Ecuador is an enchanting country. The landscape seems to change almost every 100 metres.
I was based mainly in Cuenca with trips to El Cajas and El Oriente.
The light is amazing.
Music is everywhere.
The people are warm, welcoming, generous and charming. It's wonderful to be able to visit a country and converse with people of all ages in their own language. We cease looking at one another as strange foreign exhibits and begin to see each other as people with a story to share.
One morning I was out sketching and an old woman stopped to chat with me. She told me her son was very handsome and asked if I were married.
From shopping in the market; travelling on buses with the locals; to hanging out in a kitchen with family coming and going, listening to children shrieking and laughing — it was a wonderful experience.
The buildings in Cuenca are a mix of old, colonial styles, and more contemporary designs. Many rooftops are constructed with curved terracotta ceramic tiles.
I walked everywhere, to the point of almost exhausting my local companions! There are a lot of steps leading up from the river with stunning graffiti on the sides. I'll post pics of these soon.
Of course I went dancing. I went to a club called La Mesa, where, I was told after the fact, only people who knew how to dance dared show up. It was lovely little club and I felt very welcome. Ohhhh the music... the music .... What a delight.
