Cobblestone streets and strolls by the river

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Getting over the border to Ecuador was not much fun. There is this really dodgy town sitting in no mans lands where we had to wait while the truck immigration was sorted. For security were did not get off the truck, kept the door locked and windows up. And it was a very hot day. There was some definite melting going on inside. There were people everywhere outside selling dresses to puppies, and carts full of garlic or potatoes. Some had luggage in them as buses would generally turn around at the border, forcing people to walk through the dodgy town to the immigration office on the other side.

Cuenca is a lovely town. Not too touristy, a working town. The tourist information office couldn´t even be bothered to open. The main square is filled with lots of plants, beautiful kept, with lots of shady benches. The cathedral is quite unique, built of marble and brick with magnificent blue domes. We walked down by the river which was beautiful with green grassy banks. People had laid out their clothes on the opposite bank to dry.

We found one museum to visit, the Museo de las Culturas Aborigenes, on Calle Larga. We have seen a lot of ceramic pots and little animals already so it was a little hard to get exciting about yet more of them. But this museum is housed in a lovely brick building around a courtyard and there is a restaurant as well. We had a guide book in english to help us get around but it was nice just to look also. $2 entrance.

Pieter was not so well, so while he rested at the hotel, I went in search of a hat factory. Unfortunately it was closed. Ecuador is the source of Panama hats, not Panama. Didn´t know that. The name may have originated from Ecuadorian people who went to work on the Panama canal wearing their distinctive hats.

Together again, we explored the markets and artisan areas. Not all the artisans were open in the courtyard with the entrance off San Francisco square, but some of those that were open had the craftspeople inside making jewelery or knitting or carving. It would have been nice to see all the stalls open.

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