Blogs from Cuenca, South, Ecuador, South America - page 5

Well, this is a little out of date, but it was a great day. We left home about 7:30 and went to Michael and Jenny's house to pray before leaving for the orphanage. We took a very nice bus ride for about an hour into the Yungilla Valley. You just tell the driver or the money taker that you want to get off at the orpahange and they pull to the side of the road to let you out. $1.50 per person. On the ride down we saw a bunch of motorcycles pass by including one person dress as Santa Claus/Papa Noel. Then we passed them at a roadside store where they had stopped for a drink. We got to the orphanage and Michael and Jenny gave us a tour of the facility. This orphanage is ... read more

Well, I feel really foolish. I just checked the name of the big parade on Christmas Eve from the blogpost that I put on last year and realized that I had 2014 when it should have been 2013. So, now you get to see the pictures from the parade that actually is in 2014. This parade last for eight hours. That's not the length of the parade, but so many people want to be in it that it takes eight hours to pass you if you remain in the same spot. We did not. When I got to over 200 pictures we called it quits. I don't have too much of a problem getting the kids who are on horseback to look at me for the picture. I just keep the camera down and when they ... read more

Cuenca - Day 13 Delicious cherries for breakfast! Walked a few blocks down to the river, which is fairly wide and very clean. A park with an outer track was along the river. Several groups were exercising, and a soccer game was going on. There also appeared to be some sort of graduation ceremony. Right on the edge of the park was Escuela de Marcha, a famous race-walking school that trains Columbian refugee children. Bob is a good tour guide! He next took us by the Museo Landivar. Although it was closed, we could still see the famous ruins where the Canari, Incas, and Spanish civilizations built over one another. We walked to Plaza San Blas. There were marching bands in the area, and many decorations for Christmas. Today must be some sort of holiday. There ... read more

Through where? Ecuador! Yes it is true, and it is sad and perhaps even bad, but I am just in Ecuador to get to Peru. Not because I don't like Ecuador, or wouldn't like to see it, but because of the priorities on this trip. At first I was going to do the Galapagos Islands as I passed on down, but as you all know, my money dictated otherwise. So, without the Galapagos, there was the rest of Ecuador to consider. I considered it, and I decided it was not the main aim of this journey. I have been to Ecuador before and I will return here one day. But Ecuador needs time, and if I can't give it the time it deserves than I rather just go through it relatively fast instead of even trying. ... read more

I woke up this morning from a deep, deep sleep. There was a chill in the air, so I was tempted to stay in bed for a while, savoring the warmth and collecting my thoughts. I had no idea what time it was, or what the weather was like outside, but I really was in no hurry to find the answers to either question. I knew that I had a couple of days to unwind and get to know Cuenca, and like a good wine, the experience was meant to be savored, not gulped down in a hurry. Eventually my bladder got the best of me and I aroused myself to go pee, and then see what could be seen from the back windows of my apartment. A look out the back window confirmed that grey ... read more