“On some level, it’s hard to blame folks. Give a person a summit and it’s nearly impossible not to look down on the world in awe. Perspective enhances the revelation.” – Old Sean
Heights of Cuenca
To the best of my knowledge, I’ve always been susceptible to altitude sickness.
This physical weakness of mine is undoubtedly linked to my shaky equilibrium rooted in my ears. My entire life, I’ve been deaf on my left side and rapid changes in altitude have, on occasion, wiped out hearing on my right side temporarily and sent me into a dizzy, balance-less spiral. I usually need a few days to recover. It’s not frequent, but it’s happened three or four times in my life.
While not a debilitating sickness, it is a inconvenient one. I became familiar with this tilting problem during my eighteenth birthday, at which point I snuck out of my parents home with my younger sister armed with a camera to try my hand at skydiving. The rapid pressure change sent me into the some altitude sickness spirals, though I went skydiving again shortly after my recovery to prevent fear from setting in.
However, as I grow older and grumpier, I tend to handle rapid altitude changes with a bit more caution. A road trip a few summers ago brought on lesser bouts of altitude sickness in both Sequoia National Forest and the mountains leading up through Flagstaff. Now, as I head to Cuenca, I extend myself from sea level to slightly above 2,500 feet in the mountains.
As such, my first days in Cuenca were ponderously cautious. I made sure carbs were a hefty portion of my diet (an easy qualifier, since my AirBnB host also owns a downstairs bakery). I downed water at an amusing rate and spent segments of each day allowing myself to acclimate with light exercise and lots of breathing techniques. Within a few days, I had overcome an unexpected bout of food poisoning from Guayaquil and fortified myself enough to begin exploring Cuenca.
Home Abroad
Once I started exploring Cuenca, I can say with affirmation that I really love this city.
Cuenca is a fairly large city with an extremely laid -back vibe and a consistent small-town mentality. Centro, the center part of the city is dominated by a grand cathedral known as the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception. At night, the distinct white dome is bathed in a blue light, causing the white tiles to shine brightly. Entry into the church is free (unless you’d like to donate something to the men usually found begging out front) and a person can also climb to the top of the Cathedral on a harrowing spiral staircase to overlook the city for around 2 dollars.
Directly next to the Cathedral includes Parque Calderon, a beautiful patch of greenery with towering evergreens native to the high mountains. A dramatic sculpture tilts emotionally on a pedestal within the greenery.
Navigating Central Cuenca is a question of finding the numerous distinct cathedrals around the city, all of which are quite grand, or spotting the quiet little parks and green spaces scattered throughout.
These, above all else, are probably the most useful on-the-ground landmarks for meandering, since the majority of Centro is a somewhat repetitive grid. Parque De La Madre is quiet and nice to walk around in easy loops with lots of playgrounds rooted in the middle. Parque El Paraiso is much larger, hemmed in by two rippling creeks and spotted with reflective lakes, dipping trees and impressive tumbles of orange flowers with black spots spread over boulders. Parque San Sebastian is a small leafy park where fitness-minded people do evening dances in the square.
The area directly around the Cathedral is the most popular and touristy, however. Lots of gringos, especially older retired folks can be spotted lounging here, often wearing the well-promoted Ecuadorian Panama hats while glancing occasionally at the familiar (and talented) street performers that populate the park.
Calle Santa Anna is a small walking path beside the Cathedral with a few great restaurants. Negroni is a high end restaurant on the rooftop overlooking the cathedral, requiring a reservation. Nearby is the famous Plaza del Flores, absolutely jammed each day with hundreds of bouquets. Angelus by Totto Freddo offers heaps of artisinal ice creams. The cafes in Cuenca are likewise worth attention. Often tucked into odd corners with elevated platforms or quiet back rooms, they’re supremely pleasant for coffee in the morning. I won’t list them here simply because I haven’t found a bad one yet, hence there’s no need for specific recommendation.
Atop Incans
Of course, no visit to Cuenca would be complete without a visit to the Ruinas de Pumapungo. The multi-tiered super-structure of earth and stone represents an Incan stronghold, right in Cuenca. Walking around is nice, as there are signs in both English and Spanish illuminating life in the Incan empire, impressive farms in unique astrological shapes growing traditional foods, the odd llamas munching on greenery in the area and shallow ponds with black fish kissing the water’s surface. A few peacocks stalk around and the entire area is fenced off in chain link and ivy.
I’ve done considerable exploring of Cuenca since my arrival. I’ve eaten guinea pig, a local delicacy at a restaurant (which is roasted on a spit and very much not to my liking), talked to elderly woman going about their days in my hodgepodge Spanish. Often they’re dressed in modern attire, but just as frequency they wear the traditional wide-brimmed Ecuadorian hat with shawls made from vivid alpaca wool. Or the truly traditional wear beautiful, vibrantly colored velvet skirts that have a significance I have yet to understand.
