Ethnic Clothing
If you elimanate the really large cities, about 50 % of the adults we see are wearing some ethnic clothing which is quite amazing to me that they have ignored fashion for so many years. They must be proud of their heritage. We heard that about 70% of all Ecuadorians are indigenous. No wonder this country has such diverse and colorful people!
Diet
Almost all places we had basically the same diet: rice and fried yucca, green bananas, ...best of all...potatoes. Can you imagine so much starch...it does catch up with them as they get older as many were not thin.
Speed Bump Vendors
So often, when the bus came to a speed bump...a vendor would jump on as the bus slowed down. He would be selling ice cream, drinks, breads, fried potatoes or green bananas, candy, or fruit. Then when the bus came to another speed bump, off he'd hop. Great plan!
Back in Cuenca
It was nice to get bacl to quaint Cuenca. This time we visited several museums. The museum of culture had a display of about 10 shrunken heads! There were also many displays showing how people in different indigenous tribes lived. The cultural museum reminded us of how much we have seen in Ecuador as it seemed that every exhibit was a review of much that we already have seen through our experiences around the country.
We were surprised that there seemed to be no security except for a few video cameras in another museum that displayed thousands of artifacts...most were ancient (one stone head was dated 13,000 BC) and priceless. Many items were positioned precariously and seemed to be in danger of falling over.
We visited with the friends, Peter and Chris, that we met in Alausi and they invited us to have dinner with them at their house...Tom and Linda, also from Portland, Maine, joined us for dinner and visiting. There was much talk of grandkids, kids, and the expat community in Cuenca that is growing rapidly because International Living magazine has named Cuenca the best place in the world to retire. Many Americans are moving here to take advantage of the low cost of fuel, services, food, and also the great weather which averages about 60 degrees F. The next morning, we headed off for three more sites. A cloistered convent built in 1599 was full of items some of which were the dowries paid when daughters entered the convent. Since girls as young as 12 entered, many toys and music boxes were also there. Cuena's most famous church had a 3D last supper scene with life size statues. The last place we checked out had many detailed mask on display. Then it was time to head for the bus station.
Our Final Bus Ride
We actually savored our last bus ride heading for Guayaquil. We never tire of watching the clouds creep up the mountains or the passing farms or small villages. Seeing a kid tending his flock do a cartwheel, another chasing a tire, and another playing with pop bottle caps brings the gorgeous landscapes to life. We have traveled by bus for about 60 hours...not counting short city bus rides. It has been a great (and cheap) way to see so much of Ecuador!
