#2790, Monday, March 11, '22: Winter travels, closure

Reverend Ken's Travel Blog

Post 2790

- 12 years and 70 days since I started this blog -

Winter Travel Journal

(written March 7-11, 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 started writing this from a Starbucks in Fort Lauderdale. 

As I write this, having landed here about four hours ago, I think that at this time yesterday I was waiting in Cuenca to board the minibus to Guayaquil, having already gotten my day-before-you-fly Covid test, had a farewell breakfast with Anthony and Bela, finished my packing, and checked out of the Balcón del Arte.

It was one of the busiest mornings I've had in... well, a really long time. But, you know, the good kind of busy. 

But what I really want to talk about are the days and the night before I left Cuenca, and maybe a sum-up of my feelings about my two-month-plus time here.

Saturday, my penultimate (fancy word for next-to-last) day in Cuenca was another great day.

It followed the great fanesca (Easter soup) tasting at Rio Chileno. This was kind of a big deal for me, since Felipe, maker of the only fanesca I've ever tasted, had recommended this restaurant (a little over a week ago, for their mote pata, and while we were there, were told (by one of the owners) that they had award-winning fanesca, and it would be available, for the first time this year, on Friday.

So, I organized a few of my friends to go have a tasting. It was really good, but not as good as Felipe's, which was my favorite soup, ever!

At Rancho Chileno, enjoying the fanesca; (L-R: Tony, Fernando, Anthony, Felipe, me and Bela).

Next day, Saturday, I began with a nice and unusually early walk to Sinfonía for one last excellent Americano. I walked back to Balcón in time to get ready and go to lunch at Capitán with Betsy. And finally, a "going-away" party at Bistro Yaku. 

I just wanted to stick in this picture of Betsy clowning around with Anthony. It has no part in this narrative. 

Each part of the day was extraordinary.

Cuenca is still the most pleasant place I've ever visited. Every time I go for a walk (every day), I'm reminded of the positive differences between Cuenca and Syracuse. The scale, in terms of livability, is heavily in Cuenca's favor.

But then, there's my established scene in Syracuse. People who love me and care for me. The music scene - especially the music. It's that the music, that keeps me a Syracuse resident, albeit one who snowbirds to warmer climes three or four months a year. 

But the music of Saturday night was incredible. Again, the best music I've heard in Cuenca since the last time I was at Bistro Yaku, where the night's music - and dinner - and going-away party - took place. 

But I'm getting a little ahead of myself.

A couple of Wednesday's ago, I went to the open mic at Bistro Yaku and was knocked out by the house band, and the trio of guitarists that sat in with them (individually) at the end of the night. I also got to play with the keyboard/sax/flute player and the drummer from the trio, and felt it was my best musical outing of the whole trip.

I got to know the band leader/keyboard/sax/flute player, Mac, and, when he admired the Freak'n'Chic patchwork overshirt I was wearing, I told him he could have it when I was done with it, before I left town (ten days ahead, at the time).

Anyway, I had messaged him earlier in the week, and he had told me about the night of music he would be at, at  Bistro Yaku. That's when I made my Saturday night plans.

I also knew I wanted to pay a final visit to Capitán, so I asked Betsy for another date and time when she could go with me. I felt I still owed her something for all the above-and-beyond help she provided from the very first minutes when I started staying at Balcón del Arte. Also, the entertainment value of watching someone discover the food there.

As luck would have it, her only free time was early Saturday afternoon. Perfect. 

My Saturday plans were made. 

I took the twelve-minute walk to Sinfonía early (for me). With my Americano, I ordered something savory for the first time there, a grilled pastrami and cheese open sandwich. That worked out wonderfully, see the pic below. 

Walking back to Balcón, past Parque la Madre, where there was some kind of event going on that involved a marching band, I felt great, and at peace with the world. I try not to have expectations, but it was impossible not to feel optimistic about the rest of the day to come.

