90% downhill!  How could we go wrong?

We started out on a beautiful Saturday morning.  To our surprise, our bikes were loaded into a van, one on top of another.

Ok, so everyone does organized rides a little differently.  We hopped on the bus that took us to the beginning of our ride, about 40 minutes away.  Our bikes arrived just fine and we were greeted with a military send off.  Now that has never happened on any of our bike rides before!

 

We start downhill through the mountains and have never before experienced such exhilaration from the beauty of the Andean countryside.  I have hiked and biked in many places and many countries, but these views were absolutely breathtaking.  The hillside flowers, the streams running down the cliffs, the farmers tilling their land all made our ride unforgettable.

We soon realized that other aspects of the ride would be unforgettable!  

After our fantastic downhill trip into Giron, we started to ride a bit up and down, it’s to be expected.  Soon, Mark has a blow-out and hops in the back of a pick-up for a ride up to the a restaurant where many riders took a break.  I climbed 2-3 miles at a very slow pace, but made it and was thrilled to hear that we were about half-way!  Yippee!  We are told there is another about a 2 mile climb, but nothing like what I just rode up.  Mark repaired his tire and off we go! 

We rode and rode and then started to climb, the air was thin and I had a hard time breathing, but made it to the top.  We rested and had some food and are again told that we are half-way.  Hmm…that’s odd.   I decide I will get in a van with a friend and take a breather until we are a bit closer to the end and when the climbing is over.   My friend and I get out when we are told we have 20 k to go.  Great!  We are rested and ready to rock and roll!   We bike on and on and on.  We climb and climb and eventually get in another van when we are told that there is still at least another 20 k left.    Mark gives up at about the same spot and we meet at the finish!

We are completely baffled about why the ride was so difficult. We are talking with an Ecuadorian about how much longer than 100 K the ride seemed.  He tells us that the rides are always billed as shorter and easier than they actually are.  Who knows why, but we will be very wary the next time we sign up for an organized ride!  


More photos from our ride  through the Andean countryside