We've been here for two weeks and have loved Cuenca so far!
We've hit almost all of our "must-do" list already and we have a week left before we journey south to Peru.
So, what have we done so far?
Let's see...
There weren't many options for the bus from Banos to Cuenca (we were hoping for an overnight) so we hopped aboard an afternoon, express bus that was very comfortable and only $7 a ticket, with a change in Riobamba. We arrived in Cuenca at 8pm, even earlier than we expected, and plenty of time to catch a cab to our landlord, who showed us to our apartment in a very quiet and safe neighborhood in northern Cuenca.
Quiet, that is, except for the propane delivery service truck, which beep-beeps through the streets, alerting everyone to it's proximity. But nevertheless, we didn't realize how lucky we were until the next morning when we went out exploring and found a huge park only two blocks away and a large farmer's market only four blocks away! We've been visiting both almost daily! And the view of the city skyline from the park is unmatched.
Quiet, that is, except for the propane delivery service truck, which beep-beeps through the streets, alerting everyone to it's proximity. But nevertheless, we didn't realize how lucky we were until the next morning when we went out exploring and found a huge park only two blocks away and a large farmer's market only four blocks away! We've been visiting both almost daily! And the view of the city skyline from the park is unmatched.
It was Good Friday the very next day so we headed to the main plaza in Cuenca, the Plaza Abdon Calderon, to try to visit as many churches and cathedrals as we could. It's a Good Friday tradition here to pay your respects to all seven churches in the center of Cuenca, while wearing dark clothing (you are in mourning for Christ). It's also a tradition to eat fanesca and humitas, which are a 12-grain soup with salted cod, squash, beans, and egg, and a sweet sort of tamale with raisins. Cuenca has a "gastronomical tour" which features popular restaurants serving their version of fanesca. So, we chose one very busy with locals and enjoyed the authentic and delicious Good Friday soup, next to the mildly sweet corn tamale. We headed home and enjoyed our lovely neighborhood park in the pleasant 65 degree temperatures for the remainder of the day. Another Cuencan tradition is that one mustn't shower for fear of turning into a fish (this one is old and very superstitious) and one that we did not honor, as the boys had been rolling down the steep hills at the park.
On Sunday, we attended mass at the "new cathedral", which is the Catedral de la Immaculada Concepción, which was begun in 1885 and took over a century to build. It can hold over 9,000 occupants and I swear that almost that many attended on Easter morning. It was a beautiful service and afterwards, we broke our Lenten fast of no sweets and treated the boys to the "ice cream" that the vendors were selling on the steps of the cathedral...more like a sweetened, whipped cream that held its swirl shape in the cone and was covered with strawberry jam and fresh coconut shavings. We headed to Cuenca's famous flower market, only a block away, and Michael helped me pick out a lovely Easter bouquet of roses, sunflowers, lilies, and other flowers that I couldn't identify for only $5 and we headed back.
Mike headed out of town about 45 minutes to view an absolutely gorgeous piece of property on Monday. While the owner requested we not publish pictures or details of his farm, we did snap several photos of the surround countryside to give you an idea of just how beautiful the area was. Mike loved it so much that a few days later, we all bused back out there to see it. It was every bit as gorgeous as he described!
The next day, we all taxied to the Ministerio de Cultura del Ecuador and spent the rainy day inside, learning about the ancient Incans and the different regions of Ecuador. Their indigenous exhibit was really neat. One showed the different indigenous groups found in Ecuador by region. It included examples of their homes and clothing and also touched on the traditions and superstitions of the different groups. There was also an exhibit on the history of Ecuador's currency and another showing the history of the Cañari and Incas from the Cuenca area. They also had an art exhibit featuring beautiful paintings by Guillermo Larrazabal. By then the rain had petered off so we walked outside to see the extremely well preserved Pumapungo archaeological ruins, which accurately showed the way the ancient Incans farmed and stored their crops. There was also a small aviary, where the boys loved watching the parrots, macaws, owls, parakeets, and even a few falcons. We walked back through the amazing foliage of succulents, palms, ferns, and even herbs, and taxied back home for another evening at the park.
The next day was beautifully sunny so we headed to the Plaza de San Francisco and checked out the indigenous market and all the beautiful wares that the Andeans had to offer and I may or may not have bought a few more Christmas presents!
Our landlord left us four tickets to a local tour bus company that advertised free coffee! Upon closer examination, the "tickets" were only for the free coffee but this was discovered after we had promised the boys a trip on the double-decker buses. So, Saturday morning found us on a bright yellow tour bus and luckily, the company was offering a 2-for-1 deal! Delicious, free coffee in hand, only $8 later for all four of us, and promptly at 9:30am, we set off through the city. We were treated to an English-speaking, all-inclusive tour of the beautiful city that we are calling our home for three weeks. It was over three hours and we learned so much about the history of Cuenca. It even included a 20 minute stop at the mirador, the overlook on the side of the mountains of Cuenca. The little village surrounding the tiny church at the mirador was filled with artisan ceramics and local crafts. The tour guide also treated us to canelazo, a traditional drink of the Andean highlands that consists of sugar cane syrup, alcohol, cinnamon, and naranjilla (a tiny orange-like fruit), and is served hot. It was delicious and warming on the windy overlook. He even made a non-alcoholic version for the boys!
