Cuenca, Ecuador

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Hostal Casa Central, Azuay, Ecuador

Cuenca, Ecuador, is a colonial gem that lays sprawled out amidst the Andes mountains that surround the city. We spent 6 nights here, arriving via a $6 bus from Guayaquil. Cuenca was a ‘score’ on so many levels!

We stayed in the historical city, less than two blocks from its epicentre. From the second we arrived on the doorstep of our hostel the smell hits you; it’s like walking through the front door of your parents’ home after being gone for a long time. Wafts of fresh, yeasty sweetness that fill your lungs, heart and senses with a familiar warmth and comfort...imagine, a city that smells of fresh homemade bread and pastries...this is Cuenca.

Like pulling up to a table of comfort foods, we settled in for the slow, long haul of gorging on the beauty of this remarkable city.

With a growing city population of nearly 350,000 people, Cuenca is Ecuador’s third-largest city. While we haven’t seen all of Ecuador nor all its cities, this is by far the most peaceful part of Ecuador we have experienced so far; in fact, there is a calm here that rivals the Galapagos! The city’s full name is Santa Ana de los Cuatro Ríos de Cuenca, which translated means “four rivers that run through Cuenca.

New Cathedral, Cuenca

” Quite a mouthful, everyone simply refers to the city as “Cuenca”, and thanks be to God for that!

A UNESCO World Heritage City, Cuenca boasts 52 Catholic Churches (1 for each Sunday of the year) with the most notable being the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, commonly referred to as the New Cathedral of Cuenca. While construction of the New Cathedral began in the 1880s, completion took almost 100 years. The church was consecrated in 1967, just 52 years ago!

The inside of the church is stunning! Complete with the characteristic pink-hued marble typical of the area, there are high ceilings and an ornate, gold leaf high alter. The alcoves are few in number, free of railings, and simply decorated with tidy statues of saints or Holy Family members.

One alcove stands out among the rest; it’s statue made of bright white marble transported from Italy to Cuenca. Perhaps most stunning are the domes atop the cathedral. Painted a sky-blue they can be seen from almost every angle in the old city; their color chosen in an effort to be closer to the heavens.

Adjacent to the cathedral is a former seminary now converted to a courtyard of restaurants and cafes. Paul and I ate here at Cafe Confessionario for brunch each day. Not one to repeat dining experiences, we simply could not resist the ambiance of the place. With the sun, high in the sky, shining down on the stunningly imposing domes, it was a breathtaking view upon which to enjoy a quiet lunch.

Very near the cathedral is a flower market where roses, one of Ecuador’s largest exports, can be purchased for a mere 50 cents! With bouquets and sprays aplenty, people flock here to buy these aromatic floral arrangements which are generally laid near alters, alcoves, crypts or in cemeteries throughout the old city.

Colonial Buildings, Cuenca

Most fascinating, in this same floral market the entrance to a convent of cloistered nuns can be found. In complete physical isolation from society, the sisters run a small business where they sell items, most famously, an ancient herbal drink called “agua de pitimas”. Exchanging money and goods from a street-side, rotating wooden window; long lines can be found on business days! On days when nuns are not doing business, lay people take up their charge from a small stall in the same courtyard!

As we wandered the streets of Cuenca we (mostly I) popped into the many little hole-in-the-wall patisseries, to check out their endless miniature mounds of sweet, floury, decadent works of art. Yes, in a city that smells this good, you simply cannot just walk by...in a city this Catholic, I would say it’s positively sinful! ;)

With a heavenly delight poked in my pocket I was starting to convince myself that it was very girl-scout of me to be prepared...you know, it’s important to have a macaroon in one’s pocket to stave hunger should a natural disaster occur! Paul wasn’t convinced and with loving eyes rolling at me, pockets full, we hailed a cab and headed over to the Panama Hat Factory.

The “Panama Hat” has deep ancestral roots in Cuenca & in Ecuador. The aborigines of the Ecuador used “tocas” made of toquilla straw to protect themselves from the sun. The lightness and flexibility of this fiber was favored to make hats that over time have become a symbol for Ecuador, being a fusion of nature, manual dexterity of Ecuadorians, and their culture.

Colonial Buildings, Cuenca

Why is a famous Ecuadorian product dubbed the ‘Panama Hat’ you might ask? Well, the construction of the Panama Canal caused a great demand for toquilla straw hats from Ecuador, because of their qualities to protect from the sun. From Panama the hat was internationally known and as such, people began to call it “Panama Hat” even though the place of origin is Ecuador.

