The ride to Cuenca

02 54.060 S, 079 00.260 W, Hostal La Cigale, Cuenca, Ecuador

This morning we walked to an ATM, then stopped for a coffee and a pastry before taking a taxi to Operazuaytur, to get a ride in a van to Cuenca. As soon as we got out of the taxi, several fellows descended on us offering rides to Cuenca. Even though the office for Operazuaytur was right there, they tried to direct us to their car, to their 'office' down the street but we got through the gauntlet and checked in. The cost for each of us was $12 in a nice air conditioned van that had room for 7 passengers and it was full. Most of the passengers slept and there was no conversation, not that we would be able to understand event there was.

The van left promptly at 10 am and after we left the city we passed fields of sugar cane or rice, interspersed with orchards which looked like avocados trees. By 11 am we were gaining altitude. We passed through a cloud layers with almost white out conditions. At least there are guard rails, unlike Mexico. We passed through El Cajas National Park. According to Wikipedia, The name "Cajas" is derived from the Quichua word "cassa" meaning "gateway to the snowy mountains. The road to Cuenca crosses the continental divide at the pass "Tres Cruces" (4,167 m). We could see several lakes from the road which attract sport fisherman. The rivers on western side of the continental divide empty into the Pacific Ocean. The ones on the eastern side of the divide in the park empty into the Amazon. We saw our first llamas by the side of the road, eating grass, un-phased by the traffic. Our driver was good but there were a few times when we saw cars passing and near accidents but everyone survived. 

We arrived at Cuenca at 1 pm and a $2 taxi ride dropped us off at Hostal La Cigale in the older section of town. You can see a picture of Rich in front of the hostel below. We are on the upper floor in a room overlooking the courtyard restaurant. It may be a little noisy tonight but tomorrow we are to move to a room in the back which should be more quiet. 

Cuenca is a town of about 330,000. Early inhabitants of the area have been traced back to 8000 BC. The Canari settled the area in 500 AD but were supplanted by the Incas which were fabled to have built a city on top of the Canari structures said to rival the magnificence of Cuzco. The Spanish formed the settlement of Cuenca on the site in 1557, building the Old Cathedral which we walked by today. 

We look forward to learning Spanish and learning more about Cuenca. So far we seem to be adjusting to the 8400 ft altitude. 

Adios.

Rich in front of Hostal La Cigale

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