Our hotel in Cuenca is in the middle of the historic district. Marcelo lead us on a walking tour in the morning. Our first stop was the large main plaza with a beautiful cathedral and the more modern city hall.
We visited the plaza with the local flower market. The plaza also was the location of a Carmelite convent where the nuns used provide a healing tea. The locals like it so much that the tradition is continued. It is called Agua de Pitimas (a little more) tea.
We got to experience a large produce market.
Cuenca has four rivers running through the city. The city is popular with expats from the United States, Canada and Europe. It is a beautiful city with local markets, weather that is temperate all year long and Ecuador’s currency is the US dollar.
We stopped at a local restaurant that prepared the pig and guinea pigs in the traditional way. Interesting, but not to our liking.
We ended the day visiting a local clay potter. He is Jose Encalada and he is 90 years old. Just like most traditional crafts around the world, he is one of the few left in his neighborhood.
Tim & Kathy Simonsen 
Tim & Kathy, I looked up Cuenca and read a little online. Looks like a splendid area and city! So glad you are experiencing all of this (together ❤) and are sharing with all of the rest of us! Blessings! Marilyn
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Tim & Kathy,
I looked up Cuenca and read a little online. Looks like a splendid area and city! So glad you are experiencing all of this (together ❤) and are sharing with all of the rest of us!
Blessings!
Marilyn
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The flowers are so gorgeous and the architecture is so elegant. What a beautiful place to visit.
I doubt I could bring myself to eat the guinea pig unless it was disguised and I didn’t know what it was. It looks so rat like. I imagine it is a good protein and in an area where there is much poverty having protein is important. We eat chicken about once every couple of months, or have a hamburger with friends once in awhile, but we really haven’t eaten very much meat in the last few years. We are not opposed to it though. I like a good, tender beef stew, but I forget I like it and have been making vegetarian chili or minestrone.
I had a really good BLT at Taylor’s sausage on the way home from the coast. It was delicious with a thick lean bacon. Having that once or twice year is not a problem. It sounds you two can stick to your healthy diet there. You are both so disciplined. I am impressed.
Tim, the photos are so fun and d excellent as usual.
H & B
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