Cuenca: The Athena of Ecuador
Click here to view photos from some of our adventures in this post.
We are so fortunate to have been able to spend time in Cuenca, Ecuador and to share some of our adventures with our friends Alyson and Brad as well as with Flat Stanley. We now understand why the official nickname of Cuenca is "The Athena of Ecuador". It's due to the city's rich architecture and culture!
Nestled in the Andes mountains, Cuenca is the third largest city in Ecuador, and is rich in culture, the arts, and natural beauty. With its cobblestone streets, colonial architecture, historic churches, many museums, and natural parks and rivers running through the city, it was easy for us to explore, learn, and simply enjoy all we discoved and experienced.
There are a number of things that stand out for us as we think of Cuenca - the colors of the markets, the grandiosity of the surrounding mountains, the rich heritage that remains via the indiginous populations and the citiscape, and the kindness of the people we met and had a chance to interact with. And, of course, the joy and revalry that was ever-present during the city's Carnival celebration.
Carnival in Ecuador is a national holiday and something not to be missed. Filled with music, dancing, water and foam, people from throughout the country come together to mark the passage from winter and darkness to spring, fruits and fertility. It's the Mardi Gras of Latin America and it celebrates excess and abundance. Here's a short video showing what happened when friends and we were invited to join a celebration at a local school. (Too much fun!)
There was never a lack of things to keep us busy while we were in Cuenca. Some of the highlights include:
Amaru Biopark: This animal rescue park is perched on the top of a mountain on the outskirts of the city. Amaru hosts rescued animals that can no longer return to their habitat. Care is taken to create spaces as close as possible to each animal's natural environment. A few of the animals we saw were the Spectacled Bear, Pumas, the Andean Condor, a Black-bellied Eagle, Jaguars, Caimans, Macaws, different species of amphibians and monkeys. We normally don't do zoo
Devil's Nose Train Ride: Still recognized for its impressive engineering, this zig-zagging part of the Trans-Andean railroad goes up/down the Devil's Nose mountain which has almost perpendicular walls. It climbs more than 1/3 of a mile in just over 7.5 miles.
Incapirca Ruins: Ingapirca is the largest site of Inca ruins in Ecuador. During a visit here, one learns about both the Inca and the Canari cultures and customs.
Museums: Three of the many museums that we enjoyed during our stay were the Museo del Sombrero, Museo Pumapungo, and the Museum of Modern Art. Each of the museums are open for the public to visit at no charge, and provide insights into the cultures of the times. We were particularly surprised to find out that the Panama Hat originated in Ecuador, not Panama!
Churches: Cuenca is known for its many and interesting colonial churches - 52 in all (one for each week of the year)! Two of the most famous are known as the Old Church and the New Cathedral. The Iglesia Sagrario (or the Old Church) is now a religious museum. Among other items, there are murals that spread from floor to ceiling, a representation of the last supper with almost life-sized statues, the ancient organ, and crypts. But considered by some to be Cuenca's piece de resistance is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (or the New Cathedral). It's stained glass windows, Italian marble, and impressive blue domes, make this church an architectural masterpiece. Taking over 100 years to build, the bell towers remain unfinished to this day, as cracks in the structure prevented construction of the Cathedral from continuuing.
Markets and Parks: It is not possible to visit Cuenca without spending time roaming and enjoying the many markets and parks. At the center of the Cuenca's old city is Calderon Park - which is simply for sitting and enjoying views of the surrounding buildings and people-watching. A block away from the park is the Cuenca flower market, where you can buy 1 dozen roses for $1.00 (after all, Ecuador is one of the leading cut flower exporters in the world) and which has been rated the best flower market in the world. And, within short walking distances of Cuenca's epicenter there are countless indiginous artisan markets where handicrafts can be found, and mercados where local foods and goods are sold. On the right days, you can even find healers at the mercado who are happy to provide you with a spiritual cleansing.
With mixed feelings we had to shorten our visit to Cuenca. But we thoroughly enjoyed our 3 weeks in this city and can imagine returning to experience even more of what this part of the world has to offer.
