We are saying good bye to Cuenca after a good 2 weeks. Cuenca is the perfect sized city to take a travel break. The city center is an UNESCO site anchored by a wonderful plaza. The old town center has wonderful restaurants, coffee shops, ice cream 😆, architecture& is safe to wander. The river is adjacent to old town & is a great place to study, take a walk or have a glass of wine. During our two weeks here we took Spanish classes – yes -up to 6 hours of study per day. Enjoyed a fun dance performance and enjoyed the vibe of the city.

I almost forgot- we both experienced an herbal cleanse at the market. We enjoyed the raw egg ‘read’/analysis- Greg has muscle stiffness- I was nervous! And then she ‘spit’ the appropriate solutions on our hair & backs. Needless to say…you won’t be seeing this soon at your local market! It is as fun! And we have full videos of the process.

We find the Ecuadorians to be fun & kind and the country’s infrastructure is quite good. And as Cuenca is fun – we are heading to Quito for a week!

You have seen the Cathedral …and just wanted to share some of the fun local spots.

The flowers in Cuenca are legendary and the market is such a treat for one’s senses!

We purchased a large wonderful bouquet for our Airbnb and we enjoy it everyday..such a great way to support the local economy for $3😆

In Ecuador, they refer to their food as tipico. It is very different from what we see in the US & is great. We have eaten at the local market – our share of a roasted pig. Have eaten street food and in restaurants. And we attended a cooking class at our school. One of our favorites is their juices- they take whole fruits & blend them in a blender with water. Passion fruit is to die for and All are wonderful!

In cooking class we prepared plantains with pico de Gallo. It was great and here is our recipe….btw…espanol only!😆

Cuenca has a fabulous cathedral. And it has unique blue colored domes. That are beautiful. We decided to attend Mass on Sunday morn. And we were surprised by a Mass said by the head of the Catholic church in Ecuador. It was a big deal. There were about 8 priests who shared the service. And we could understand some of the homily – we were so surprised. And while these tidbits are a bit interesting…the big deal ….is that about 4000 Ecuadorians attended the service. I saw two other gringos. The ages spanned from young to old. And it is was impressive to see all ages of local represented.

We were first introduced to memorable street art a year ago. And we continue to see great examples. Here are a few of our favorite street art pieces & murals in Cuenca.

Eduardo Vega is a world renowned ceramic artist & Cuenca is his home. He has a charming studio on a wooded hillside overlooking the city. He makes everything from large murals to Demi-tasse.

The first is a mural at the University of Cuenca called the Tree of Life.

And this is outside his studio

Cuenca has plenty of markets. From floral markets to food markets to craft markets, they are a treat for your senses.

Cuenca has more than its fair share of cathedrals and they are spectacular.

Jack went back to school for studies at University and we are venturing to Cuenca Ecuador. We are staying in Cuenca for 2 weeks and splitting our time between Spanish immersion lessons and touring the town. Our studies are 4 hours per day with a private instructor….no hiding out…one must stay alert each day! 😳. The lessons are great and the ability to practice Spanish is a great opportunity- tho challenging!

Cuenca has a historical city center that is an UNESCO site and it does not disappoint.

Plazas, cafes, shops, Ecuadorians in traditional garb. Charming.