Still Raining in Cuenca

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I awoke to the sound of rain hitting the large window overlooking the back of the apartment...it wasn't as strong as it had been the night before, but it dampened my spirits a bit. Instead of heading out in search of something to eat, and risking getting seriously depressed by the weather here in Cuenca, I decided to fix my own breakfast. I had bought some ham, bologna and fresh rolls at a small store in the older section of town the night before, and someone had thoughtfully left two eggs in the refrigerator. I turned on my Texas Red Dirt Music feed from the internet, and tackled the job of preparing an American style breakfast, my first in Ecuador.

Dano's apartment had a really nice propane stove, as well as everything needed to prepare a meal, so I was set. I really enjoyed the taste of fresh bread, soft scrambled eggs (cooked to perfection as only a gas cooktop will do) and tasty ham and bologna as well. I had a large glass of mango nectar, which I tarted up with the fresh juice from a couple of key limes a previous occupier of the apartment had left, and my breakfast was set. I vowed that after cleaning up the dishes from breakfast, if the rain continued, I was going to curl up on the sofa with a book and just relax.

Fortunately, the skies cleared, and I didn't have a reason for not getting out of the apartment and seeing more of Cuenca. I knew that the double-decker tour bus left Parque Calderon on a regular basis, and only cost $5.00, so I struck out for El Centro, with a full belly and a renewed sense of purpose! I was going to see more of Cuenca, come hell or high water! Speaking of high water, as I crossed the Rio Tomebamba on my way up to Parque Calderon, I noticed that it had dropped considerably during the night, so evidently there had been no more rain up in the mountains.

The double-decker bus tour of Cuenca is a tourist staple, and I expected it to be full of people as the day had begun to warm up and the rain had stopped. To my surprise, there were only four people on the first level, and when I climbed to the top open area there was only one other person. I figured I would remain up top so long as it wasn't raining, as it afforded a much better opportunity to take pictures.

Within minutes of boarding, we were on our way. Down below, a young man narrated the trip in both Spanish and English, first giving details of sights in Spanish, and then following in English. It was fun to see how much I understood of the Spanish, and surprisingly, my comprehension was pretty good. In fact, given that the narrator's heavily accented English was at times hard to understand, I am not so sure that I didn't get as much from the Spanish narration as I did the English.

My companion on the upper deck was a native-born Ecuadorian who had lived in the United States since he was eight years old, and this was his first trip to Cuenca as well. After making introductions, we compared notes on our impressions of Ecuador. This was his third or fourth trip to the country of his birth, and he was pleased to see how it had changed since his earlier trips. In between taking in the sights, we discussed what we enjoyed most about Ecuador so far, and agreed that the people were one of its highlights. The bus tour takes one around the older sections of town, where the styles of architecture are commented upon and the many churches and markets are pointed out. With the occasional warning to watch our heads for low-hanging power and phone lines, both my companion and I were able to stand and take some nice pictures of the sights of downtown Cuenca. The tour circles El Centro, the older part of Cuenca, then heads down to cross over the Rio Tomebamba and traverse the newer portions of the city.

Cuenca is very European in appearance, very clean, with numerous parks and green spaces, as well as quite modern buildings in amongst the old. Speaking of old, the bus route goes right by some pre-Columbian ruins that date back at least a thousand years, to the times of the Incas, and perhaps before. It also goes by some of the most modern buildings in Cuenca, specifically homes built by the large number of North American and European expats that have flocked to Ecuador in the past few years.

