October 12 – Meeting Turtles and Shopping for Food
Sunday morning we woke up around 8:00 AM and slowly got ourselves ready for the day. At 10:00 AM there was a welcome breakfast for the Turtle Travel Club members who were here for the “Leap” in Cuenca. There are about a dozen of us all together. A few have already left the U.S. and live in various places (Panama, Ecuador) and for some this is their first time south of the border.
The breakfast was great. Fruits, humita, coffee, tea, juice and warm bread. We got a welcome from Amelia and JP, our hosts, and they provided some head’s up on some of the outings that are planned. But, for the most part, this is a pretty relaxed vibe and aside from a few excursions or meals, we’re all left to our own devices. This is a “slow travel” experience and not a “tour”, after all.
After breakfast most of the Turtles went up to the Central Historical district to shop at the Mercado de 10 de Augusto (“August 10th Market”), which is a large open market with lots of food and groceries. I didn’t go, but Ruhi went there and brought back a nice haul.
All the food you see in this photo cost $12.40. The avocados were $1 each, so if you didn’t count those it would be just $10.40. What a value!
After an hour or so Ruhi decided to head out to the Supermaxi grocery story down in El Verjel, close to Parque de la Madre. I stayed home and did some work. I had a hard-boiled egg to hold me over and enjoyed the sound of lightening and rainfall outside. It seems this time of year is a bit rainier than it was during the summer season, but it is actually pretty pleasant and reminds me of growing up in Seattle.
When Ruhi got back she made some delicious Lentil pasta with a turkey ragu. A lot of the Turtles went out to eat in Cuenca, but we weren’t really up for going out in the rain with my crutches. Plus we had all this great food in the fridge.
The rest of the evening was spent working on projects and eventually it was time to sleep.
October 13 – Lunch with Turtles and Working at Cafe Sinfonia
After a leisurely morning we headed a few doors down to a little shop that was mentioned among the Turtles to check out. It was a Chillean bakery and we bought a loaf of Sourdough Olive bread, tried an empanada and a small cafe con leche and a small Chilean bakery item. While there we met up with another Turtle and had a great conversation.
Amelia and JP had arranged a lunch for the group at a nice restaurant called La María, located just down the Tomebamba River and up the hill in the historical center. Most of the group was going to walk there, but Ruhi and I opted for a taxi (since I’m on crutches) and we managed to make it there in record time.
Of course, needless to say the food was absolutely fantastic. Prepare yourself for some food pictures. I hope you already ate…
We also got to meet some great new friends and had some wonderful conversations around the table.
After lunch Ruhi and I caught a cab and made our way over to Sinfonía Cafe to do a bit of work on our computers. Of course you already know this is one of our favorite places to hang out. We also bought a bag of coffee to use in our drip machine back in the apartment. I was also doing some prep work for my doctor’s appointment the next morning. (More on that in the next blog post.)
The time at the cafe went quick and pretty soon it was 7:30 PM and they were closing. We ran a quick errand to the bank and then took a taxi back to the apartment where we did a bit more work, relaxed a bit, and went to bed.
Song Summary: We’re on a Leap!
Today’s song is about the start of the Turtle Travel Club Leap. Enjoy!
Lyrics:
Chorus:
We’re on a leap! (a leap!)
We’re on a leap! (a leap!)
The Turtle Travel Club is on a leap!
¡Dimos el salto! (el salto!)
¡Dimos el salto! (el salto!)
¡El Club de Viaje Tortuga dio el salto!
It’s the beginning of our Leap to Cuenca
A chance to slow travel and make new friends
The Turtle Travel Club is in full effect
In effect as our Tortuga journey begins
A welcome breakfast with delicious food
Meeting people with a love of adventure
A shopping trip through the mercado
As the Turtles explore Cuenca’s center
Chorus
Day two of the leap and it was time
for a group lunch at a new location
The food was deliciously sublime
New friends combined with great conversations
After lunch we grabbed a taxi
Down the hill to our favorite cafe
Did some work and drank some joe
Then back to the apartment to sleep some more
Chorus
The Turtle Travel Leap has just begun
But already it has been so fun
Lots more in store. Lots more to do.
And this is only days 1 and 2
Chorus x 2