Sure enough, a nice walk in light, on-again-off-again rain, sharing a big umbrella with Betsy, and a warm greeting by Julia and Orly kicked off an incredible meal. As it was my last time here this trip, I went with my favorite. A shared appetizer of clams in garlic sauce, and Betsy's salmon and langostinos in red wine sauce were a huge hit with her, although when she tasted my dish, she exclaimed out loud that it was amazing.

Taking people to Capitán is so much fun. Of course, while the place had been pretty full when we arrived, by the time we were done, we were alone, as the restaurant closes at 4pm for staff lunch and dinner prep (although there is no separate lunch menu - one menu, for any time.

Of course this meant a serenade for Betsy, and much pouting from Julia, when she realized this was my last visit until next winter.

Orly, me, Julia. The last selfie of the season at Capitán.

I'm certain Betsy and Adrian will be recommending Capitán to the Balcón's guests from now on.

Soon, we had walked back, and said our goodbyes, since I would be checking out before I saw Betsy again.

And a short time later, Bela came by for a smoking terrace session, and it was on to Bistro Yaku. 

Like I said, the evening was full of amazing music and musicians. I had actually got to play with quite a few of them, and there were quite a few people I'd met at open mics. Open mics have provided me with a social network on four continents.

i met up with Mac, and gave him the overshirt. He was so happy. Put it on immediately, and, as he was joining the first band of the evening, performed in it. He was on fire, playing really well.

There's Mac on the left, proudly sporting his new Freak'n'Chic overshirt. That's Nasa over there on the right, on guitar. It was his night.

There were five bands, each with different musical flavors: Latin-jazz fusion, R&B band, salsa, jazz, Afro-Cuban. This night was Nasa Fest. Nasa is a popular guitarist/singer, and he played with all the bands. (Personal note: This is something I did in my 2017 Summer of Love 50th Anniversary Festival. It's a lot of fun to put yourself in a lot of different musical settings).

Myself and Bela, digging the performance at Bistro Yaku, captured candidly by a friend.

Mactet, Mac's band, was the last band of the night. They were the only band to play a number without Nasa, but he joined them right after. I was drained and happy by the end of the night. Note that, in the heat, Mac chose to remove and display the overshirt. The music certainly did generate a lot of heat.

It was just a wonderful night of music and friendship. It was a fantastic way to end my trip.

I stayed out late, but not too late to wake up early and get to my rapid Covid testing place by 9am, followed by a LEO (lox, eggs and onions) at Café San Sebas, in the company of Bela and Anthony, then checking out and taxiing over to take my seat on the minibus to Guayaquil.

Everything that day was easy. While I was at San Sebas, my negative Covid test result came in my email. It took me only a few minutes to finish packing. I was in, and checked out of Balcón in twenty minutes.

The ride to Guayaquil, though longer due to mudslide closure of the main road, was very smooth and easy. I rested in a hotel until a couple of hours before boarding my 1am Monday flight, and, after a little confusion about getting to the gate, everything happened easily, and I was on my way back to the USA.

 I couldn't be more grateful.

Food Comment

Grilled pastrami and cheese, with coffee at Sinfonía Tostaduría y Cafetería. This was so interesting: the pastrami was cooked like bacon, put on top of the cheese and the whole thing put under the broiler just until the cheese melts and sourdough bread browns. It was delicious. And, mmm, the coffee!

Pulpo Negro - black octopus, grilled in balsamic vinegar and red wine. Absolutely delicious, the appetizer at La Esquina.

For my main course at La Esquina, I had the steak Roquefort - yes, there's delectable, perfectly prepared beef peeking out from under the cheese and tomatoes there. The potatoes were surprisingly good, too, and the salad wasn't half-bad. Everything went well with the Argentinian Malbec wine Anthony picked out.

There was no way I wasn't going to try the dark chocolate cheesecake for dessert, even though - or, maybe because - I knew I'd be taking most of it home with me. The dark chocolate 'sail' and mango sorbet were, well, icing on the cake, right?. 

Fanesca, from Rancho Chileno, is a dish traditionally made for the Lenten period, with more than thirty ingredients, ensuring that no two fanescas are ever the same. Really good, but not the best - that title stays with Felipe and the late A Pedir de Boca.

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