Meeting People

low temperature with colds and chills.

The temple is closed this week and next for regular maintenance.  As per custom, all the temple missionaries have gone traveling, except us.  Since Janeen is not feeling well, we have the extra pleasure of not having to go anywhere.  Besides, Guayaquil is the largest and most interesting city in the country, and people come here from all over Ecuador, Perú, and Colombia. We don't miss anything by staying here.

We are really the only missionaries left, except Presidente Rojas.  His wife has gone to México, and he is here alone.  Janeen stays home alone to rest and sends me off on errands.  Of course, I keep finding interesting people, and it takes me a while to get back.

For example, while shopping for oritos (small bananas) I discovered an artist who has an LDS items store near the temple.  Xavier makes his own website, records, paints, sculpts, designs all kinds of interesting things for the LDS visitors: http://xalapa.ucoz.com/

While dropping off my dry cleaning I discovered http://www.musicaypapeles.com/ a music store run by Tania Sempértegui Zambrano, a concert pianist who signed me up to tune her piano on Monday.

While looking for a movie rental store so Janeen can have options while resting at home, I discovered "la Funación Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil del Ecuador" 

http://www.fosje.org.ec/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=70&Itemid=70

Then I got permission to videotape the rehearsal, so I was there until practically 6pm.  I will interview the main people next week for my Ecuador music project:

http://www.cantos.org/music/ecuador

When I left the rehearsal I discovered the arranger.  Luis Izurieta was the director of the Ecuador National Band of the Army for 40 years.  Now he does a lot of interesting projects for the symphonies in Guayaquil.  I will tune two pianos at his home tomorrow.

I actually met more interesting people than I have time to tell you.

This morning we were awakened by the Serenata of a mockingbird singing loud and clear outside the window of our apartment.  A great birthday gift.