Cuenca Completo

We covered a lot of territory during our time in Cuenca. In 48 days, we visited just about every cultural or historical place we could fine open. Some places we revisited, while other places we revisited only to try to find them open, but without success.

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

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Poco a Poco Vamos

Trying to take more time with things that need to be done, we

Primal Scream!

left the apartment late again on Friday. The trials and tribulations of the Florida apartment as well as the Budapest rental are still driving me crazy. There has not been any resolution after dozens of e-mails. 

We did want to see the photo exhibit by Michael J. Hamilton that we did not have time to squeeze in before meeting the gang on Thursday.

We took the bus one stop too far, we thought, but it was fortunate. As we walked back to where we thought the exhibit was, it was closer than we expected. Rarely do they offer specific addresses, but more like vague suggestions. Finding it was a boon; we had thought it was much farther back on Calle Larga than it was. His photographs cover a number of countries and are exquisite works of art. If we had wall space, several pieces would have tempted us. He has quite a list of exhibitions and awards. Chatting with him, we found out he is from Colorado, but has lived here in Cuenca for the last three years. Click on his name above to see his website. 

Both of us were famished. We had passed by a restaurant called Patacón Green & Beans innumerable times, but had not tried it. We were not quite sure what patacón was, but we had a feeling it had to do something with plantains, so we decided to try it. Ron ordered a sandwich of chicken curry and I had a pork sandwich. The young man running the place was quick to inform us, there was no bread involved in the sandwiches. Replacing the bread was smashed plantains. 

Chicken curry sandwich with plantains replacing bread

We could not mentally visualize this, but when they arrived, it was an “aha” moment. They were delicious, though Ron’s was moister with the curry sauce. I really enjoyed the pork with tomato, lettuce and avocado, but it needed a little more moisture. This is a return to place for sure.

There were three small museums we have wanted to visit. One was a monastery museum, but we have yet to find it open after walking by it more than three dozen times. A second modern art museum seems to be just as elusive. When we made a concentrated effort to find it, we realized we had walked by it on many occasions as well, but it has never been open. Finally, the third, the directions were so poor we just gave up looking for it. 

This is the way things are in many countries. They do not keep their hours posted and often there are no websites to check. When they do have websites, they are often neglected shortly after they are created; they never get updated information. I found this to be the case in Hungary, quite frequently. 

The plan for the evening was to return to the city center for a piano recital. Again, the directions said one thing in the online post, but another in a different advertisement. Ron asked at the tourism office. It turns out it was cancelled. Thursday night was the only performance. We lost out. 

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Two Near Misses, But Total Hits

Ceiling and cornice

 When planned this extended stay it was to be an experiment to see what living here would be like; it has almost turned into our general tourist rush with a few differences. Each morning, Ron has taken on kitchen duty to make a delicious breakfast that we sit and eat together. Generally, in Budapest, we are up at different times and have breakfast separately. He eats at his computer in the kitchen; generally, I am up earlier and have eaten mine while reading the news on the tablet. Then I have already migrated to my computer. 

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

Venus in South America?

Museo de las Culturas Aborigenes. Again wanting to delay what we perceived would be disappointment, we went for a coffee first at our coffee roaster and café spot. 

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.

Fantastic pottery, some with real humor

With the first glance, we realized this was worthy of a $4 admission. The specimens were spectacular, incredible, and clean. So many times, we have gone to museums such as this and there is enough dust to believe it dated back to the prehistoric times too. Each section of what was once a huge room was broken into sections or ‘rooms’. The guide explained what we would see in each ‘room’ as well has including drawings of some the specimens to make it more comprehensive with examples. Within these sections, you have the opportunity to gaze at more than 5000 archaeological pieces. These are sample pieces from more than 20 pre-Hispanic Ecuadorian cultures dating as far back as 15,000 years.

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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Budapest Museum Tip

Due to a lack of funding the Hungarian National Museum will start closing 2 days a week; both Monday and Tuesday. This started as of March 21st. Wednesday through Sunday it will continue to be open from 10 am to 6 pm.


