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	January 23 to 28 The Southern Sierra Cuenca Select a slideshow and travel with us.
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{Unfortunately our anticipated ride through "The Devil's Nose" to Riobamba had to be curtailed due to indigenas people's road blockades which we caught on television (Shortly after our departure they turned deadly). As a result we used Cuenca as our home-base and spread out from there.}

This morning we flew to the southern Sierra. It is the least visited part of the highlands and until about 35 years ago was isolated from the rest of Ecuador by the lack of good roads.

A major stop was an artists colony where we got an overlook of the city. The Cuenca basin is a major artisan center, producing ceramics, paja toquilla (Panama) hats, baskets and Christmas ornaments, gold and silver jewelry, and ikat shawls, ponchos and blankets. Staying in the heart of the histoic city at the Hotel Inca Real we had ample opportunity to visit the market and many shops. The most Spanish of the cities in Ecuador, the traditional living quarters are now protected under UNESCO designation.

Most people consider Cuenca to be the country's most beautiful city. Cuenca means river basin or bowl in Spanish, and the city is situated at 2,549 meters (8,335 ft) on the banks of the Rio Tomebamba. It has retained its colonial style architecture and feel, and even the more modern styles seem to blend in.

Started in 1880 the blue domes of the new cathedral dominate tile skyline. Dedicated to the Immaculat Conception of the Virgin Mary the new church was built to hold 10,000 celebrants. It was supposed to be 105 meters (351) ft tall which would have made it the largest church in South America but the architect miscalculated and designed the bell towers too heavy for the structure to support. Work on the towers was halted in 1967.

A city of churches one of the most interesting sites was the cloistered monestery the front of which has no doors. Going back to 1599 supplies are passed in through a window hatch.

Cuenca is a walker's delight with its cobblestone streets, interior patios and public plazas overflowing with flowers and greenery. Whitewashed buildings with huge wooden doors and ironwork balconies. are everywhere. There are unforgetable street scenes and more street scenes at every turn.

As elsewhere in the country the fully armed police presence is more than Canadians are used to but no one seemed concerned. Before leaving the city we were treated with a visit to the museum.

Index — Ecuador & the Galapagos

Adventure Begins