I’ve wandered through great art galleries (Miguel Illescas Art Gallery has unique, coral-like humanoids and animals depicting traditional local legends), visited bird sanctuaries, bought my groceries as sprawling indoor fruit markets (I accidently left my shopping cart on a slope while browsing and it managed to roll away, smashing a glass case which cost me ten dollars to repair), walked up and down the riverside November Path and visited the difficult-to-hike Amaru Zoo (Amaru Bioparque Cuenca).
Firstborn Skylands
However, if I had to chose my favorite activity, it would be the Cajas National Park.
Cajas is a short forty minute bus ride outside of Cuenca, a quick trail leading into the mountain vistas. And these mountain vistas hold nothing back. Harsh, impressively sheer Andes peaks are constantly in a vat of swirling clouds and the sunlight, when the sky allows, comes down with immense jolts of heat and searing light.
The ground oscillates between devastatingly slick and rocky and caked in spongy greenery or impossibly dense tufts of wild grass. The entire area is a vault for the country’s cleanest water and lakes and ponds form everywhere, supporting vast flocks of flitting birds and cautious waterfowls. The trees in the area are also impressive, low and gnarled reddish trunks twisting forth from mountain fringes like a rusty version of Murkwood.
In my time in Cuenca, I’ve spent entire weekends up in these unique highlands, trotting about and playing the ultimate shutterbug whenever the rain subsides. The altitude here is even harsher on me than the city, but I can manage with lots of snacks and water as I chug along the stone steps. My hope is that I eventually run into an Andes Bear at a safe distance. Aside from being supremely unique creatures in their biosphere, the Andes Bears are notorious for a distinct fur pattern that I find adorable.
Regardless, the land around Cajas National Park is wildly dramatic, serene and harsh all at once. I plan on visiting every weekend possible to enjoy the thin air and surrounding ambiance.
Homefront Overlooks
Other places of Cuenca that I’ve found compelling and interesting are numerous and enjoyable. Mirador del Turi is a vast overlook of the city, perfect for enjoying sunsets and the incoming night. The sky remains alit with the narrow streets and the Cathedral is always easy to pick out among the sparkles.
The hike up is somewhat brutal, but taxis and buses have regular routes going up. Even better, there are places near the overlook which serve a Ecuadorian specialty drink, known as Canelazo, an alcoholic and spiced beverage reminiscent of warm cider with a bit of extra oomph. It reminds me as a hot combination of orange juice, spiced wine and cinnamon. I don’t want to oversell (and I’m likely not), but Canelazo is likely the holiest thing I’ve tried in Ecuador to-date.
It’s also worth visiting the Riverwalk area in Cuenca. Cuenca is actually cut by a pair of shallow, white-water rivers that flow past various green spaces and offer nice biking and hiking trails. Even better, the southernmost river cuts past the Cuenca Botanical Gardens, which are a beautiful little stop. The northern river is more popular, with Puento Roto (Broken Bridge) being a easy landmark meeting spot just south of Centro.
Purposeful Travel
All this being said, my time in Cuenca, unlike a lot of my other trips, hasn’t really been defined by random, enjoyable exploration (though I’ve managed to sneak a lot in). While I have gone out to meet people here and there and I’ve picked a couple of favorite outdoor restaurants, I’ve spent most of my time training.
My primary reason for moving to Cuenca is rooted in learning Spanish. Though I’ve made several stabs at becoming truly bilingual in life, this is the first time I’ve seen major, comprehensive progress.
A minimum of six hours each day is spent conversing in Spanish, and Google Translate is gradually falling by the wayside. I can make myself understood in virtually any situation, but tracking unfamiliar words in the easy, clear speech of local Ecuadorians has given me some pause. The largest issue for me is that Cuenca citizens don’t strongly distinguish between “V” and “B” making some common words completely alien to my overtaxed ear.
Aside from Spanish and online work, the rest of my day is dedicated to Wing Chun and Yoga lessons. The US, as it always does, made me chubby. The influx of food, the constant eating out with old friends, the driving everywhere in the city, my own deep and conniving weakness for chocolate and ice cream and the sudden availability of English-spoken Netflix does a number on my belly, and I’m always happy to start trimming that gut back down.
As such, my days in Cuenca have been less about exploring and more about getting rooted in the local cultures. I’ve spent evening playing board games, mornings walking in parks, middays training and studying and the rest of my time making questionable progress on school work. Naturally, my greatest accomplishment at this point has been growing a beard.
However, I was given a wonderful curse in life, so this will unlikely stay stable as I go forward. I’ve got a compelling case of restless blood, and even now, sated with progress and learning, I can feel the trembling of arteries and veins drawing in oxygen to scream at me to move, look, and wander about.
I’m disinclined to ignore that sentiment, so soon I’ll meander again.
Until then,
Best regards and excellent trails,
Old Sean
Written August 26th 2021
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Skog Å Kust Watertight Day Bag
Everyone should have a day bag. My favorite is the Skog Å Kust Watertight Bag. It’s easy to sling over my shoulders and lets me walk without fear of m devices getting damaged in the rain. Better yet, I can go swimming with electronics whenever I need to.
