Cuenca - Can I live here please?


After Mancora I tried to get a direct bus to the city of Cuenca in Ecuador, where I was hoping to meet a friend. Though I was sure the lady who sold me the ticket said it was direct, I ended up with a van to the far northern town of Tumbes, a taxi to another bus company, a bus to the border with Ecuador, 4 long, sweaty hours waiting to cross the border, back on the bus, then another taxi to another bus company, almost missed the next bus while grabbing a bite to eat, then finally arriving in Cuenca 6 hours late. Say what you want about travel here, it's never boring.

The view from the mirador. Unfortunately the best mountains are hiding.

I checked into one of the cheaper hostels I found online, Mallki Hostel, which turned out to be a tip top choice and one of the best places I have stayed in. I woke up in the morning to a fresh, complimentary brekkie of pancakes, fruit and coffee, a marked improvement on the stale bread and jam in most Peruvian hostels. I quickly made a few friends, then full of energy after my beach retreat I started to see what the area had to offer.

First stop was Cajas (KA-hass) National Park, a $2 USD bus ride away. The buses here are great, you hop in and sit down, the driver leaves when he feels like it, then you pay once you're moving. We got to the park and decided on one of the easier trails since all of us were feeling every one of the 3900 metres above sea level. It was a nice hike, including a walk through a Paper Tree forest, full of trees with orange bark that flakes off like crepe paper.

It was a pretty magical place, especially when my mates were out of the shot

In the evening, we took a trip to the city hot springs to relax. The springs are a 30 minute metro bus from the city centre, and for $5 we got a mud bath, a long soak in the main spring and a spell in the steam room. Unfortunately we were so relaxed afterwards that we didn't notice we had taken the wrong bus to get home...

The next day we were still pretty worn out, so we took a squizz at some of the many museums in the city and one of the two significant Inca sites in Ecuador, then the next day we got a lift with some local friends to the other one about two hours out of town. It wasn't the most impressive site I had seen, but still a fun road trip with the Cuencanos. Shout out to Lu, Lachie, Anton and Juanpi for a great day out!

All that remains of the houses of the sun priests and the marketplace, with the tower of the sun temple in the distance

By this point I was supposed to leave, but I had fallen so much in love with the city that I couldn't resist booking another night....then another....and another. It is so charming, with its fairytale churches, pretty streets, tasty food and cheerful citizens. I made a lot of local friends, especially when I went out on Friday and Saturday nights. Most importantly, everything was really cheap. I think I took out about $120 when I go there and still had plenty left after the week I ended up spending there, which considering I started with a $50/day budget is pretty good going.

This town has definitely earned a place in my top 3 stays, and I am seriously considering a return after I spend time in Colombia. Put it on your maps, fellow travellers, and don't forget to check in at Mallki Hostel in Solano if you visit!





 A small selection of beautiful churches


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