Showing posts with label Cuenca. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cuenca. Show all posts
Monday, March 02, 2015
Cuenca Completo
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Churches
New Cathedral (Catedral de la Immaculada)
Del Sagrario Old Basilica
El Carmen de la Asuncion
Church
Todos Los Santos
Old Cathedral of Cuenca
Iglesia de Santo Domingo St. Dominic’s
San Blas
Others I cannot even remember
Museums
Michael J. Hamilton Photography
Exhibit
El Museo de Las Conceptas
Pumapungo Museo
Pumapungo Museum and
Arqueological Park - MCYP
The Ruins of Todos Los
Santos
Mirador de Turi
Museo Municipal de Arte Moderno
- Twice
Museo de las Culturas Aborigenes
Museo Del Sombrero de Paja
Toquilla
Museo de la Medicina
CIDAP Museum - Centro
Interamericano de Artesanias y Artes Populares
Galleries and Public Spaces
Artes de la Tierra Galeria
Plaza Civica –
Plaza
Abdon Calderon
Casa de
las Posadas - Twice
Ceramica
Vega
What we missed due to their never being open:
Art Cuenca
Casa De los Arcos
Galeria de Arte Contempora neo
Ariel Dawi
Prohibido Centro Cultural
Museo de Esqueletologia
Museo de las Artes de Fuego - Tried three times
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Did It, But I Never Want To Do It Again
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| Wake me when it is over! |
Here is the story. We are living in Gringolandia, which is away from downtown Cuenca. We took a bus to near Museo Todos Santos beyond the downtown area; from there, we walked down the hill crossing the river to hail a taxi. The driver knew exactly where we needed to go. Expecting to pay upwards of $8 for the taxi, it was $2.80. The bus ride was .50 for two of us. So far so good. Pre-warned that some taxis would let you off at the bottom of the hill off the highway, but if it happened, we should insist we be taken to the top. Otherwise, it is a 600-meter climb.
Our driver knew the drill. He took us directly to the parking lot, the closest place to take a car. However, once you reach
As others have shared, the zoo built on
All of the paths to follow are dirt, rock pebble, old trees, or a combination of all of the above. What you will not find is concrete, but only
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| Good excuse to catch my breath. |
You walk, walk, walk and then climb, climb, climb. Just when you think you are about to touch the clouds, that false
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| The end is out of reach. |
Bless me Mother Nature, I have sinned by smoking, but I quit yet you are still punishing me. Some restful spots are provided here and there, but certainly not enough for older folks who are not in shape. Thankfully, the trails are not inundated with people, so we could stand still, heaving and gasping before moving on again.
We never did see the local bears, alpacas or a number of
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| You're kidding me~ |
The ticket seller mentioned that it would take us about two and one-half hours to get through the zoo. Taking into consideration false stops to regard the vista when we were really sucking in oxygen or trying to keep our hearts from exploding, or sitting in places where there were real benches, it took us more like 3 3/4
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| We were watching to see if you would make it. |
At the end, the ticket office was very pleasant about calling for a taxi and he arrived within 12 minutes. Going back, the traffic was extremely heavy so the fare was $8 with a tip. To be fair, we had him drop us off closer the city center so this added to it. I was so grateful to be sitting in one place. I would have paid
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| We are now proud members of the 2 1/2 mile high club. |
It was a great experience now that it is over. Been there, done that and now it is wiped clean from my bucket list. My back and muscles will keep the memories going for quite some time hereafter.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Be (Lated) My Valentine
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Realizing I have taken a vacation while on vacation, I will do a little catching up. Being out of the center has been a very different experience. Having the river at our doorstep has been the ultimate relaxation experience. We took a walk along the river on the path to the very end. What is stunning is that along the way, there are dozens of flowering plants all well maintained. On one side, you have the river rushing over rocks like rush hour traffic in a hurry to get somewhere. On the other side, you have grassy areas cushioning your feet like green foam rubber while you feast your eyes on the varieties of fauna.
After one mile of river walking, the path ended so we were going to take a cross street and return to the apartment
Roses may say, “I love you”, but here they also say you are cheap. Ecuador grows over 60 varieties of roses, with the multitude exported to the US, Canada, Italy, Germany, and Russia. They have over 5,000 acres of land devoted to roses and this is a (pardon the pun) growing field. Needless to say, browsing the flower market each time we are around the center square is a must thing to do. Strangely, we have not bought any for ‘home’ only because we never intend to return ‘home’ for hours.
Other surprises included seeing booth after booth appear on the side of the new basilica peddling Valentine’s
Carnival in Ecuador started on Thursday, February 12. Of course, we again were in the wrong place at the right time. I stopped at the tourism office to check on festivities as we had read this was a major celebration. It is, but not in Cuenca. Tourism informed me that all celebrations would be held elsewhere. The one tradition that they do maintain here is squirting others with colored foam and
For days now, we have been relaxed, not doing much at all. We seemed to have visited all of the museums that are open for business. Being outside of the city center has been a deterrent for getting out early in the morning and going somewhere. Now, we laze about thinking about getting a bus to the center, and then laze some more.
