The charm of Ecuador

Cuenca, Ecuador...  the most charming city in Ecuador!  Ok, well I don't know that for a fact (as I have only been to 3 places here so far), but I do not it'll be hard to beat the beauty of the narrow cobblestone streets, domed churches, and handsome plazas.

Here I spent a few days traveling with Jenny, from Germany. We stayed at Hostal Cafecito which was a cute little hostel filled with beautiful art on the wall and a very mellow vibe.  Mellow, however, not necessarily meaning relaxing. It can be a bit loud here, as it is a bar/coffee shop so music is being played all day long. It shuts off at 11pm, so it's not too bad. 

Cuenca is very much a city I could live in (with it's beautiful architect and modern edge - great coffee shops, bars, art galleries, etc). However, in terms of visiting, you really just need one full day here.  We spent half the day admiring the architect and churches, and did a walking tour of the city.  The other half of the day we went to the National Park outside of town.

some of the beautiful churches around the city

It takes about 45 minutes to get to Cajas National Park.  Jenny and I took the path, "Number 1" hike, which took us a little over 2 hours. It was a beautiful hike filled with lakes, waterfalls, and neat rock formations. My favorite part were the the crazy Dr. Suess trees.

the ginormous unnecessary map they gave us

Locro de Papa - a typical Ecuadorean dish
(a cheesy potato soup with avocado and spices)
mmmm highly recommended!

NEXT STOP: Banos... The jungle!