Oh, The Weather Outside is Frightful-----

Cuenca is the Land of Eternal Spring! Every website describes the weather here as---"spring-like!" Well, temperature wise that's true, but the imagery this description conveys of endless idyllic sunny days is far from reality.

This afternoon, for instance, the wind was howling like a sonofabitch. We've hardly seen the sun in a week. There was a torrential downpour on Tuesday that revealed leaks in many people's homes they previously didn't know they had. And it's so nippy tonight I'm wearing sweatpants to stay warm (remember---no HVAC here). In short Cuenca is not the Latin American Garden of Eden.

Please don't misunderstand. I am not complaining. We came from Las Vegas, the Groundhog Day weather capitol of the universe, where I was always suspicious the TV meteorologists brought 7 changes of clothes and did the whole week's forecast in one shot. I actually enjoy the weather diversity in Cuenca, even if the ever-present collapsible umbrella in my back pocket is sometimes cumbersome. And my sincere advice for anyone who complains about anything here is, "Then leave!"

But just like the $1 taxi rides, the $600 a month living expense, and all the other unrealistic BS about this place that inexplicably is floating around out there in cyberspace, the "eternal spring" silliness needs to be put in perspective. I say this because in my short 9 months of residence I've already spoken to far too many disappointed visitors lured here by all the hype and disillusioned by the reality that while wonderful, Cuenca ain't perfect.

So to those of you who are considering a "look-see" trip, please be aware that you may not see the sun the whole time you're here. Or the weather may change 5 times in a day. Or you could enjoy constant glorious sunshine. If that kind of unpredictability is not your cup of coffee, hopefully your Paradise is a Google search away.