Rainy Cuenca

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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 clouds still cloaked the city, and if I was going out, I had best prepare for rain. The tile floor was cold on my bare feet, and I decided that a really nice warm shower was to be the first thing on my Sunday agenda. After showering, I considered heading up to El Centro to see what I could find in the way of 'desayuno' or breakfast, but as another volley of rain pelted down, I decided that it wouldn't be so bad if I waited until the rain subsided, so I settled down with my Insight guide and read up on Cuenca and the surrounding area.

I unpacked my bags and decided to do a load of laundry, and since Dano had requested that tenants not leave the washing machine unattended, I gave up on the idea of going out for breakfast. I remembered that I still had a couple of mandarins that I had bought in Milagro, so that became my breakfast. While doing the laundry, I also sorted through all my electronic items and set out to methodically recharge all my batteries. This was no easy task, as I had camera batteries, batteries for two cell phones, and batteries for the GoPro, all needing to be recharged.

Finally, I could began to see that clouds were lifting, and I decided if I were going to get out, I might as well do it while there was a prospect of clear skies and some sunshine. Collecting my things, and remembering to layer up, including my nice rain parka from Australia, I hit the streets to explore El Centro, the old part of Cuenca.

Evidently the river gods were still angry, as the Rio Tomebamba was as swollen as ever. It was a strange sensation to stand on the bridge and look down on the rushing waters below. I watched a large white Styrofoam container being swept along by the current, and I roughly calculated the river's speed based upon its progress down the river. From the bridge I was standing on, to the next bridge about a 10th of a mile further downstream, the object took less than 8 seconds to travel the entire distance. At an average of a minute and twenty seconds to travel a mile, I calculated that the river was flowing under the bridge at least 50 miles per hour. From my perspective looking down on the tumbling waters, it easily seemed as if it were twice that speed. No wonder the boulders in the stream were making such a rumbling!

One strange sight on the bridge was a length of chain coiled around the lower railing in the middle of the bridge. On the chain were perhaps 15 to 20 locks of various shapes and sizes. It was as if someone was maintaining their carefully curated lock collection for public display. There seemed be no other plausible reason for the locks and chain. It was rather surreal, somewhat of a statement to the futility and folly of trying to put a lock on the river careening below.

Leaving the curved bridge, which in quieter, less rain-soaked times I could easily have imagined to shelter Three Billy Goats Gruff-like trolls, I climbed up the eighty-four steps that I mentioned earlier, and not really knowing which way to go, chose to turn right as it appeared to offer the most interesting sights. I quickly came upon the entrance to the 10 de Agosto Mercado. Despite the inclement weather, the place was crowded with people, and it was a surprising mixture of the old and the new. The first floor was taken up by all manner of booths, from small tiendas that sold just about anything, to dry goods stores, to brightly colored fruit and vegetable stands, to a meat and fish market in the back. On the second floor, up a set of escalators that seemed a bit out of place in what amounted to an open-air market, was dozens upon dozens of small food stands, offering all manner of local Ecuadorian foods. After a quick walk-through the area, I stopped at a small booth and had a $3.00 bowl of ceviche and a Coke. Afterwards, I went back downstairs and walked through the food markets, taking in all the sights and sounds and smells. There is no doubt that one could eat very well, and quite economically, on the fruits and vegetables available in this market. I'm not sure if this market is held daily, or only on Sundays, but it is certainly an interesting and exciting place.

After leaving the 10 de Agosto Mercado, I wandered over towards Parque Calderon, which is basically the center of old Cuenca, surrounding by buildings from as far back as the late 1500's. The streets are lined with many small shops, selling anything from housewares, clothing, baked goods, electronics, etc. It also seems as if there is a small pharmacy around every corner. Just a few steps from the 10 de Agosto indoor market, was a sizable outdoor market, selling clothes, tennis shoes, Ecuadorian arts and crafts, as well as the occasional food stand. There was also a very nice Flower Market just a street or two away from Parque Calderon, with absolutely beautiful roses and other flowers. Just as I got to the central park, the rain began to pour down in earnest. In fact, it was quite a downpour, with water flooding the street. I can only guess what furious scurrying about the vendors in the open-air market were involved in. I sought shelter in one of the many covered walkways surrounding the town center, where I not only was delighted to find a very detailed tile map depicting the main points of interest in El Centro, but also free Wifi available courtesy of the city of Cuenca.

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