Mom in Cuenca

My fabulous mother did a fabulous thing and made the journey from Philadelphia to Cuenca to see me. I then took this opportunity to get fabulously sick. As in the bucket-by-the-side-of-your-bed sick. To spare the icky details, I must commend my mom for sticking by my side through that 2-day ordeal. I felt terrible (physically) but also emotionally, due to the fact that my mom came all the way to South America to watch me lay in bed for 48 hours. I suppose that's what moms do though, right? They love us and take care of us and want to be with us even when we're not at our best. Thanks mom!

Going to the doctor for a full physical is one of the many things on my list of things to do upon returning home. I fear that the amoeba I detected a few weeks ago in my system has made a comeback, or invited his friends over.

On a more positive note, my mom and I were able to enjoy Cuenca for a few days. We spent a morning riding the city tour bus, which took us around the old and modern parts of Cuenca as well as to the look-out point, Turi. We learned about some cultural history of Cuenca and got some nice photographs for the folks back home. I was also sure to show my mom the bustling markets full of food, clothing, and everything you could possibly never want. We rounded up gifts for family and friends and took advantage of the dry spells during the day, although the rain made many appearances, which was to be expected.

We got a nice treat when we visited Piedra de Agua, a spa in nearby Baños. Some may wonder how great a spa in Ecuador can be, but this was actually very nice. My mother treated herself to a facial, which used volcanic mud, and she was very pleased with it. I joked that she had to travel all the way to Ecuador to get her first facial. As for me, I put a birthday gift to good use, and did the spa circuit with my gift card. My absolute favorite was the mud bath...just soaking in an outdoor mud pit, rubbing volcanic mud all over my skin, which now feels like a baby's bottom. It was great! There were also thermal pools, which were a welcome refuge from the chilly mountain air (not too chilly, but I'm always 20 degrees colder than everyone else.) Technically, I was supposed to sit in the thermal pool for 10 minutes and then switch to the freezing-cold pool for 1 minute. Eh, no thanks. I also bypassed the cold shower part before the steam room, naturally. Even with all of my “cheating” it was a nice way to spend the afternoon, and I'm glad that my mom got some pampering as well. She deserved it more than me.

Her birthday was on Friday (June 13^th) so I surprised her with High Tea at the Alcazar. This is the same mansion/hotel where we celebrated a double birthday (me and my housemate) in February. The gardens are among the best in Cuenca, and the tea was fantastic, complete with the typical dainty food and tea you would probably equate with an English tea. I invited some mature friends to accompany my mom and housemates and me, and it was an unforgettable birthday for my mother. It was certainly something we've never done together before. It was special, as it should have been, for her.

All in all, it was just so great for my mom to finally see and actually live in the place I've called home for the past 9 months. It was difficult being away from my family and familiar surroundings for that length of time, and my mom's never been abroad, so this was a unique experience that we had the privilege of sharing with each other. It's a special bond that just the two of us can share, an eternal link that we'll always remember and have to remind us of all we have to be thankful for. Your mom's still your mom, even when you're on another continent.