Long Haul but beautiful ride to Cuenca

It's six hours from Riobamba to Cuenca. It is 10am and the next bus leaves at 11. I am on track to be at my Hostel before 6pm. I have leftover pizza and cheese chunks from Salinas to keep me alive. The trick is to go to the bathroom and do not drink too much on the ride because they do not give bathroom breaks. This was perhaps the most beautifully scenic busride possible, especially the first two thirds. So much fertile land and so much altitude, although I think we were descending in general. To farm all this land must be so much work. It is not tractor territory, and never will be.

 

 

 

 

This land is relatively flat, but I swear i have seen a lot of "Side Hill Gauchers" in this country.

That is the road we just traveled...we just keep doing switchbacks all day long. Go through a town and go up, then down to another town and up again...picking up and dropping off passengers all the way.

Lunch time for the locals?

I arrived at my hostel and headed out for the "new city discovery walk" to the center, while it is still light out.

 

 

 

About 500,000 live here. The old part of the city seems clean, friendly and progressive. There is some nice architecture, shops, markets...

Flowers anyone?

 

The river is one block from the hostel. As the night falls and the full moon rises, a little bit of everythig is going on down here. Folks hanging out and making music, couples necking, kids smoking weed...

Cuenca has done a lot in recent years to make the city safe, attractive and well-lit. It shows. Across the river is a large child-centered park with play grounds and a track surrounding the whole thing.

 

I went for some Peruvian ceviche, which was pretty rude... As my mother ised to say, "Never again!" I am going to catch up on real low altitude sleep (only 8370 ft, that is over 3000ft less than last night) and jump in with both feet tomorrow!

 

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