On our second day in Ecuador, we took a bus from Guayaquil to Cuenca. It was a small 12-person bus that cost $12 per adult and $10 per kid. The ride to Cuenca is usually 3 hours, but because of road closures, the ride took more than 5-hour.
The hotel recommended a specific bus company, but our taxi driver decided to take us to another bus company where he got a kickback. It worked out for the best because the bus company he took us to dropped us off closer to our house in Cuenca. We were able to walk to our house from the bus stop.
Our Airbnb for the month in Cuenca is perfect. It is a small two-bedroom unit on the ground floor. Our hosts live upstairs. They have a dog named Ponchito that hangs out in the front yard. We got a steep discount on Airbnb for booking it for one month. We paid about $500 for the entire month, and everything is included in that price.
The neighborhood where our Airbnb is located is called Sucre. It is a 20-minute walk from the historic city center, close to shops and restaurants, tennis courts, and several parks.
The WiFi is decent. The kitchen is sufficient with a stove, oven, microwave, and refrigerator. We have to turn the hot water on to take a shower. Toilet paper is thrown in the trash can instead of getting flushed down the toilet. That is hard to remember.
We all slept well our first night. The neighborhood is quiet, and the temperature is perfect. It is between 55 and 70 degrees every day in Cuenca. It is also rainy on and off. We have been told not to trust the forecast and always expect some rain.
On our first morning in Cuenca, we walked to a bakery to pick up breakfast. We bought three croissants, cheese bread, two chocolate chip muffins, two pastries, and a loaf of banana bread for $4.
We decided to explore the historic city center. We started by looking for the daily walking tour in Parque Calderón. We couldn’t find it, so we opted for an hour-long bus tour of the city. The cost was $3 for Henry and $5 for Lucas, Michael, and me. We sat on the top of the scenic bus and drove around a Cuenca. I got smacked twice in the face with tree branches when I wasn’t paying attention. Luckily I did not get decapitated. The ride helped give us a lay of the land. The bus also stopped at a high point of the city for a spectacular view.
After the bus tour, we spotted a Dunkin Donuts. We did not get donuts that day, but I am sure we will. With all of the bakeries in the city, Dunkin is not my first choice.
We ate lunch near Parque Calderón at La Cofradía Pub – House. Henry’s burger came with mustard on it, so he wasn’t happy, but he dealt with it. We told him that if he learns Spanish, he can be sure to get what he wants.
After lunch, we picked up some fruits and vegetables at Mercado 10 de Agosto. It is a big market in the city center that sells almost everything – meats, seafood, produce, shoes. They also have vendors selling meals and smoothies. We spent $6 and came away with strawberries, cherries, mangos, cucumber, sweet potatoes, and bananas. We didn’t even negotiate, which is what everyone says to do. Michael would be more inclined to negotiate if he spoke more Spanish. He will probably start doing it once he feels more comfortable.
We also stopped in at a small tienda to get some pasta for dinner and a few other items. It is tricky when you are in a place for about a month. You don’t want to get too much food or a lot of staples you won’t use up, but it is too long of a trip to eat out all the time. We plan to eat a lot at home, but we will still eat out. There is a lot of variety in the restaurants in Cuenca.
We packed a lot into our first morning. After shopping it was raining, so we headed back to our house. The kids spent the rest of the day playing Minecraft with friends online. Michael and I took a nap and continued researching things to do in Cuenca.
The sun is strong here in Cuenca. Michael and l got a little burned, and it was overcast. We will be sure to apply sunscreen every day. Other than the sunburn, we had a great first day in Cuenca. We are happy we chose this city.