This is the museum with the fabulous columns located at Múzeum krt. 14-16. As beautiful as it is inside, during the summer months you will die of heat stroke if you spend too much time in there. It is not air conditioned.

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Statue Park: Szoborpark

Statue Park (Szoborpark) is an open air museum that I have done in the past. As the expression goes, “Been there, done that”. Therefore, I have no desire to do it again even if personal guests begged me. It is located in the

Back then, the statues represented, albeit superficially, a powerful symbol of Soviet strength and unity. Today, stuck out on the edge of town, they've lost much of their dignity, instead being brutally exposed as the idealistic follies that ordinary Hungarians always knew them to be. Worth a look, but not as impressive as most guidebooks would have you believe.”

For myself, some of the statues are impressive as pieces of art, but as the emotional symbols they are meant to infuse, the feelings are long gone. The park is a large fort like area that reminds me of the old Wild West towns in the US used to ‘recreate’ the feelings of the wild frontier.

When you enter and the cheesy Soviet music starts, you are consumed with a creepy feeling. The inside of the park is a stark rectangle with the statues running along the perimeter of the fence. Other than the wording on the individual statues if there is any, there is nothing to read in any language, no description of the statues, its purpose, or history. At the time we went, which admittedly was four years ago, it took us a strained 45 minutes to look at the statues, take pictures, and take pictures yet again to waste time until the bus returning to the city would be available to pick us up yet again.

This is one site we never recommend to visitors unless they are staying in Budapest for more than seven days and have done everything else including counting the number of times a pooper-scooper could have been used on the streets within each district. No stars for this one.

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Contradictions

This is not my idea on how to start a day, but our delightful guests chose to go to the House of Terror Museum the first thing this morning. Perhaps it is best to confront these issues early, by allowing the balance of the day’s events to cleanse one’s soul yet again.

This lovely Neo-Renaissance mansion that was built in 1880 was the home to two tragic organizations. The Arrow Cross, which was the Hungarian ultra-conservative party, occupied it from 1940, using it as their headquarters and prison. The Soviets continued the horrors here after their invasion and continued to use it for communist political police activities and prison. The basement contained a torture chamber. "The Public Foundation for the Research of Central and East European History and Society" purchased the building with the intention of creating a museum to remind people of the shocking events in these two eras of Hungarian history. That was in December 2000.

Since this time, there have been various demonstrations protesting the museum and its roof ledge sign, which has House of Terror in cut out letters overhanging the street. Many residents do not believe the events that took place here should be memorialized for the public and tourists to witness. Most of the protestors are family members of victims of those tortured here. Patricia is still questioning how beauty managed to survive and reemerge after all the dreadfulness that has taken place here. Don lamented upon leaving was that this left no hope for the morality of the human race. “People are capable of great barbarity; however, the lawns, parks, and people holding hands are contradictions that are too great to comprehend.”

To renew the feelings of humanness, they went to City Park to find the Saturday flea market, but did not succeed. The green space, the people enjoying each other and their surroundings were enough. From here, they went to meet Ron at Liszt Ferenc ter where he directed them to another of our favorite eateries,
Falafel at Paulay Ede u. 53. This vegetarian salad bar has a fixed price for a small or large bowl where you serve yourself from the salad bar. Don and Patricia bought theirs to go, so when I met up with them, we took our goodies to the green space at Liszt Ferenc ter in a quasi-picnic. When I walked around taking pictures, there was a little boy who insisted I take his picture, so I did. His grandpa said he loved modeling for the camera.

Fortunately for us, there was a district fair today, so on our way to the tram, we side-tracked there. There were booths selling crafts and food, while on stage, there was entertainment. The highlight was the young dancers performing folk dances. Patricia found some whimsical shirts for their children too.

With the tram out of service (until May 19th in one direction), we started in the direction of the tram bus replacement to Nygati train station, but first we stopped for tea at my favorite cafés, Bog’Art. Bog'art Café is at Terez korut 9. What I love about it is it being a combination café with an artists’ collective. One is always charmed by the selections of art as they embrace you while sipping your drink. There are more art pieces both upstairs and down, so be sure to see it all. No food is served, but the atmosphere is delightful. Patricia said this was her favorite of all cafés we had visited.

