Deep Thoughts with Nards Barley (my Cuenca non-blog)

C'mon... pics of the new bike required.
Question: at 600 bucks, do you have to sleep with it? I'm thinking you would have to have eyes on it at all times. It's odd how costs vary as to popularity, or demand. I've seen 200 CC motorcycles sell in the 1200.00 dollar range, and a bike at 600.00? Is the bike you bought an American brand? The motorcycle's I'm tracking are Chinese. Maybe different import percentages?
Just an interesting comparison.
Food looked great, and you got to excercise it off! Life is good.
Stay Well,
Neil

Given my long-running feud with many of this townŽs bloggers, I am hesitant to provide too much identifying information, or I may be jumped. Nonetheless, here is a close representation:



That bike would cost about $400 in the states, so yeah, you pay a premium for bicycles here.   There are Chinese bicycles available for under $200 in the sporting or toy section of Coral, but they arenŽt any better than what you would get from Walmart in the states.

I mostly plan to use my bike for getting a little exercise by cruising along the bike paths along the Rio Tomembama, so I donŽt plan on locking it up much.

Ahhh, Mongoose,
very popular bike here. I live in Minneapolis, and we've been voted Best Bike City in the states. We have a very cool bike trail system through out the city. We just built a 1.5 million dollar bridge for bikes to cross a major street. We have bike lanes through out the city.
I used to ride a lot, mostly Raleigh brand. Don't know if you've seen the new tundra type tires on the mountain bikes? They are almost as wide as a car tire. Look like huge balloon tires. We ride year round here, so with the snow, these tires are the best thing since sliced bread.
I'd like to get a bike, primamrily for along the river also.
Also, I understand your protecting your privacy. Guess I didn't think that through from your position. Thanks for the pic.
Neil

I was so happy you posted about a bike.  I want to bring down my Gary Fisher, but was concerned about shipping costs vs buying when I get there.  Now I am concerned about having to sleep with it, or fighting every other person to keep it while riding down the street.  SERIOUSLY?  Is it that bad there?  Is it really that difficult to have anything nice? 

I'm 6' 220, played football for 20 yrs, martial arts for 10, but I don't want to have to fight to have a few nice things.  If I have to fight off a robber twice a year, that's too much.  Is that what I can expect?

When I bought my bike, the mechanic who works in the store told me a friend of his --a German- had his bike recently stolen at gunpoint while he was training on some trail outside of Cuenca.
Besides that, I havenŽt heard any reports of bikes be stolen by force.  Apart from that, I read out about people being robbed at knifepoint from time to time.

My neighbor has a very nice bike and rides frequently.  However when there are long rides (30-50kms) they go in a group.  So far there have been no incidents.

Another person is part of a riding group ride at night.  So far no incidents.

But none of that is a guarantee...

Bringing you the news that this townŽs bloggers and "volunteers" at the Gringo Tree will not or cannot,

Unos 5,15 millones de ecuatorianos, equivalente al 35,1% de la población, ha utilizado Internet en los últimos 12 meses, unos cuatro puntos más que el año previo (31,4%), lo cual demuestra que el acceso a la red sigue creciendo en el país, de la mano de la inversión pública y privada.

Este contenido ha sido publicado originalmente por Diario EL COMERCIO en la siguiente dirección: http://www.elcomercio.com/negocios/ecua … 0822.html. Si está pensando en hacer uso del mismo, por favor, cite la fuente y haga un enlace hacia la nota original de donde usted ha tomado este contenido. ElComercio.com

Only 35 percent of the Ecuadorian population have used the internet in the past 12 months, which is an increase from 31.4% in the prior year.

In urban areas useage is 43.9% while in rural areas it is 17.8%.

I was surprised those numbers were so low. I thought apart from me, the whole world was on Facebook, twitter and Youtube.

How are the peeps with the metric system?

Apart from asking for meat at the ounter of Ital Deli on Solano Avenenida in increments of .5 kilograms, I am lacking.

On a few occasions I have had some clothes mended, in which case I translated the dimensions in advance into centimeters, and looked up the requisite technical sewing jargon in my dictionary in order to communicate the desired alteration.

Now, there are no shortage of websites to teach you the metric system.

This guy has an interesting recommendation:

Rule #1: Don't try to do conversions between metric and non-metric.

Just forget about the old units. If I weigh myself and find that I am 65 kilograms, then now I have an idea of what 65 kg means. I don't need to know what that is in pounds - in fact, thinking about the pounds equivalent will just make things more confusing. Next, I can weigh my one-year-old daughter and find that she is 9 kg. I also know that a full 0.5 liter water bottle weighs half a kilogram. Now I have some reference points to build a mental framework for what a kilogram means. It doesn't mean a certain number of pounds; it means weight that I can relate to my own experience.

Further he states,

Learning metric really only requires a few reference points and a way to use them in everyday life. To help me use metric units, I have a Celsius thermometer, a kilogram scale, a liter water bottle, several meter sticks, and a metric odometer and speedometer on my bike. The first three are available at Walmart, the meter sticks are available online from Office Depot, and you can get a bike computer at any bike shop. (If you are ever in Falls Church, VA, I'll give you a meter stick.) When you get a thermometer or scale, get a digital one because these will let you to show only the metric units. It is much easier to think in the new units if you don't have the old ones around.

