After the Galápagos, we took a few days to decompress in Guayaquil before moving on to the quiet ex-pat headquarters of Cuenca. Perched high up in the Andes, Cuenca became famous as an agricultural hub thousands of years ago and is still defined by its laid-back and easygoing vibe. About 5,000 Cuencans are ex-pats that now call this city home. Our goal for the week in Cuenca was to take Spanish classes to refresh and expand on what we learned in Cartagena. Practicing our intermediate Spanish for almost three months had been extremely beneficial, however it also exposed areas that we needed help on. Our first day in town, we found a great Spanish school with private lessons that fit our expectations. We signed up for private lessons (1 on 1 for two hours per day) which still gave us time to explore the city in the afternoons and evenings.
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| Five minute walk from our hostel |
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| Shanta's amazing teacher, Teresa |
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| Cathedral of Immaculate Conception |
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| European architecture in the town square |
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| Lounging in the town square |
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| It isn't hard to be tall in Cuenca |
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| City hall |
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| Old Spanish mansion converted into a hotel |
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| Rio Tomebamba runs through the center of the city |
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| Old wooden building in the historic district |
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| Street art |
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| Part II |
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| Blown away by the ceviche |
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| The best Argentine steak mixed with a traditional sauce |
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| One of the many Cuenca markets |
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| Devouring menu del dia at the market |
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| We finally got the chance to cook again |
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| Shanta getting hangry next to the tamales |
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| The best tamales either of us have ever had |
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| Drinks at breakfast |
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| The meal that redefined breakfast for us |
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| Booze, cards, and a 12 hour bus ride to Peru |
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