Making our way to Nygati, we took the 26 bus to the island. In the middle ages, cloisters were built what was then called ‘Rabbits' Island’. The name was later changed in honor of St. Margaret. Margaret was a daughter of King Béla IV. She joined a nunnery on the island of which there are still ruins left in evidence. To reach the island you can take the Árpád Bridge from the north or Margaret Bridge from the south, each connecting Margaret Island with the city. The island is 2.5 km (1.4 miles) long, 500 meters (550 yards) wide, spreading out over 225 acres. In the early 19th century, royal families living in Buda transformed this island into a tremendous garden. Unlike other islands in large cities, this island has never been built over, but remains a great park in the city. Due to its healing springs, it housed a health resort that was built at the beginning of the 20th century.

All four of us were spiritually renewed by the greenery, the flowers, but most of all by the people enjoying their freedom. People all over the park were playing, sunbathing, reading, relaxing, and just being. Patricia, Ron and I chatted while sitting on the grass, while Don wandered taking fascinating photos of the people around us. We continued on for a beer at the hotel restaurant and then started back to the bus to come home. Don could not comprehend how at one time this island was victimized by war with tank tracks, yet now it was lush with harmonious happenings. The contradictions again are difficult to sort out.

As we were walking to the bus, we were approached by six maidens in t-shirts, five of which were marked with the word “Sale” and one with the word “Sold”. The lovely young woman who was claiming herself sold explained that this was her ‘Hen’ party and she had to sell parsley for blessing in her book. Minutes later, Ron realized why we had been singled out. One of her entourage was a former student of his from the university. So the bride-to-be gave us a small handmade book and asked each of us to write a blessing in it for her marriage to Péter, her intended. The delightful little book was cleverly decorated on each page with pictures and cartoons of matrimony and parenting. We each gave her our ‘blessing’ and received a small bouquet of parley as a thank you. The nuptial will take place next Saturday, so we will have to remember her. Dori and Péter, may you have a long and healthy life together.

The addendum to this is the obvious admiration that Ron’s former student had for him. She was so proud to tell him about her post-graduate position with the botany department of the Budapest Zoo. She gave him her professional business card and asked that he call her when visiting. From her demeanor, it was apparent that she held him in high esteem as her instructor, appreciating his warmth and caring.

On our way home, we detoured to one of our favorite restaurants for dinner, Szeraj Turkish Restaurant at the corner of Szent Istvan korut and Honved u. is a buffet style, inexpensive taste treat. We were lucky to snatch an outside table where we could chatter about the day and watch the world go by at the same time. Don made an interesting observation that this city is like a pack of cards that were taken apart and then put back together again just as they were with the city being rebuilt paving stone by paving stone, put back in its place.

Don wanted to experience a garden pub. Ron had hunted down an address for one on Kiraly. Some garden pubs are created by squatters. They find an empty courtyard of an used building and open a pub until they are evicted. The addresses change, but the tradition continues. The one we ventured to was not outdoors, but well off of the street down an alley. There were dozens of young people, drinking, talking, playing ping pong and other table games. The rules of the house are that you can sing or perform with the mike for 15 minutes at a time. We stayed long enough for Don to photograph the surroundings and then when home for our nightly ritual of halva and strawberries.

Patricia signed our guest book a couple of days before leaving us. She drew a little picture and placed it inside as well. Her entry:

Very dear Ron and Ryan,

I love our evening ritual (after the day of exploring Budapest) of eating fresh strawberries with halva and drinking tea.
(There is a picture here of three mugs, one tea cup and a plate with berries and halva.)

How will we return to normal working lives after these glorious days of Spring in Budapest?

Thank you for your warmth and care; for sharing your wonderful home; for taking us to the ballet, opera, holy mass, the island, Falafel feast, promenade, Govinda, Parliament, reading rooms, etc…

Thank you for your excellent friendship, which we treasure.

Best love, Patricia

The question in our minds, Ron and I, is how will we return to our normal lives after such a celebrated week that we have shared with such magnificent people?The lines in the picture are due to my scanner.

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