Cuenca

Cuenca is a beautiful colonial town sitting at 2500 meters in the south of the country.
We spent 3 days here in preparation to our departure to the Galapagos and we are really glad we did so as this town of half million people really enchanted us.
The pace is just right: people are friendly but at the same time they get on with their business and this is why this is probably one of the wealthiest towns we have seen so far.
For example, today we took 2 pair of jeans (Pelileo purchases) to a very busy shop (sastreria)for leg reduction. 20 minutes later they were ready and fitting perfectly. That cost in total £2.

Cuenca's architecture is enchanting. At every corner you either see a beautiful colonial building or a church.
We think that to describe this town pictures will do a better job than words.

Cuenca Cathedral
(rear)

(front from the main square)

(inside)

Some colonial buildings

Cuenca by night

Colorful market

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On our second day of sightseeing, as we approach 4pm we sit down on a bench in a little square near the church of San Sebastian.

A dog, a mix of a poodle and basset is chasing pigeons, the temperature is perfect, the sun is just coming out from the clouds and kids are playing football beside the church marking the goals with their jumpers (old school!) and making up rules as and when.

We probably watch them playing for over 1 hr, completely unattended by anybody and we compare this scene with London where kids are taken by their parents to expensive football schools for the privilege of kicking a ball for a little while.
..........Maybe they got it right here in Cuenca, we think.


To top up a great weekend we were also lucky enough (thank you trip advisor!) to find the best accommodation and the best restaurant ever.


For $60 per night we slept at the Casa Ordonez, a fabulous hotel decorated in colonial style right in the centre of town.

Picture of one of the sitting rooms with fire place and an old grammophone

Our room is perfect and fresh roses are brought in every morning.

5 minutes walk from the hotel we also find the “Tiestos” restaurant.
This is probably one of the best restaurants we have ever tried, not only in South America.


Food service atmosphere and life music are spot on but the chef/owner (Juan Solano) is just a league of his own.

Joan with Elena

With a full restaurant (always fully booked) not only he managed to carve a little space for us (at the table that was reserved to the russian ambassador) but he even came to our table to show us which sauces would go with which food, mixed them, cleaned the prawns heads for us, and if only we let him, he would have mouth fed us.

Some of the food we tried