We visited a market at Plaza Rotary where vendors sell ceramics, clothes, furniture, baskets and local produce. At the south side of the market we saw indigenous women performing some type of ceremony on infants and children. On each child the indigenous women rubbed some type of plant all over the head and body, spit water and rubbed an egg on the belly and face, and then drew what looked like small crosses on the forehead and belly. We did not take any pictures because we did not want to be disrespectful. However, I regret not asking one of the women to explain the purpose of this ritual.
Our last stop was to the Banco Central Pumapungo, a museum complex built on the site of Tomebamba excavations, an area settled by the Cañari indigenous group, and later conquered by the Incas. We visited the Museo Etnográfico, a wing of the Museum containing information on different Ecuadorian cultures. We found most of it a bit boring with the exception of a section containing a collection of shrunken heads. We also visited the Museo Arqueológico, containing Cañari and Incan artifacts excavated from the site, and the Parque Arqueológico, containing some ruins from the site. I hate to admit that we were not very impressed. Perhaps we were just too tired to appreciate the museum and the ruins. I do think it is worth a visit if you are an archeology buff.
Ingapirca
From Cuenca we did a day trip to Ingapirca, Ecuador’s most important Incan ruin. The area was originally settled by the Cañari people, and the Incas took over the site during the 15th century. Ingapirca was of strategic importance to the Incan Empire because of its location on the Royal Highway that ran from Cuzco to Quito, and soldiers were stationed there. The site includes both Cañari and Incan style ruins, and part of the Royal Highway is visible. It is best to visit this site with a guide otherwise you don’t get much out of it. We were fortunate because an Ecuadorian professor who had brought a group of students invited us to join her while she provided a tour of the site.
After walking around Ingapirca we hiked down to La Cara del Inca, an area where an immense natural formation in the rock looks like the face of an Incan.
Where we ate
Tiesto’s: Tiesto’s should put Cuenca on the Foodie Map! This was without a doubt the best meal of our trip so far! First we were served bread with a large assortment of different salsas and toppings, ranging from sweet to spicy. Next we had a tender steak served with an AMAZING cream of milk and parmesan cheese sauce! The waiter recommended that we try this dish when we told him we couldn’t decide what steak to order, and we were so thrilled that he did!
We finished with a tasty chocolate mousse with passion fruit gelato for dessert.
Not only was the food fantastic, but the service was also top notch. The waiter was very attentive. The chef and owner brought our main course to the table, and followed up a bit later to see if we were happy with our meal. It was clear that the Chef took a lot of pride in his work. Some of the tables around us ordered a prawn dish. We noticed that the Chef went around showing both children and adults how to get the most meat out of the prawns. This restaurant is the number one rated place in Cuenca (according to TripAdvisor) and has become very popular. Reservations are a must! If you are ever in Cuenca, call and make reservations before planning the rest of your visit!
La Esquina: We had a delicious breakfast at this restaurant while listening to some mellow Rolling Stones covers. The restaurant had a cool ambiance and was nicely decorated. The chef and owner took our order. Both he and the waiter/busboy were very attentive. If we had spent more time in Cuenca, we definitely would have returned here for dinner.
Where we stayed
Posada Todos Santos: We really enjoyed our stay here. The rooms were very clean, had modern bathrooms and comfortable beds. The hotel is within walking distance of restaurants and bars, but just far enough away to be very quiet. The hotel also has free Wi-Fi. I don’t remember how much we paid per night, but it was no more than USD $30.
No comments:
Post a Comment