Work Day

Day 4 - Cuenca
Today is our business day. We were taken to the convention center, where we met in a grand ballroom for a breakfast of local dishes -- sweet tomato juice, local fruits called tuna, zaxuma, and pitahaya, various cheeses and breads, Mote pillo (boiled corn mixed with eggs and green onions), tamales of chicken and port, sweet plantain cake, coffee and hot chocolate.

Next, we split into groups and attended four seminars, each covering one of the four areas of Ecuador -- the Galapagos, the coastal area, the Andes, and the Amazon. After a break with coffee, tea and empanadas, we met again in groups to create an ideal itinerary for Ecuador.

After completing our task and getting our questions about each area answered, it was back to the ballroom for a lunch featuring more local fare: Mote Pata, a local drink of sugar cane alchohol sweetened with fruit juice, cinnamon, and lemon; a main dish called Gualaceo Hornado (roasted pit prepared in a traditional wooden oven), Snaccoco (pork cooked with garlic, onions, coriander, and cumin), sweet tomato salad; and Moto sucio (corn with cascarita).

In the afternoon, we had scheduled appointments with the various vendors and suppliers, who educated us about their services, the Galapagos tours, their rainforest lodges and cruises, etc. There is so much to see and do in this country, it has something for everyone -- culture, history, adventure, relaxation, shopping, beaches, rainforests, some of the most unusual flora and fauna in the world --- all in one surprisingly affordable country.

There was so much information to be gathered, we didn’t leave the convention center until after 6 pm. That didn’t give us much time to get ready for the evening’s dinner and festivities. And what an amazing night! The people in this city really know how to celebrate. They recreated for us their traditional celebrations for New Years, Christmas, or any other holiday or family event they want to celebrate. We walked a few blocks from our hotel to a square, where several buffet tables offered local dishes, deserts, cookies, fruits, and drinks. Around the perimeter were various carnival games -- shooting gallery, roulette wheel, race cars. Other booths had popcorn, candied apples, popcorn balls, cotton candy, and something that looked like an ice cream cone but was actually a type of soft candy.

A band was playing, and scattered all around were these interesting looking contraptions made with metal and paper. Some where high towers and some were in the shape of animals or clowns. While we all meandered around eating and drinking and playing games, they began to release a series of small hot air balloons into the air.. I guess they don’t worry about fires here.

We were called to the front for speeches and the presentation of awards for the sample itineraries we created earlier in the day (we didn’t win -- drat!) Then, the band began to play again, and they started to light off those contraptions. It was the most amazing fireworks display we have ever seen! The thing was shooting off sparks into the air and into the crowd. Everyone started backing up, brushing sparks from their hair and clothes. A young child with a cow on his head and sparks shooting out of its head and rear end began weaving its way through the crowd.

A group of dancers performed all through the square as more fireworks exploded and more balloons were released.

Notes on Cuenca: This was our favorite city, but there’s so much more to see. When we come back, we’d like to see the Cajas National Park, the thermal waters at the Banos, the botanical gardens at Podocarpas, the Gualaceo Market Village and Ingapirca, where you can visit archealogical Inca sites and ruins from the 16 century. You can also hike the Royal Inca Highway, zip line, go canyoning, rafting, and even play golf.