good to be in Cuenca
by richiecdisc
He drove fast but a lot more carefully than most South American drivers. We passed everything in front of us but generally I felt in less danger than when taking the bus! While were drove he talked to me non-stop since I was sitting right next to him while my wife slept in the back seat. I did my best to keep up my half of the conversation despite my meager Spanish and I guess I did a good enough job since he never stopped. We were making great time but I kept an eye on the map just to make sure we were indeed going to Cuenca and not being abducted. When we hit the halfway point and we still had a few hours to go, I checked the bus prices and found out not only that the trip was eight hours but also that it would have cost us $10 each. He was only trying to charge us the going rate as it turned out so I felt a little sheepish for my tough negotiation. It took under five hours and despite a few doubting moments it was a good ride through some incredible if dusty scenery. We were feeling pretty good about our survival skills but mostly it just felt good to finally be in Cuenca.
Cheap Chicken Places
by lemondrop about Various...All Over Town
If you want a local experience, try the cheap chicken places. They aren't hard to find, just look for the rotisserie in the window. The chicken is quite good and always comes with rice, beans, soup and chips. Wash it all down with an Inca Cola. This is an easy one....The Chicken!!
El Sagrario
by richiecdisc
Parque Calderón’s “other” and older cathedral is known as El Sagrario. It dates back to the city’s founding in 1557 and is in fact set on ancient Incan foundations. It was utilized as one of the three triangular measurements to determine the Earth’s shape by a French geodesic expedition in the 1700s. The Pope’s arrival in 1985 got it a major renovation but it still pales in comparison to its huge if flawed big brother across the square.
Church of San Alfonso
by pure1942
Built in 1875, San Alfonso’s is another of Cuenca’s impressive churches. The church building is constructed in a variety of different styles with Gothic spires, Romanesque arches and exhibits a Corinthian style of architecture in the interior. The church also houses a small collection of 18th century oil paintings displayed in their original wooden frames.
Visit a Straw Hat Factory
by calcaf38
Cuenca is the world center for what is called, inaccurately, the "Panama Hat."
A few remaining old-fashioned factories offer tours, where you will be told about the famous Montecristi straw; how the straw is boiled;how women weave it and sell the half-finished hats to the manufacturer; how hats are graded in quality, then pressed and whitened.
It is all quite fascinating, in a fast-disappearing way. I imagine the visit is similar to that of a cigar factory in Cuba.
I visited the Barranco workshop (Rafael Paredes e Hijos Cia Ltda). There was no pressure to buy a hat at the end, but you should tip your guide. There is a lovely view of the river from the top of the workshop.
My visit was much more interesting from having read "The Panama Hat Trail" by Tom Miller beforehand.
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Cathedral Dome
Outdoor Market, Gualaeco
Some of the art in the hotel
the food Moussaka
