Cuenca
Trip Start
Sep 24, 2008
1
9
41
Trip End
Ongoing
Cuenca,
Ecuador
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
I am making my way south towards the Peruvian border...Cuenca is absolutly beautiful. All of the houses have a old town Spanish feel to them...the streets are mostly brick, with two rivers that divide the city. Itīs beautiful. I am staying a half an hour outside of the city, twenty five cents from the center. I was going to be staying in a hostel for my period here but was instead invited to sleep for the next nights in Rodrigoīs cousinīs house, on the condition that I cook lunch every day...I can do this. The family aspect of the neighborhood is unbelievable...I thought that Santa Rosa had alot of family in close vacinity. The barrio that Iīm staying in is named the Valle, it sits atop a valley overlooking Cuenca. Six or seven of the close neighbors are primary or secondary family of the Picons. Absolutely intense how many people I have met, one of the grandmothers has more than forty grandchildren. Can you imagine that Grandma, Lani and I would have had to have started when we were fifteen.
The town is also a bit less touristy, internet cafes are cheaper, and the bus system is a bit more comprehendable. Altogether a little less intimidating than Quito.
More to come when I have a couple of hours and a screen in front of me.
Cheers,
Ryan
