For its size, (400,000 people) Cuenca has to be the cleanest city I have visited, not just Ecuadorian speaking but anyplace really. There is way more graffiti in Ecuador, but other than that, Cuenca is extremely clean. Below is a shot of double stone steps leading to what were once businesses on one of the original cobblestone streets.

The River walk was very beautiful. On one side of the river is “old town” with all the historical sights and the other side was the new section of Cuenca. We stayed in old town the majority of our trip and loved not only the architecture but the people as well. The River walk is a cobblestone path that once was a street named after Cuenca’s independence. Many streets in Ecuador are named after special dates. The street named “diez de Agosto or 10 de Agusto” / 10 of August is a street in Quito. August 10^, 1830 is the official date of the Declaration of Independence of Quito which is a national holiday in Ecuador.

These art students from the college across the river let me take their picture. I could not communicate enough to tell them they would be on our blog.

The photos below are to show how deserted the streets look when the businesses are closed. Just a row of garage doors.

Then as businesses open, doors open, the streets come to life. (Not too early in the morning mind you! It drives me crazy how laid back it is but I think we are starting to get used to it.)

Tod captured this shot of local school girls as they were passing our hotel.

These are the native costumes of Cuenca. Not many of the younger generation dresses in these colorful velvety type material skirts but many of the older generation still do.

After our final walking tour and coffee in Cuenca we traveled back to Quito via taxi, plane and yet another taxi. Out taxi experience has been on some interesting old cobblestone streets that much to my dismay were “Doble Via” double/two way. These roads are much too narrow for two way traffic but somehow Ecuadorians in every city make it work!

These old streets must have been made when the city was young and cars were futuristic.