Cuenca city tour

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Cuenca

Cuenca, (pronounced Kwenkuh), also know as Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca, is a city in southern Ecuador’s Andes mountains. It’s known for its Tomebamba River waterfront and handicrafts including Panama hats.

Ecuadorian hat makers

Our guide for the day was called Maria. She started the tour with a visit to the Ecuadorian hat makers. The Ecuadorians were the ones to 1st created the Panama hat. The straw hats known around the world as Panama hats are in fact made in Cuenca by local artisans. Panama simply “borrowed” the design and used their name.

It was very interesting seeing the plant material used, how it is “harvested” dried, prepared, dyed and then woven into the many differing, but basically same designed of hats.

In the production area there were domes representing differing sized heads, and styles, large vats for the differing dyes, and large press like machines for the drying and ironing of the hats. Then of course the shop where hats could be tried and purchased, some were quite expensive.

Mirador de Turi

Was our next stop. It is a view point just above the city, hence the name: “Mirador de Turi” with views of Cuenca’s famous and skyline.

Maria pointed out all the main points of attraction, its central plaza, Parque Calderón, which is home to the blue-domed Cathedral Nueva and the 16th-century Cathedral Vieja, now a religious museum. The Tomebamba River flowing near us, plus where the main markets were located.

We drove back towards the city center, passing the Tomebamba River and down many streets featuring wonderful wall paintings.

Calderón Park and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

After parking we set off to the Calderón Park, the central park square which is surrounded by monumental trees. Maria explained the eight Araucarias trees were brought from Chile, with the statue to honor of Abdón Calderón, the national hero who died at the hands of Spanish royalists at just sixteen during the Battle of Pichincha.

The square also sits in front of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the Cathedral of Cuenca or the New Cathedral. Maria said it that it combines several architectural styles, such as Gothic, Renaissance and Romanesque.

Its construction between 1880 and 1975 was inspired by the Basilica of San Pedro in Rome. From outside the cathedral is notable for its blue sky domes which stand out throughout the Historic Center since the tallest of them measures almost 60 meters. I would have like to visit, but it was Saturday and closed to the public and just open for services that day.

Maria walked us through what she termed as the artsy area where the wall murals abounded and unusual items could be purchased, anything from potions for healing, mystical artsy type items, all very different.

Our next stop was a visit to the large city market:

Mercado 10 de Agosto

Maria told us this market is the most authentic market in the city, it is where most folks come to shop. As we approached there were many folks selling produce along the street, she explained they were just from the surrounding villages and there to sell their surplus.

This bustling market was remarkable, absolutely massive with the locals scurrying about buying fresh from the fields vegetables, meat from the butchers, or purchasing grains from the many stalls.

I was amazed by the fruit stands, such a vast variety of fruits and the huge amounts fresh fruits. Every type from cactus fruits, dragon fruits, citrus, apples, peaches pears, sour sap, plus types I didn’t know the names of.

Then there were stands selling just potatoes, all differing types of potatoes. Tiny little potatoes, black potatoes, yellow, white and so many other types. There are 350 varieties of potato in Ecuador, but only 14 are commonly found in the markets.

The variety of grains on sale was astonishing. Big sacks of maize aka mote a giant grained corn, plus rice etc were stacked where one could purchase any amount desired.

The foods on offer in the food hall were all traditional Ecuadorian dishes, most of which we had never heard of. The roasted pig and its skin and stew type dishes being very popular.

Hornados is one of these and Ecuador’s most popular traditional dish. Hornados consists of slow roasted pig, which was on display, with little fried mashed potato balls stuffed with cheese called “llapingacho,” and a small green salad. Plus “mote,” the giant native corn of Ecuador that garnishes the dish.

Another unique area of this market was our stroll down the “The Mama’s Aisle.” The ladies here were selling their own natural plant medicines and potions for love, money, and anything else you could possibly desire.

We stopped and smelt and felt the various medicinal plants, too many to remember. The “Mama” asked if I wanted to smell the “happiness potion”, which of course I agreed to. One sniff and a really euphoric feeling came over me. We of course bought a bottle.

There was the isle where you could purchase any of the all natural sweets, nuts, seeds and chocolate made by locals. An incredible selection

We were told that to the back corner of this market, is a dimly lit, aisle, giving it a mystical almost hidden feeling where on certain days of the week there are the Limpias. These are powerful women who help clean out bad energy from the soul. These healers set up their work stations and can cleanse the soul, but the day we were there was not one of their work days.

Exiting we passed across another plaza we looked at stalls selling wonderful artwork, locally made beaded jewelry, textiles and so much more.

Santuario Mariano del Carmen de la Asuncion Iglesia

Arriving at the Santuario Mariano del Carmen de La Asuncion Iglesia we heard that the convent was founded in 1682 for the Order of the Barefoot Carmelites of Our Lady of the Assumption, (nuns) The church itself was built around 1730.

The church is accessed from the cloister and the Flower Market. The church walls are made of adobe and the main portal is stone carved and is an example of the Baroque style. It was a magnificent building, but we again couldn’t enter, this time a wedding being in progress. However I got a shot from where we stood.

The flower market outside had a vast variety of flowers for sale it was astonishing. However we already knew how many flower farms with green houses for miles and miles we had seen when driving with Milton.

In fact Cuenca also exports flowers to the United States and many countries in Europe.

Maria’s time with us was over so we were left to wander on our own. We walked past and through buildings with wonderful architectural design and found ourselves a very nice cafe for lunch.

After which we again enjoyed exploring Cuenca. It is a culturally rich city with many enchanting sites/sights, parks, street performers, artisans and vendors.