Monday, February 02, 2015
World View From Our Cuenca Windows
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This is the view from our Cuenca apartment. The view spans the living room as well as one bathroom, and all three bedroom.
Sunday, February 01, 2015
MOVE!!
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After washing our bed linens and light towels, the second load included some red pillowcases, dark towels and bath mats. I have forgotten how huge an American washer can be. European ones are much smaller and dryers in homes are a rarity.
Since I was in the washing spirit and Ron was off to church, I did a third load of our clothes as well. There is a washer and dryer in our new apartment; why bother packing up dirty clothes when we do not have to.
Beds were made, bathrooms wiped clean, sofa cushions straightened, runner put back on the dining room table, double-checked all windows were locked and off we went. More bags leaving then coming, we were carrying groceries we had bought and of course, the garbage had to go out to.
Great fortune was with us. We found a taxi immediately. This was our first female taxi driver in Ecuador. Unfortunately, she had no clue where the address was. Ron showed her on a map; she asked for directions a couple of times. Funny, the meter started at $1.47 and never moved. When we arrived, it was a $3 fare, which I know is about $1 too much.
We are here in our new digs. There are three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a well-equipped kitchen and a very spacious living room/dining room. With the window open, we can hear the river rushing by. It drowns out any traffic noise, but this corner apartment has less traffic going by than the last apartment. What there is, is somewhat
Ron needed a Superbowl fix. I found a restaurant called Common Grounds where they were catering to expats. We went there around 6:30, but it was already packed to the gills. We had passed an Ecuadorian restaurant where the displays outside showed they catered to sports events. When we went in, sure enough they had the game on multiple large screen TVs around the restaurant. There were only three people at the bar watching and one family in another room. We stayed until half time, but the show was a major disappointment.
Back here, we watched a movie while listening to the river out our window. I am anticipating a great night of sleep.
Saturday, January 24, 2015
18 Miles Spanning Multiple Cultural Events
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Our neighbor Pattie, from one floor below, had invited us to join her for lunch at a restaurant called Good Affinity. It is a vegetarian restaurant and quite a ways from the city center. It sounded like an adventure, so we agreed to meet her there as she was going food shopping first.
We decided to walk to the restaurant not realizing how far it actually was. Ron also wanted to test the theory that where we would be moving was only 20 minutes away. The day was clear and crisp, but we learned to pack umbrellas just in case.
By the time 20 minutes had passed, we were nowhere near the restaurant and our next home is beyond this. Along the way, we did pass a group of older ladies, one being a Gringo, who stopped us to offer an invitation for a gallery opening that evening. Scheduled for 7pm, we were already committed to a Mozart concert at 8pm, but we asked if we could attend another time. The Gringo lady said it was worth a visit just to see the inside of the building; it was a converted stable, which she claimed was gorgeous. Assuring her we would return, we continued on our way. This was 15 minutes to deduct from the total walking time.
En route, we came across a wine shop of a good size, so we stopped to see if they might carry the Chilean wine our host Barbara left for us. A quick scan of the shelves created more disappointment, but less weight to carry along the journey. Deduct another 10 minutes from the total walking time.
Spotting Good Affinity, we were an hour early, so Ron wanted to continue to our new digs. We walked and walked and walked some more, but we still were not there. We walked for an hour and a half, but still did not find the apartment. Okay, deduct the two stopovers, but we still have an hour left.
Deciding we needed to head back to the restaurant or be late for meeting Pattie, we turned to go. Ron kept asking people directions as we changed direction. We over walked the location of the apartment by about one mile.
Asians own and run Good Affinity, a semi-buffet style. The meal of the day includes rice, four choices of the six offerings, a bowl of soup, and a drink all for $2.75. Can you beat this? I nixed the rice, but did say yes to the mixed cauliflower and broccoli, eggplant, a corn fritter, and cucumber salad. They offered lemonade without sugar and the soup was non-distinct, but was delicious.
Pattie was good company, cheerful and full of interesting stories of their living abroad adventures. She really is a wealth of information. Lunch was a total delight. Pattie gave us directions on how to use the bus from where we were, so we did not have hike back again.
The bus ride costs 25¢ each. It would have been 12¢ for Ron if he had an Ecuadorian residency. It was an experience zipping around curves as if we were in a racecar. Within 15 minutes, we made it to a downtown area we recognized. The plan was to go food shopping, but getting a coffee first became the first priority. We tried finding a café suggested by our next host, but directions being imprecise, we never found it. Finally, settling for a little coffee roaster café, we thought we were on track. Surprise, the coffee was undrinkable.
