citizen journalism
Walking Cuenca
By Lisa Musil
I
love the city of Cuenca. I have traveled all over the United
States, and lived in many of its cities, but Cuenca embodies
the best aspects of some of my favorite places. It has the
temperate climate, laid-back attitude, and lush vegetation
of Daytona Beach, Florida, where I “tried on” the persona of
“beach bum” in my early 20’s. Cuenca reminds me, in all the
best ways, of the happy years I spent in Georgetown, D.C.,
making frequent visits to a friend who attended college there.
El Centro’s vibrant shops, restaurants, and busy sidewalks bring
me back to that exciting city and restores me to the happy
times I spent roaming those streets, meeting new people, and
reveling in the differences of the various people I observed.
Lastly, Cuenca makes me think of the Black Hills, SD, where
I spent many blissful and carefree summers as a child. The
clear mountain air, the rivers weaving throughout the city, the
mountains which enfold us on every horizon—a breathtaking
scene wherever I choose to lift my eyes, and the skies which
range from deep midnight through all shades of blue, rose, and
orange, often within a single day.
I walk this city daily, but my favorite time of day to walk the
city streets is in the early morning. The sky the other morning
was the deepest shade of blue with the full moon bidding me
“Buenas Dias” before the sun rose. Walking at this time of day,
the weather is pleasantly cool—sometimes even crisp—perfect
for walking. Walking down Mariscal Sucre at 5:00 a.m., I
see a few joggers, a street cleaner every block or so, and an
occasional car--usually a taxi, cruising slowly, hoping for an
early-morning fare. Occasionally I see a group of partiers from
the night before, reluctant to abandon their camaraderie, or an
indigenous woman, the size of my sturdy 9 year old daughter,
dragging/carrying a few enormous bags of recyclable plastic
bottles. The streets are empty, but poised to burst into life within
the next hour. The stairs by Otorongo are brightly lit, until 6:00
a.m., at which point they all extinguish suddenly, although it will
not be fully light for another 20 minutes. The flower market by
Parque Calderon is beginning to stir, as vendors prepare for the
day. The sidewalks around the park are usually still wet—the
people in this city wash their sidewalks. The street lights sing
bird songs to each other—I recently realized that the “chirrup”
sound is made between lights across the east/west streets, and
the ones that “cuckoo” to one another do so across north/south
streets. A sweet sound that enables sight-impaired citizens to
navigate on their own.
Afternoon walks are more interactive—and productive. I can
usually navigate the downtown area quicker than a cab. I have
learned to do my daily errands either between 10:00 a.m.
and noon, or between 4:00 and 6:00, as many of the stores
do not open early, and most small shopkeepers take a lunch
break in the early afternoon. City sidewalks are a treasure
for people watchers—my favorite activity is smiling at small
children, trying to get them to smile back. I also love to see
young people walking down the street with arms linked with a
mother or grandmother. Almost everyone has time for a smile,
and a friendly, “Buen Dia” or “Como le va?”
I also feel perfectly safe walking this city at night. One
Thursday night, about 9:00, after a dinner out with friends, as
I was walking through Parque de la Madre, I observed literally
hundreds of people: playing on the playground; sitting and
talking; and walking and running on the track. Families, runners,
and lovers--out enjoying the temperate evening. Walking
towards the Escalenatas, I saw a group of young men playing
drums, singing, and playing some homemade instruments that
looked like pieces of string tied to 6 foot long sticks. Everyone
seemed determined to enjoy each other and the night. I arrived
home invigorated and grateful, as I am every day, to live in such
a vibrant, exciting place.
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099.116.6481 | Cuenca | Ecuador
Mon-Sun: 8:00 am - 7:00 pm
www.cuencaexpatsmag.com| page 21