Expat Life: Tourists in Our Own Town

Cynthia:  We don’t get that many visitors here in Cuenca, so we were thrilled when long-time friends, Tom and Brenda Williams, from Atlanta told us they wanted to come see us and check out our hometown.

Edd:  They arrived on the morning of the city’s final Independence Day festivities, so before they could even get settled, off we went to experience our biggest celebration of the year.

C:  Hundreds of booths displayed beautiful art and handicrafts from all over Latin America, including exquisite embroidered clothing from the artisans of Otavalo. Of course, Panama hats, which are actually made in Ecuador, were on display.

E:  After a much needed rest day, we took them downtown for lunch in a courtyard beside the New Cathedral (construction began in 1885 and took about 100 years to complete). Then we climbed atop a double-decker bus for a tour that featured a stop at Turi for a commanding view of the city.

C:  On day four we left the city behind for a different excursion. We hired a driver to take us outside of town into the Cajas National Park. Learning some of Ecuador’s interesting history, stopping for an incredible overlook, and a delicious lunch of fresh trout created a special memory for us and our friends.

E:  Another day we booked a tour of craft-making villages in the surrounding countryside. We stopped in San Bartolome, famous for handmade guitars, and the “jewelry town” of Chordeleg.

C:  In Gualaceo we visited the main market where, aside from a vast array of fruits and vegetables, whole pigs and cuy (guinea pigs), a regional delicacy, were being roasted.

E:  Or as I call them, “pets on a stick.” Our final stops on the tour were the Ecuagenera orchid farm, where hybrid blooms are propagated, and a local family’s Ikat workshop where shawls and ponchos are woven on antique looms and colored with natural plant dyes.

C:  We were worn out from being tourists, so took a few days off to recover. Before their departure we decided to spend a relaxing day at Piedra de Agua, a spa in the hills just outside of Cuenca known for its volcanic mud and hot springs. The ladies declined photos, but you and Tom were all in.

E:  Yeah, we were having so much fun! Which sums up the 10 days our friends were here. It’s easy to get kind of blasé about your surroundings when you’ve lived somewhere as long as we have been in Cuenca. Being tourists in our own town gave us a fresh perspective on just how great this place is.

C:  I totally agree. We all had a blast, and I think our friends left with both an appreciation for the city we chose and a better understanding of what our life is like here. The way we’re able to walk almost everywhere for our daily needs. And, other than having to be on time for guided tours, how our approach to each day is usually loose and flexible.

E:  We would welcome visitors anytime, but I’m realizing maybe it’s a good thing people don’t come that often. If they did we’d be exhausted!