Visiting the factory was a fascinating and educational experience. We were quite surprised to learn that the hats ranged in price from $30 to more than $1000 US depending on the complexity of the weave and perfection attained! The weaving is done entirely by hand by local weavers in villages throughout the region, their skills having been passed down from generations. Once woven, they are sent to the factory where they undergo several processes to bleach, color & shape the hats to specifications. It is quite an amazing process & history!

Paul had some fun trying on replicas of hats ordered for Johnny Depp, Ben Affleck and Paul’s personal favorite, Bryan Cranston who played Walter White on Breaking Bad! We were shocked to learn how small Johnny Depp’s head is (wicked tiny) and equally surprised at how well Bryan Cranston’s hat suited Paul! Lol!

On the second last night before we left and with a few hours to spare before the evening set in, we decided to take the local hop-on-hop-off tour bus around both the new and old city. The circuit was promised to be no more than 90 minutes and we really wanted to see Mirador de Turi, one of the most popular excursions in Cuenca which we had yet to see.

Colonial Buildings, Cuenca

Turi is located in the perfect place to bask in the breathtaking panorama of the entire city of Cuenca. Mirador means “lookout” or “viewpoint”; “Turi” means “brother” in Quechua, an ancient language still spoken by some indigenous groups. The old white church in Turi can be seen from almost anywhere in the old city, and from the church there is a commanding view of the entire Andean valley.

While the views of Cuenca from this angle did not disappoint, the bus ride itself was equally jaw dropping but for entirely different reasons!

Telephone and electrical wires crisscross the sky in South America as though each household threw a dozen balls of wool at one another and hoped for the best. In many places the resulting wiry mess is pulled together with plastic electrical ties and sometimes with simple duct tape. In many places, the lines sag dangerously and it is not uncommon to see broken lines dangling about the roads and walkways!

We were the lone passengers on our bus and the guide spoke broken English on a speaker from the deck below. Each time we ascended a hill she scrambled up the steps, lunged forward and shouted, “head down, head down”. As we leaned forward she gesticulates in a fury which we interpreted as the “brace” position on an airline i.e., head between your legs! We no sooner had our heads between our legs than you could feel the breeze of the wires as they zipped along the top railing of the bus and along the length of our backs! A linesman would simply die of horror here!

Back safe and sound with our heads and backs still firmly intact, it was time for some celebration; today was my 45th birthday! Not accustomed to moaning about the idiosyncrasies of of age but rather enjoying a privilege not afforded to many, we found a highly recommended Italian restaurant and wiled away the evening enjoying fresh homemade pasta, savory full bodied wine/cold cerveza and one another’s company! :)

Having combed much of the city, visited many of its churches, its markets, watched women shaman perform rituals to heal/protect women & children, walked the riverfront and hung out among locals and tourists alike, we decided to pick up and move on.

Colonial Buildings, Cuenca

Before doing so, we hired a driver/guide and headed out to Igapirca ruins some 2 hours away.

Igapirca, is an archaeological complex of Inca origin and is the sacred place of the Inca occupation in Ecuador. It is considered the most important pre-Columbian archaeological site in the country and the best preserved Inca architectural complex in Ecuador.

For nearly 2 hours we walked among the resident llama learning about the history of the Inca in this area. As our guide shared its history, we walked through the cemetery, solar observatories, roads, warehouses, priests’ apartments and an indigenous plaza; the foundations of which were all intact. Most impressively, all Ingapirca buildings (as well as the entire former structures) are made of stones perfectly carved and joined with natural mortar. It was amazing to see yet another amazing architectural feat of the Incas!

Along the way we also popped into the small community of Biblián, home to El Santuario de la Virgen del Rocío, or the Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Dew. Yet another impressive church, this was one well worth visiting as it was built into the side of a mountain. After the residents of Biblián believed a miracle of rain during a drought, the church was built as thanksgiving to God.

The church is built impressively high in the mountains and its alter stands just forward of the rough mountain face that acts as both a majestic background and structural wall! It’s not just the Inca’s who sport architectural talents in these parts!

A culinary delight. Magnificat churches. Astounding architecture. Rich culture. Interesting history. A peaceful, old city. Cuenca, you did not disappoint!