Passing the old basilica hundreds of times the last time we were in Cuenca, it was never open, so we could not see it. Today, we still had some energy for one museum. An
I have long admired the architecture of an old municipal building we have walked past dozens of times, but never took pictures. As tired as I was, I could resist no longer. Then Ron noticed this was where they were displaying the artwork of a
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| Tomás Galindo Artist |
Now too exhausted to shop, we returned home. Mike was joining us for the Mozart Concert tonight, so we wanted to rest a bit, get some dinner and be ready to meet him at 7pm. Initially, we intended to walk to the auditorium about a mile away.
When it was time to leave, it was again raining relentlessly. All three of us had umbrellas, but they were ineffective for our lower bodies; the rain hit the ground and then ricocheted back up. Standing across the street from the apartment, we attempted to get a taxi. The rule of thumb here is that when the rain comes, finding an empty taxi is as easy as finding an arrowhead in the ocean.
After 15 minutes of trying, Mike suggested we walk toward the basilica where our chances may be better. Finding the ideal corner for a taxi that would be heading in the direction we wanted to go, we stood. Pouring rain almost overwhelmed our umbrellas. Just as we were about to call it quits and go home, a taxi stopped right in front of us to drop off a fare. LUCK!
The Orquesta Sinfónica de Cuenca performed the Noche de
Later, there was a quartet comprised of an oboe, clarinet, French horn, and bassoon. However, in Spanish they are oboe, clarinete, corno, and fagot. Performers are clarinetista, cornista, oboist, and fagotista. Strangely, all soloists were men, but the names in Spanish for performers are all feminine. Regardless of monikers, the music they performed was magical. Times like this make me wish I had continued with the clarinet.
By the time the concert was over, the rain had stopped. It was really a delightful evening and even more special being able to share it with Mike. We walked home and on the way ran into Curt. He was out with some friends and Scott was resting at home.
When we reached home again, I checked my pedometer. We covered 18 miles today.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Two Near Misses, But Total Hits
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| Ceiling and cornice |
Breakfast here aside from free-range eggs and bacon includes avocado, papaya, and mango. On some days, local cheese is mixed with the eggs, but most times not. I love all the differences here.
On Wednesday, after trying to prognosticate the weather, we headed down to Calle Larga where a two museum happen to be, but we have ignored until now. Cattycorner from Gozo, there is the Casa Museo Remigio Crespo Toral. As interesting as the building is from the outside, it has not managed to draw inside until this day. Admission is free. It is the home of the Cuencano Remigio Crespo Toral, a lawyer and author. He lived here with his wife with whom he had 10 children. Associated with the University of Cuenca in various authoritative positions, President Alfredo Baquerizo Moreno named him as “National Poet” in 1917.
As a rule, I am not overwhelmed with visiting peoples’ homes, but this was an exception. Each room still with period pieces had a tasteful elegance due to its simplicity. Not being overly decorated bordering on being pretentious this was a major exception. Each room had objects to be admired, wallpaper to be inspired by, and ceilings that were works of art. The staircase was particularly interesting as there are two staircases at the ground floor, but they meet at one landing to continue as a single unit to the next floor. There in one room is a research library. Two employees, one guard and one librarian are the only staff.
Walking down the Calle Larga there sits another museum, we have ignored during our visit here two years ago. It is the
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| Venus in South America? |
Returning to the museum, one does not get an objective opinion from the outside. Nearby are cheap souvenir stores, which taint the tiny opening to this establishment. However, with the goal to immerse ourselves in the local culture, we pressed forward. The $4 entrance fee took me aback mainly because so many of the museums were free. As reasonable as it would be in other cities, here it seemed unreasonable at the start.
The door was locked, but the attendant came to let us in and collect our fees. She handed each of us a comprehensive self-guided tour book that was informative without requiring an overpowering amount of reading. She directed us up a staircase.
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| Fantastic pottery, some with real humor |
We spent more than 2 ½ hours here, studying, photographing, and attempting to soak in the knowledge while being awed at every turn. What must be the best-kept secret in Cuenca is the gift shop. With an extensive assortment of high quality souvenirs, their prices are incredibly reasonable. If we lived here, I would shop here for culture-based decorations.
Later that evening we planned to have dinner at Howard and Mike’s for dinner. Their apartment is two floors below ours. They included two friends of theirs, Curt and Scott. Without a pregnant pause, Curt and Scott had us feeling like we had known them for years. Conversation among all six of us flowed as if we had picked up where we left off the last time, but of course, we had not.
Dinner was a real treat and though I will not remember all of it, the main course was a wonderful chicken with scrumptious spices. Side dishes included a quinoa salad, cucumber salad, beans, broccoli and cauliflower, and new potatoes. Scott and Curt brought homemade coconut ice cream and brownies. Being off all sugar and flours for more than two months, I let myself go with the dessert and cherished every mouthful.
My only regret is not taking some photos of dinner. The entire evening was incredibly special and we felt honored to be included.
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