In a few minutes, we were winding our way up one of the mountains that overlook the city of Cuenca, headed for a spot known as Turi. It was beginning to rain more as we climbed the hill, so I decided to move down to the interior of the bus. Though drier, being on the first level had the disadvantage of not having the same vantage point as being atop the bus, so it was nice when the guide announced that we would be stopping at Turi for an opportunity to look out over all of Cuenca. Turi is a collection of restaurants, small hotels, and shops that overlook the city, reminiscent of similar places I had been along the Rhine River in Germany. The rain, or misty drizzle, to be more accurate, started to pick up, and I was thankful that I had worn a long sleeve shirt, though I had left my rain parka back at the apartment. After the obligatory selfie with Cuenca far away in the background, I went into a small souvenir shop, where I was offered a small cup of something warm that tasted a bit like apple cider, but with a decidedly alcoholic kick to it. I didn't get the name of it, but it was a welcome treat, as it served to warm me up from the chill that was beginning to set in. After some quick shopping, I headed back to the tour bus, and since the weather had cleared up and the sun was shining brightly again, I headed again to the front seats on top of the double-decker. I ignored the little bit of water in the plastic seats and enjoyed the ride back down the mountain.

I had read that the entire bus trip was 90 minutes, but it didn't seem to be that long. In no time at all, it seemed, we were back at Parque Calderon and clambering off the bus. All in all, well worth the $5.00 expense!

Now I am not generally one for taking in the normal tourist sites, I thought it would be a shame not to see the Catedral de la Immaculada Concepcion (Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, or New Cathedral), which directly faces the Parque Calderon, and was open. The three striking blue and white domes have become the symbol of the city of Cuenca. The tiles for the dome were imported from what is now the Czech Republic. Outside the New Cathedral there were a number of vendors selling votive candles, flowers and other religious items. The outside of the New Cathedral is rather drab, as it is constructed of bricks and mortar instead of stone, and though very ornate, does little to hint at the beauty of the interior of the church. As one steps inside, one is first taken by the sheer size of the interior. Along each side, as in most Catholic Cathedrals, I suppose, are smaller chapels dedicated to various saints or religious personages. Each chapel is a work of art in its own right, with highly ornate statuary and carvings, and stained glass windows that were breathtaking. Most of the chapels had stations with many candles burning, and one chapel had a number of people in its pews. Their piety and devotion was most apparent.

The main part of the Cathedral is filled with a central set of pews that faces the High Altar at the rear of the church. The floor is beautiful pink marble from Italy, and the High Altar itself was amazing. When I first entered, the High Altar was illuminated, and it was an incredible sight to see the gilded altar, undoubtedly awe-inspiring to the religiously faithful. I had read that you could, for a small fee, climb the stairs to the towers and look out on the city, but as it was still threatening rain I decided to wait until my next trip to Cuenca to experience that.

After that amazing step back in time, I switched gears and headed back to the present by going downhill to cross back over the Rio Tomebamba to check out the Supermaxi, which was a couple of blocks from the apartment where I was staying. Despite a couple of wrong turns, I finally found the store and got a look at modern living in Cuenca. Set in a mini-mall of other shops, the Supermaxi was much like an American supermarket, with aisles arranged by category. Prices were not unlike those in US markets. In fact, many items were more expensive than one would pay in the US. I paid particular attention to the produce section, as I find it interesting to see what types of fruits and vegetables are being sold. I only bought a few items: some snacks, a couple of soft drinks, and an awesome citrus press unlike any I have ever seen at home in the States. I also noted that Supermaxi had an extensive stock of candy, including BIOS, which many regard as the best of Ecuadorian chocolates. Since I still have a lot of traveling ahead of me, I made a mental note that Supermaxi carried it, and vowed to stock up just before returning to the States.

I ended the evening back up in the old part of Cuenca, at Monday Blue, a really funky restaurant with an extensive menu and an interior décor that rivaled any in the States for kitschy wall décor. The whole place was plastered with license plates from all over the US and South and Central America, as well as signs, photos, vintage advertisements, placards, you name it. I ordered chili cheese fries and guacamole with chips, topped off with Pilsener beer. While eating, the place was overrun by a contingent of about 12-15 young people from either Sweden or Denmark. I couldn't quite place their language, and since most of the ordering was done in English, I was at a complete loss as to where exactly they were from. I will say that I have not seen as many "rubios", or blonde people in one place since I arrived in Ecuador.

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