Steve "Not the Rock Star" Miller

Back in July we had a friend visit us and he wasn't a rock star. In many ways, he was a lot more important than that because he came down here on a medical mission and you didn't have to pay to get in to this kind of Steve Miller happening.

So, after he finished up doing God's work he thought, Hey!,

as long as I'm in the neighborhood I might as well go see Joella and what's his name.


Of course, we were both pretty tied up at the time with English classes, but there's plenty to do around here without us babysitting you. There's hiking in the nearby, incredible Cajas National Park. Especially, if What's his Name will lend you the warm clothing needed because, despite the name Ecuador, everyplace you might go is not warm and sunny at 8,000 feet.


After all that hard work hiking, one should really just relax a little, drink some good cooffee and read the chocolate posters.


Then, when you've recovered, you can always catch a bus and go exploring the Ancient Inca Ruins of Ingapirca.


Or, visit the City's Anthropology museums and see things you haven't seen since medical school.


Then, you can go discuss the importance of what you've seen and learned with women your youngest son's age.

When there finally is time to join your teacher friends, it's off to the omnipresent pig roast ala flamethrower, which is just another roadside attraction down here.

Here's Steve holding Court with women from all over the world...still trying to share what he saw in the museum.

Anyway, with a belly-full of pork, we head down the road to that cliffside church up ahead on the hill in the distant. (Double click the picture for an enlargement).

And here's our happy "Not the Rock Star" camper at that church, Our Lady of the Morning Dew, on the top of the hill looking back down on the city.

Meanwhile, I was busy placating the angry native Steve had stiffed after she carried his twenty pounds of camera gear up the hill.

Anyway, after I paid her twice what "Not the Rock Star" did, 50 cents, she was happy and went home to her place higher in the hills to celebrate. So here's Steve and I finally relaxing and having a Rotary moment after that post-traumatic experience.

Despite all my abuses, Steve was nice enough to buy us dinner at our favorite place on his last night in town, Thanks Buddy! (Hint,Hint...future guests...teachers are paid very little here.)

You are all invited to visit anytime you like and we'll do what we can to show you a good time, as well as take you up on your offers of free dinners.

Of course, I may write about you on this blog after you've left, but Hey! that's the price of admission to an exceptionally good and exotic time in a foreign country :)