Sunday, April 7 - Tuesday, April 9
Traveled from Cuenca Guayaquil on Sunday and then from Guayaquil to Buenos Aires via Panama City and Lima on Monday, April 8. That particular leg of the trip only took about 24 hours, including a 3 hour lay over in Panama City and another 7 hours in Lima, with expected arrival in Buenos Aires on Tuesday at 4:45 AM, then through customs so I expect we’ll arrive at the hostel around 6:30 or 7:00 AM. These are the types of flights you’ll take when traveling on frequent flyer miles.
Thursday, March 28 - Sunday, April 7
Thursday we flew from Cusco to Lima to Guayaquil. Cusco doesn’t have x-ray, so the backpacks were hand searched. No problem with that, but I did have to remove all the duct tape that was to protect the straps on the flight. Arrived at Guayaquil to delicious heat and humidity (according to Mike that is), found a cab and headed to our hostel for the night. It is located only 300 meters from the airport, but the way the streets are laid out, it took about 20 minutes to arrive.
After a while we headed to the bus station to get tickets to Cuenca. The bus station was way crowded; everyone seems to be leaving the city for Easter weekend. Anyway, we found the ticket kiosk only to learn we couldn’t buy advance tickets. So back in a cab, which took almost an hour to get out of the terminal parking lot (remember heat & humidity), and back to the hostel.
Friday, March 29 headed to the bus terminal again to get our tickets. Then to the platform which was wall to wall people with bags, backpacks, tied up blankets, crates of fruit and in one case a rooster on a leash. Everyone cueing up for a bus. Finally our bus arrived and we settled in for the four hour trip to Cusco. Our route took us over the mountains, through one of the national parks, past what appeared to be “pay-pond” fishing holes, and a few ranches offering horseback riding. Up the bus went and we were in the clouds yet again, a soft rain falling and fog so thick it was difficult to see down the mountain. Okay with me since there didn’t seem to be any guard rails on either side of the road.
Arrived safely in Cuenca and located our home for the next week, El Cafecito Hostel, a small place not far from the main plaza, with comfortable rooms and friendly staff. Around the corner is a church, which wakes me each morning with the ringing of its bells.
The weather was cloudy and a little damp most days, but we have had some beautiful blue skies as well.
When not walking around the old city and admiring the Spanish colonial architecture, we’ve spent time on the internet researching not only Africa, but India as well. Africa because our original overland trip was cancelled on April 1 (not an April Fools Joke). I think all is sorted out now and we will still be able to experience Africa as we want, plus a side trip to Cape Town, which wasn’t part of the original plan, but something we’re looking forward to.
Cuenca has some impressive museums, and for the most part they are either free or charge a minimal amount to visit. One afternoon, Mike and I were walking around and found what we thought was an antique store. It turned out it was a private home which at one time had over 100 rooms and has been in the same family for over 100 years. Now many of the rooms have been made into small apartments. The part open to the public is filled with beautiful furniture and paintings from France, Italy, Germany and Holland. Fresco walls & ceilings, pressed painted tin ceilings, beautiful woven carpets. The dining room walls had gold stencils all around. It was a little spooky though. The owner escorted us though out the rooms and told us about everything and where they came from as well as about her family. She must be around 90, but looks younger and was impeccably dressed. She must still go to the salon evidenced by the red polish on her nails and not a hair out of place. I felt like I was in some movie, and was waiting to find the corpse in a rocking chair. She was actually quite charming, I think she just wanted someone to talk to. She likes Obama and thinks the North Koreans are dangerous. Anyway, it was an interesting way to spend an hour.
El Cafecito, where we are staying, has live music Thursday - Sunday nights, and on April 4, Mike was able to add Ecuador to the list of countries he has sat in with a band. The band leader, Jorge, found out he played and invited him to play on a few songs. Good thing we have plans, or we might be talked into staying here for a while. Jorge needs a bass player for his band and told Mike he has a spot anytime he’s in Cuenca. (photo of Mike with the band)
I’ve noticed here in South America, people have dogs, lots of dogs, and they go everywhere with the owners. Another phenomenon, the owners dress their dogs. I’ve seen them with sweaters, sun visors and rain coats, and they all seem to be small white dogs, like poodles and are carried. One couple I met over breakfast one day had a dog with a service pack, so I asked what the service was and I was told “Oh, it’s not really a service dog. They just say that so it can go on flights with them.” Mike and I are thinking of getting a German Shepherd to be our service dog...it can carry one of the packs. BTW, we have lighten the load a little by leaving some unnecessary items (but useful to someone) at the hostel.
