First post from Cenca

looking east across the Tamibamba river from Calle Larga

I arrived in Cuenca (kwen-kah) at three in the
afternoon. With my fellow passengers from the 40
minute flight from Quito I surrounded the
baggage carousel and waited. The baggage train
was about halfway to us when the sky opened up.
Dark clouds that had raced us from the north had
arrived. With baggage two heavy by half I waited
in front of the terminal for a taxi.

view of the cathedral from an open air market.

Thanks to forewarning by an internet gringo I
had a hostel in mind, the Hogar Cuencano, the
Cuenca home. This being the last night of the
year the noise of horns, music and fireworks
built up thru the evening. At midnight it peaked
and over the next couple of hours, decayed into
silence.I slept fitfully but not because of new
years eve. I've never been able to sleep before
a flight and that combined with a five hour
delay in the departure, I was tired. Even so I
spent an hour walking around the neighborhood of
the hostel. I had a couple of beers and observed
some of the preparations for new years. Fires of
trash in the street for people to jump thru.
Costumed papermache manikins to be burned at
midnight. Youths in masks and gaudy outfits were
pulling wire across streets to stop cars. They
then pushed a cup at drivers seeking money. In
England and on another night this would be
"coins for the guy" as in guy faulks. These
traditions have come down thru so many
generations but Thru it all the new year
emerges. This January first was a sunny
Saturday, a fine day, my first in Cuenca.
captions

Goats at the market.