Anyway, I bought a digital bathroom scale at Coral the other day. It has a switch that allows you to select pounds or kilograms. I followed the above advise:



I weigh 82.1 kilograms. 

I decided to violate the first bit of advise and did the conversion to pounds on my computer: 181 pounds.

I just switched from Transexpress to Econcargo

I will now have my merchandise purchased in the United STates shippped to the following address:

7824 NW 71 ST
Miami, FL 33166

It was being shipped here:

7801 NW 37 Street
Doral, FL 33166

Just making the point that Club Correos service is not a homogenous service as some bloggers will lead you to believe.

There are probably many good stores I will never learn of in El Centro de Cuenca because they donŽt have a display window on the street to entice me to enter.

Fortunately, the store @Bermeo Hnos" has such a display windows, and since the store is located on the same street--General Borrero-- as Coffee Tree and the Post offic between Mariscal Sucre and Simon Bolivar, most expats discover this store within the first month.



However, from that display window, you do not realize the vast amount of exercise equipment they actually have. But upon entering, you see this



I picked up the following exercise bench for $123 with free delivery.



It would have cost me $55 in the states from Amazon.com

Nards, you rock!  Thank you for all of the really insightful posts and pics!

...where's the ash tray and drink holder on the thing go???

So, bike riding and exercise bench. You are going to be the model of physical fitness.

Looks like a great store.

You have any ideas for good patio furniture? I've also tried to find a store for hot tub sales? Any chance you would know of some?
Thanks,
Neil

Thanks Byron,

Zenspike,

Yeah, I decided to get some home exercise equipment, and try to get fit. I will have some additional posts on that in the days ahead.

For cheap plastic patio furniture, there is of course Corral in Mall del Rio. I have seen better stuff around, however.  I can't remeber the name of the store, but near your condo, off of Unidad Nacional there was a store that had some decent metal patio furniture.

As for hot tubs, I am sure they around. If they weren't, I wouldn't see photos like these in apartment listings.



Corral always has a hot tub in its plumbing department. However, it may be a big round bathtub, rather than an outdoor hot tub.

Nards
I recognize that listing. I think it's been on the market for like two years.
I want to get some decent patio furniture. Metal might be the ticket. I also would consider if some local guy made like Anarondack furniture. It's gonna be outside, so I don't know if they have decent wood that would hold up to the elements, like redwood or cedar ?
Someone had once mentioned that there was a local manufacturer of hot tubs in Cuenca, and I think they had said they had seen them in a mall. I can ask my Realtor also, she's pretty savvy.
Good Luck with the health program. I hope I too can start some kind of routine once I get set up.

In my hood there is a store that sells plumbing fixtures. I inquired on price on two of them and put in description below. 

Down the street, aother store had a lot of tubs, but indoor variety.  I snapped a couple of photos.


https://picasaweb.google.com/1043669440 … directlink

Thank You Nards,
That was pretty nice of you to take the time and make the effort to post that info. When I look at the pics, number 3 does look like an outdoor one. About the size I'm intersted in also. It's called Escorpio.
Again, much appreciated.
Neil

The Cuenca newspaper El Tiempo picked up on that news story that I mentioned earlier about internet useage in Ecuador.

They mention a number of additional interesting facts including the following

La ciudad tiene 13 zonas de acceso gratuito a Internet a través de Wi-fi, en parques y lugares públicos, además 165 instituciones educativas del cantón cuentan con internet equipado por ETAPA. (JBA)

So, according to the article, there are 13 zones of access in the city, parks and public places, with free wifi access.

While I don't personally have a need to use these free wifi zones, it would be interesting to know where they are.

I made my first purchase from Amazon.com that will be shppped to Econcargo instead of Transexpress.

At some point on my non-blog, I will compare and contrast Econcargo with Transexpress. Main reason I switched was because Econcargo claims to only charge by weight while Transexpress charges by weight at the same rates, and then will tack on additional costs if your package exceeds certain dimensions.

Here is the purchase I will be tracking



According to Amazon.com's shipping information, the package weighs 3.6 pounds. Econcargo will round that up to 4.0 pounds and according to their calculator, will charge me $23.21

BryonDavis wrote:

Nards, you rock!  Thank you for all of the really insightful posts and pics!

Lol He does rock with his helpful posts.

The plenty images he posts here helps us relate to the situation.

Thanks again, Nards



Edit: Nards, would it of been worth it to you to order the machine on the net ( plus delvery + import fees) to save save money rather than buying it at "Bermeo Hnos"?

What were the aprox probable costs in doing so?

Thanks Molinari.

Packages sent weighing more than 8.8 lbs or having a value more than 400 dollars are subject to tariffs, and additional delays in customs. I have set 8.8 lbs as a threshold I wonŽt go over, since I fear the unknown. I suppose it may be worth going over that threshold in certain circumstances, depending on your need, but I havenŽt looked into to it.