On Sunday, we tried to find an English-speaking church but got turned around (and had incorrect directions) and we ended up giving up and walking down to the river that runs through the heart of Cuenca instead. It was a beautiful morning and while I nursed Gabe, the boys threw rocks into the river and collected wildflowers. We sat and enjoyed the sun and the sounds of the gorgeous river that Cuenca is known best for.
The next day, Mike was up very early to taxi and bus down to Vilcabamba, a town and region four hours south of Cuenca. They call it the Valley of Longevity and it is a common destination for tourists, in part because it is widely believed that its inhabitants grow to a very old age. Locals assert that it is not uncommon to see a person reach 100 years of age and it is claimed that many have gotten to 120, even up to 135, which would make it an area with the oldest inhabitants in the world. The area has been referred to as the "Playground of the Inca" which references its historic use as a retreat for Incan royalty. The valley is overlooked by a mountain called Mandango, the Sleeping Inca, whose presence is said to protect the area from earthquakes and other natural disasters. Whether or not the residents live to be 135 or if the area is protected by an ancient magical force, the region is beautiful and warmer than Cuenca's average temp of 65 degrees. Mike toured two properties with a real estate agent, both of which boasted gorgeous views and stunning foliage. One even had cool rock formations, a small waterfall, and allegedly part of the famous Incan Trail!
While he was visiting properties, the boys and I celebrated Cuenca's 458th birthday! The city celebrates for an entire month with parades, festivals, and concerts and we decided to walk down to the city square and have ice cream! The sweet ladies behind the counter gave the boys Viva Cuenca! flags in their cones and then insisted on taking a picture with them! Mike says we are like a walking freak show here...literally every other person who passes us on the street breaks into a huge smile and exclaims, "que lindo!". There is always oooing and aaahing and usually a hair ruffle. Mike says we are going to start charging for all the pictures they take! Anyway, we had a great day, enjoying the sunshine, ice cream, and a couple trips to the park.
Stay tuned next week for the conclusion of our time in Cuenca and then we are off to Peru!!
As always, daily updates are on our Facebook page (under MikeandKatieDeSa) and Instagram, #dclandromomania.
On Sunday, we tried to find an English-speaking church but got turned around (and had incorrect directions) and we ended up giving up and walking down to the river that runs through the heart of Cuenca instead. It was a beautiful morning and while I nursed Gabe, the boys threw rocks into the river and collected wildflowers. We sat and enjoyed the sun and the sounds of the gorgeous river that Cuenca is known best for.
The next day, Mike was up very early to taxi and bus down to Vilcabamba, a town and region four hours south of Cuenca. They call it the Valley of Longevity and it is a common destination for tourists, in part because it is widely believed that its inhabitants grow to a very old age. Locals assert that it is not uncommon to see a person reach 100 years of age and it is claimed that many have gotten to 120, even up to 135, which would make it an area with the oldest inhabitants in the world. The area has been referred to as the "Playground of the Inca" which references its historic use as a retreat for Incan royalty. The valley is overlooked by a mountain called Mandango, the Sleeping Inca, whose presence is said to protect the area from earthquakes and other natural disasters. Whether or not the residents live to be 135 or if the area is protected by an ancient magical force, the region is beautiful and warmer than Cuenca's average temp of 65 degrees. Mike toured two properties with a real estate agent, both of which boasted gorgeous views and stunning foliage. One even had cool rock formations, a small waterfall, and allegedly part of the famous Incan Trail!
While he was visiting properties, the boys and I celebrated Cuenca's 458th birthday! The city celebrates for an entire month with parades, festivals, and concerts and we decided to walk down to the city square and have ice cream! The sweet ladies behind the counter gave the boys Viva Cuenca! flags in their cones and then insisted on taking a picture with them! Mike says we are like a walking freak show here...literally every other person who passes us on the street breaks into a huge smile and exclaims, "que lindo!". There is always oooing and aaahing and usually a hair ruffle. Mike says we are going to start charging for all the pictures they take! Anyway, we had a great day, enjoying the sunshine, ice cream, and a couple trips to the park.
Stay tuned next week for the conclusion of our time in Cuenca and then we are off to Peru!!
As always, daily updates are on our Facebook page (under MikeandKatieDeSa) and Instagram, #dclandromomania.
Beautiful post!! I felt like I was there with you guys :) The markets are so colorful and of course, I LOVE seeing all the street food you guys are eating. Looks like the boys are eating plenty of ice cream! As they should :)
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