1. Day in Cuenca 29.01.2023

After a very peaceful night, we woke up well-rested in our beautiful hostel. It's amazing how we live right in the city center and are well shielded from the noise. We had arranged to have breakfast with Pauline at 9:30, so we had some time. Anne was still in the bathroom, so I sat in the courtyard outside our room and read a little. The owner came by and asked me for a coffee, so I sat among tomato plants under the sun, listening to bird chirping, and enjoying a delicious cappuccino. Just before ten, Pauline arrived, and we enjoyed a very tasty breakfast with fresh fruit, jam, cheese, ham, and omelette. Juice and excellent cappuccino accompanied the meal. The sun poured in through the window, and we watched the hustle and bustle on the street. It was going to be a very beautiful day, with temperatures reaching up to 24 degrees Celsius. So, we set off wearing shorts and t-shirts. After a short walk, we arrived at Plaza de Calderon, opposite the impressive cathedral. There were many people out and about. We visited a church opposite the cathedral and explored some squares. I particularly liked the streets with murals on the houses. Because of the beautiful weather, we decided to drive to the "Cajas" National Park in the Andes that day. We went to the tourist information and asked about bus connections. We learned that a bus was leaving every hour until 4:00 p.m. Since it was already 12:00 p.m., we decided to take a taxi there and then come back with the last bus. Pauline quickly hailed a taxi, and we drove for an hour to the national park, passing by the Tomebamba River, the suburbs, and beautiful mountain landscapes.

Upon arrival, I was shocked to discover that we were at an altitude of 3850 meters. This is not safe on the first day. 25 years ago, I made the mistake of climbing Cotopaxi with a friend named Roi on the first day, up to the refuge at an altitude of 4800 meters, and then I suffered from altitude sickness. So, I decided to walk very slowly and be cautious. I quickly noticed the lack of oxygen, caused by rapid breathing, and going uphill was incredibly strenuous. We admired the view of a lake and the surrounding mountains. We walked slowly around the lake, sat down often, and continued to enjoy the scenery. After about 1.5 hours, we were back at the starting point. The temperatures were not as high due to the altitude, but we could already feel the intensity of the sun's rays. Despite applying sunscreen with an SPF of 50, Anne and I got sunburned on the first day.

At around 3:00 p.m., we walked to the bus stop and hoped for a bus. Since it was Sunday, we weren't the only ones waiting. There was a lot of activity in the Cajas National Park. After 30 minutes, two buses arrived at the same time, and we managed to get on the first bus. This immediately reminded me of the bus rides from 25 years ago. The bus was old, the seats were worn out, and there was a large statue of Maria near the driver, which lit up blue every time he braked. We quickly descended the road to Cuenca. Along the way, we made stops whenever people were waiting by the roadside and wanted to join us. After about 1.5 hours, we arrived at Cuenca, Feria Liebra, a notorious area with street gangs. But it was still daylight, and we got into a taxi to go to the city center. The bus ride only cost 2 dollars per person, which was very affordable. Since we were hungry, we went to Pauline's favorite restaurant, "La Cigale," where we found a nice table in the courtyard and enjoyed delicious cocktails (2.50 dollars during happy hour). I ordered a "Lomo al Pimiente" in memory of Roy, which was our favorite meal 25 years ago. Anne and Pauline ordered vegetarian pasta. The food was very tasty. Then, we went back to the hostel to get some more rest.