Mike and Patty's Birthday Party

Last month (October) Mike and Patty Grimm had a party to celebrate their mutual Libran birthdays at California Kitchen here in Cuenca.   Rachel wasn't here yet so I had to go solo, but the company was great.   Mike and Patty are wonderful people to be around and their friends are likewise.  If you've never had a meal at California Kitchen you need to allow yourself that pleasure. 

For those with an extremely robust appetite there is an hamburguesa to end all hamburguesas.

The owner/operators of California Kitchen, Carol and George and their family are welcoming, warm and dedicated to delivering a delicious and unique dining experience to your table. 

Bob LeFevre and Mike Grimm have become excellent friends.  They are both Viet Nam era Air Force pilots.  Suffice it to say they both have some great stories to tell.  James Reed, another pilot in attendance flew 747's for United.  I am merely a licensed private pilot but it struck me that four of us in attendance were pilots and love flying.  I wonder if there might be a correlation of spirit between pilots and the allure of independent living in Ecuador.  When half of the men in attendance are pilots and the ratio to pilots and non pilots in the general population is probably less than 1 in a hundred you have to wonder.  This wasn't a purposeful pilot gathering!

Bob and Freida will return to Ecuador in January to their new home on the coast.  Bob plans to build a two seat gyrocopter and will likely be able to take off right from the sandy beach in front of his house.  Does it get any better than that?  I'm pretty sure Mike and James and I will be over to help him build it.