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Pig Road (Avenida Don Bosco), Cuenca, Ecuador
I have eyes like those of a dead pig. — Marlon Brando We lived around the corner from Pig Road in Cuenca, Ecuador. Actually we were around the corner from Avenida Don Bosco but it may as well have been named Pig Road. If you are looking for pork in Cuenca, this is the place to go. When asked where we lived, the conversation often went something like this: New friend: Where do you live? Us: Near Don Bosco and Francisco de Orellena. NF: Is that near Pig Road? Us: Yes, Don Bosco IS Pig Road! Restaurants on Pig Road A long section of Don Bosco is known for…
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Baby Llama at the Inca Ruins
“Mama Llama’s always near, even if she’s not right here.” — Anna Dewdney, Llama Lama Red Pajama Llamas and Inca Ruins A baby llama (a cria) running around Inca ruins adds lively entertainment to a leisurely stroll through history. Cria at the Inca Ruins The terraces in Cuenca’s Pumapungo Inca ruins (which I wrote about here) are filled in with grass. Llamas tethered to the ground are moved around the grounds to keep the grass short. Like most baby animals, crias stay close to their mother so they are not tethered. They are able to run and bounce around, learning about the world around them and making friends. On this day,…
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River Laundry in Cuenca, Ecuador
It turns out that a husband who does the laundry, it’s very romantic when you’re older. And it’s hard to believe when you’re younger. But it’s absolutely true. — Sheryl Sandberg Machine or River Do you wash your laundry in a machine or a nearby river? If I were a betting woman, I would bet you use a washing machine. I do, too, as do most people in Ecuador. Some, though, wash laundry the old fashioned way – in a river. Washing laundry in the Tomebamba River Cuenca, Ecuador Whiter Whites Someone once observed that people who wash their laundry in the river seemed to have whiter whites…
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Tree Stump Art
“We have those in Houston now, too.” — My Mom when I told her about the chainsaw tree stump art in Cuenca Many years ago, when my husband and I cut down a tree in our California backyard, we left the tree stump about 6 feet tall. Scott built a bird feeder on top of the stump. I planted flowers at the base. Birds enjoyed the feeder year round. It never occurred to either of us to take a chainsaw to the stump to create something beautiful. Tree stump art was not a thing back then. Most people we knew struggled with removing unwanted stumps. We were glad to find…
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Inca Ruins in Cuenca, Ecuador
“Everything has crumbled and in ruins but you can still appreciate how grand it was.” — Pedro Cieza de León, 1547, chronicler of the Spanish conquest, speaking about Tomebamba Visiting Inca ruins in Cuenca, Ecuador by city bus is easy because they are in the middle of the city. Northern Inca Capital The Inca conquered the Cañari people in 1470 and established the city-state of Tomebamba (Large Plateau) high in the Andes mountains. Emperor Huayna Capac (ruled 1493-1525) selected Tomebamba, where he was born, to be the Inca northern capital. It was a short lived capital. A civil war between Incan brothers in the 1520s led to it’s destruction.…
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A Drive Up the Andes – Guayaquil to Cuenca, Ecuador
“I can speak to my soul only when the two of us are off exploring deserts or cities or mountains or roads.” — Paulo Coelho Driving through dense fog is a stressful challenge. Breaking through that fog and getting above it can make for a relaxing drive, especially in the Andes mountains. These mountains are gorgeous. Taking the Andes road less traveled The route Scott and I take from the coastal city of Guayaquil to the Andes mountain city of Cuenca is generally less foggy with fewer cars than the shorter and more popular route through El Cajas National Park. Our drive goes from sea level to 3400 meters before…
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Never Ending Aftershocks
“Anyone else just feel an earthquake in Cuenca?” — Facebook post by the author, June 30, 2017, 5:32 PM June 30, 2017, 5:29 PM The building began swaying back and forth, as if an enormously strong wind was blowing. There was only a light breeze outside. My husband, Scott, and I were reading in our tenth floor Cuenca apartment. We looked at each other, both saying “earthquake” at the same time. There was no panic nor even any movement toward getting up from our chairs. We knew it was too light to be a problem for us. We were concerned about those living near the epicenter, wherever that was. I…
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3D Technology Helping Animals in Cuenca, Ecuador #WATWB
Welcome to June’s installment of the We Are The World Blogfest, where we share positive stories on the last Friday of each month. The basic rules are: Keep the post below 500 words. Link to a human news story that shows love, humanity, and brotherhood and share an excerpt. No story is too big or small as long as it goes beyond religion and politics. Thank you to this month’s WATWB hosts: Belinda Witzenhausen,  Lynn Hallbrooks,  Michelle Wallace, Sylvia McGrath, and Sylvia Stein. Veterinarian brings 3D technology to Cuenca, Ecuador I have selected a story found in the Cuenca Dispatch about veterinarian Johnny Uday and electronics engineer and robotics expert Gabriel Delgado, who have brought 3D imaging…
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Community Theater in Cuenca
“You Know You’ve Worked in Community Theatre if… …your living room sofa spends more time on stage than you do. …you have your own secret family recipe for stage blood. …you’ve ever appeared on stage wearing your own clothes.” — Golden Bear Drama The majority of my time in Ecuador has been in small coastal towns with no movie theaters.  My husband and I decided to spend the first half of 2017 in the Andes mountains. We chose the city of Cuenca, Ecuador’s third largest city.  We were looking forward to going to a movie or two while in the big city. We found something that we…
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Cuenca’s Seven Acre Market – Feria Libre
“Wherever possible, I like to use home-grown or locally produced ingredients.” — Mary Berry Cuenca is a UNESCO World Heritage Trust Site known for its beautiful historic buildings. Ecuador’s third largest city, Cuenca is 2500 meters (8200 feet) high in the Andes mountains. With tourists focused on architecture, it is easy for them to miss what could be a highlight of their trip. In my opinion, the Feria Libre seven acre market is a must see. People travel from miles around to buy and sell goods. It even has it’s own bus terminal! Buyers know this is where they will find the lowest prices. Entrepreneurs rent space knowing good products will…
