#2785, Friday, February 11, '22: Simple update

Reverend Ken's Travel Blog

Post 2785

- 12 years and 42 days since I started this blog -

Winter Travel Journal

(written February 11, 2022)

Read this once (it won't change for the rest of the trip(s): I'll be linking this post to Facebook. If that's how you got here, here's some background: About 12 years ago I started this blog as a food journal. I had a medical situation and needed to lose weight. Initially, that's all I did here: Journal my food intake and my weight. It contributed to helping me lose 20+% of my body weight in 6 months, and continuing has kept me on track since then. I started adding commentary after a while, originally 7 days a week, then 5, but lately it has become occasional. 

While I'm traveling, I let go of the weight-tracking and food journaling, except for the occasional food shot when I've eaten something interesting. And that's where we find ourselves now.

I'm just going to post a little update. 

Things are going well. The new digs at the Hotel Balcón del Arte are perfect, as I knew they would be. I'm closer to a lot of (most of) the familiar places than I was at the studio, and the services provided, as well as the incredibly helpful staff, are giving me a lot of piece of mind.

I thought I'd show you a photo of the lobby, an excellent place to just hang, with its natural light and comfortable chairs. Fair warning: I don't have the equipment or vantage point to actually show how great it is.

Hotel Balcón del Arte lobby. It's open to the skylight, 3+ stories up.

I connected with my friend Anthony from Connecticut. He arrived in Cuenca Monday, we had dinner at Sofy Glocal that night. We met two years ago, both residents at the Balcón. This time, he did as I tried to do, and rented an apartment that is very close to where mine was. But his is better, more comfortable, with all the amenities mine lacked.

I don't really have much in the way of current events. I haven't been to any new places. I've found my rhythm, I'm pretty much just living my life here. 

Susan, who I met last week and with whom I had a really nice dinner at the Jazz Society Cafe, has blown me off, because she perceives me as being in 'tourist mode' and doesn't want to participate. 

Which is kind of funny. I perceive it as quite the opposite.

At this point, I'm organizing my life around music events. Just like when I'm home. I go out at night, just like at home. During the day, I take walks, per my post-heart-surgery medical mandate, just like at home.

The differences are that the walks here are longer, and I'm eating all my food at restaurants - maybe that's what she's thinking about. 

It's okay. People enter and leave our lives. When someone removes themselves from mine, I always consider it a favor. 

I did make my way to the front of the twin-steepled church that is the most prominent feature of my view from the smoking terrace, and took this photo:

Wednesday night was a really good one at Bistro Yaku. This time I got a bit more playing time, but more than that, I felt that the overall quality of the music - the stuff I was in the audience for - was better. Like two weeks ago (the open mic is every other week), there was a standout, unexpected local act. A couple of elderly men (not as old as me, though) played some spectacular music I think of as Gypsy jazz, one on a small accordion, the other on violin.

One of the few times I've seen a standing ovation at an open mic.

A few of the people I met, including the ones I visited last Saturday, were there. I got to do a set on guitar and vocals, in addition to accompanying a couple of other performers and leading a set on bass. In deference to the other musicians on my set, I mostly did the same material, which they had heard two weeks before. We did a rocking version of my standard open mic tune, Who is He? which I mash up with Papa Was a Rolling Stone. Here's a video. 

I thought the musicians, only one of which had played it before, did a great job. Paul, on guitar, really stepped up. And, he's just sixteen years old! Wow! When I was his age, he would have been one of the best guitarists I knew.

Bela, on harp and vocals, was a lot of fun to jam with. He's a kindred spirit, from my generation, and he's turned out to be a good hang. He just moved into his new apartment, and he's here to stay.

But if you watch the video, only a little way in, it becomes apparent that the cajón player is driving the whole thing. I'm embarrassed to say that I don't remember his name, he's in the house band and I've played with him on both visits here. But he's great, he didn't know the song at all, and he nails it.

I took a nice long walk down to the river, Rio Tomebamba, in the rain night last night. I was pleased that when it came time to walk up the seven flights of stairs, I was able to do it easily, without stopping to catch my breath. After six weeks here, including almost two in isolation with Covid, this is the way I judge my health. So, I feel like all's well. 

We'll leave it there. Things are good, I feel fine, I'm enjoying myself, meeting people, playing a bit. And, there we go. 

I'm one grateful dude.

Food Comment

Just before I started writing this, I had breakfast (at 1pm) at Bistro Yaku, where I've only had dinner, while at the open mic. This is huevos rancheros done right, and beautifully presented. I've never had better.

 Please leave a comment when you visit my blog.
Thank you!