Wednesday, March 16, 2011

A Bit of Exploring in and Around Cuenca



Cuenca Sightseeing...
the "Old", "New" and
In-Between!

Finally…I have a choice of sightseeing companions. I’m
sure many of you are aware that I have this dislike of
“not” having somebody in which to share the joys of
discovery. The result…except for a rare occasion…
well…I refrain from doing much in the way of
sightseeing. 

This has always bothered me somewhat because life in
general can get boring...doing and seeing the same thing
day in and day out.

Recently my friends Ellie & Wally left the heat of
South Florida and are now vacationing in Cuenca for a
month and…yours truly has a couple of willing sight-
seeing companions. This by the way…has giving me a
new level of enjoyment with regards to Cuenca and
its environs.

I’ll get back to these forays in a moment but first I want
to give you a hint as to my “almost” new arrivals.

My friend Jim is do to arrive in Ecuador in a couple/few
days. We met while he was here…a few months ago…
for what I call a “look-see” regarding Cuenca. He is now
after a very long…cold and very rough Chicago winter…
moving here!

So Jim…here is a hearty pre-welcome to you.

Also on my welcome list is Jeanne…whom I met at a
Gringo Night a few months ago. I met her incidentally…
the evening before she was returning to San Francisco.
Months later she once again returned to Cuenca for a few
days…secured an apartment for herself and a few(?) pets.
Jeanne is due to arrive in literally a few days.

So Jeanne…a pre-welcome to you too.

Whether or not I’ll be busy helping my two new amigos
sightseeing or just having more friends to hang with will
remain to be seen but…I am looking forward to their
arrivals!

Now back to today’s...
Adventure…

As a start to our sightseeing…we decided to start small
and took advantage of The Cuenca City Tour. This by
the way cost all of five ($5) bucks per head and lasted
just about... 2 hours. Now I need to back-up a bit. 

Today’s trip was planned for the day before but…we
found out that the time we planned for (1 pm)…well…
there was no tour scheduled [anymore] for that hour.
Hence today’s trip…started at 11 a.m.  All this actually
turned out for the better…as today’s weather…was
gorgeous (yesterday was overcast).

The tour took us around Parke Calderone (Cuenca 
Centro) and then headed out through various parts of
town. 


















To me it was interesting do to the fact…that we were
sitting in an open aired double-decker bus. 

This afforded a view of the city…quite different than
what one is used too while walking…i.e. street level!




















Where we were going …I had no idea. Where we ended
up…was in a place that I briefly visited when I still a
“very green”newbie. The place is situated high above
Cuenca. The destination name…is Turi [pronounced
TOO REE] and is known for it’s high look-out point over-
looking Cuenca. It also is highlighted…by its very white
church just above the lookout point. 

While…well above the city (cuidad) of Cuenca…and as
all tours generally do...we had about 20 minutes to roam
around this quaint mountainous town...while enjoying
some refreshments (can you say beer) J and taking in the
sights of Cuenca Cuidad (City).






It was then time to reverse the trip and return back to
Cuenca proper. Once back…and two hours later…
we decided to take in some well deserved “shade”
(remember we were sitting in the sun…up on the upper-
tier of a double-decker bus) to cool off.

Being that it was well after one (1) p.m. …one can
imagine that the ‘ol stomach alarms…would make
themselves known…and “they did”!




Now being that between the three of us (I being the one 
living here)…the onus unsurprisingly fell on guess who...
to find...a place to eat.

Now I’ve never eaten lunch there but…as I’ve reported
on previous Blogs…California Kitchen soon came to mind.
This…especially since Ellie & Wally have never been there.
Guess who made a good choice in this suggestion?
Me…that’s who!

Anyway after a pleasant and very fulfilling lunch…we
parted company for the day and also to…maybe take a
nap...(especially Ellie)


Surprise!!!!!


I was going to continue this Blog as different trips made 
themselves known. Unfortunately Ellie & Wally have
cut their stay in Cuenca short for personal reasons and
are heading towards the coastal beach areas. 

Hasta Luego guys...

So… now I prepare myself for the next amigo(s) arrivals
and we shall see if and how busy I may (or not) be.

Hasta Pronto mi amigos y amigas :)

3 comments:

  1. The Turi Tour is a fun tour. Unfortunately, it was very cloudy when Jose and I took the tour last summer. The sun made a big difference with your photos. Your colors are luscious, great clarity, and you have some great perspective shots. You obviously know how to use a camera. See you soon, amigo.

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  2. barry can you get in contact with me or give me an email address to contact you. Planing a trip to Thailand in Feb or so for a month. Had been looking at Panama, Ecudor but being single I want to find a place like what you were talking about in Chiang Mai or Pattaya. You know friends, food, fun and a nice girlfriend. bob@1chief.net

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  3. hola, me gusta tu forma de escribir y relatar tus vivencias, aunque te falta un poco agrupar bien las oraciones al español, me gustaría que escribas para mi blog, seria muy interesante para nuestros lectores, https://periodistasdelascalles.blogspot.com/ si te animas solo escríbeme a mi correo masterdam2004@gmail.com. o al whatsApp de mi empresa 0998101224, saludos desde mi bella Cuenca - Ecuador.

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