Cuenca being Quaint (again)

After another long canoe ride and two short flights, we landed in Cuenca, one of our favorite spots in Ecuador. In Cuenca, we can get all of the stuff we miss in Olon—pancakes, moisturizer, BAGELS—all within a small, charming city surrounded by gorgeous mountains.

We stayed in a great Airbnb in the historic district and enjoyed walking all over the city. Kyla had to return to her day job, so Talia and I had some adventures while Gena and Nancy explored some ruins/archeological sites. At the end of each day, we all met up for dinner.

Talia and I visited the fun Amaru Zoo, which is more like a hike mixed with animal rehab center than a traditional zoo, and she liked it so much that she went back with Kyla. We also hit a bunch of local playgrounds, which were a huge step up from Talia’s beloved rusted swing set and falling-apart skateboard ramp in the center of Olon.

Talia started each day with huge pancakes at various cafes and we enjoyed the access to some familiar products. I even managed to snag two boxes of Kraft macaroni and cheese!

Gena and Nancy had to return to Canada after a few days in Cuenca and we were sad to see them go. Back on our own for a few days, we hit a few more tourist destinations, including a fun, interactive modern art museum.

On Sunday, our friend/cab driver from Olon, Yoyder, picked us up for the 7 hour commute through the mountains back to Olon. The drive was gorgeous and we hit a tiny town right as the final game of the World Cup headed into penalty shots. We pulled over at a random bar and got to see the final moments. So exciting!Läs mer