Assuming that bench weighed exactly 8.8 pounds, it would have cost me via Club Correos 43 dollars to ship here. Its actual shipping weight would have been 25 pounds with Amazon.com, so even if I shippped it, I am sure the cost would have exceeded what I paid for it here locally.

Hi Nards.

How much do you estimate the box weighed?

Also would be good (just for the heck of it) whenever you have a free moment if you can, what is the aprox delays in custom and the tariffs would be for such an item and its worth.

Again, thanks for the info, Nards.

I think my reply addressed both those questions.

"I havenŽt looked into to it."

"25 pounds"

Good article that came out in December 2012 on language learning.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/ed … takes.html

I got a chuckle out the following comment mainly because of its use of the phrase "ex-pat ghettos".

The majority of the British over here in Spain have a reputation of not being interested in learning the local language and form ex-pat ghettos, to their loss unfortunately

This was the third-most read article at the El Universo today. The article reaffirms what you you already know: that the gringo invasion continues.

http://www.eluniverso.com/2013/04/12/1/ … -eeuu.html

Here is something humorous for the peeps on this Saturday morning.

As you may know, Cuenca was celebrating its 456 years of its founding.

The vice president was in town attending a function.



Here is how the vice president initiated the event:

“Cuenca la bella, la querida... la de los gringos jubilados”

Translation:  Cuenca the beautiful, the loved, the place of the gringos retired.

wwwhhhhaaattt... what if you do not like the candidates that are running you still  have to vote...

pele6254 wrote:

wwwhhhhaaattt... what if you do not like the candidates that are running you still  have to vote...

The only thing you have to do is die, everything else is optional.

Alrightie than...

[Moderated: off topic]

Ok, my son and I do not drink cow's milk. I've seen your posts about la leche and I was wondering do they sell alternatives like almond milk? Although I'm looking forward to relocating to Cuenca, I'm realizing that my food quality standards may be a bit too high...lol. Thanks in Advance :-)

Acurry wrote:

Ok, my son and I do not drink cow's milk. I've seen your posts about la leche and I was wondering do they sell alternatives like almond milk? Although I'm looking forward to relocating to Cuenca, I'm realizing that my food quality standards may be a bit too high...lol. Thanks in Advance :-)

It was good to see this thread come out of the mothballs.  I thought I would resuscitate it even more with a photo I took today at SuperMaxi (El Vergel) This drink was next to a soy milk product so I am assuming it has milk-like consistency.

Great job, Nards!!  Would hate to think the Cuenca food standards do not measure up to Biloxi, Mississippi.

pele6254 wrote:

Alrightie then...

This is a cute post, but does not explain why the Clooneys married in Venice and not Cuenca or Guayaquil.

cccmedia wrote:

pele6254 wrote:

Alrightie then...

This is a cute post, but does not explain why the Clooneys married in Venice and not Cuenca or Guayaquil.

Easier canal navigating, unless a cruise ship interferes.

Nards Barley wrote:

Acurry wrote:

Ok, my son and I do not drink cow's milk. I've seen your posts about la leche and I was wondering do they sell alternatives like almond milk? Although I'm looking forward to relocating to Cuenca, I'm realizing that my food quality standards may be a bit too high...lol. Thanks in Advance :-)

It was good to see this thread come out of the mothballs.  I thought I would resuscitate it even more with a photo I took today at SuperMaxi (El Vergel) This drink was next to a soy milk product so I am assuming it has milk-like consistency.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gArG … 010285.jpg

Thanks, I really appreciate the effort and the picture. There are lots of things that we have to find alternatives for because my son has quite a bit of food allergies and I'm a vegetarian which is why I mentioned it. I've read that many people have had trouble finding the same medications there and was wondering if the same went for some of the food items that we're so used to getting. Thanks again!

mugtech wrote:

Great job, Nards!!  Would hate to think the Cuenca food standards do not measure up to Biloxi, Mississippi.

I was referring to my personal food standards as a vegetarian & raw foodist and my son's needs due to a long list of food allergies.... I'm not sure the food standards in Biloxi, Mississippi have anything to do with that, but in any event, thanks to Nards I now know they do, in fact, have milk alternatives in Cuenca (which was a continuation of his posts about leche)... but thanks for the support :-).

Hello ACurry,

My wife and I are vegetarians and we find the food here is very healthy and has more flavor than in the States. She spends $15.00 on market day for bags of fruits and vegetables that last us for a week. My wife was a dietician so is also picky about what we eat.

smell the roses wrote:

Hello ACurry,

My wife and I are vegetarians and we find the food here is very healthy and has more flavor than in the States. She spends $15.00 on market day for bags of fruits and vegetables that last us for a week. My wife was a dietician so is also picky about what we eat.

Thank you so much for your helpful input and taking the time to share your vegetarian experience there...I really appreciate it! This puts my mind at ease...its so good to hear that its easy and affordable to stick to my vegetarian diet and also prepare some healthy allergen-free food for my son as well :-)