Cuenca and Vilcabamba

We spent one week in Cuenca - 6 hours a day for 5 days, with intensive Spanish lessons. It was good to get a more solid conversational Spanish input.

Panama hats are originally from Ecuador. They are woven in
villages surrounding Cuenca and shaped and finished in factories
like this in Cuenca.



There are also many artesans weaving. I bought an ikat shawl
from this weaver. They are woven on a loom that he wears around
his body.



We went hiking in Cajas National Park, 30 km west of Cuenca.
The paramo here holds a lots of small lakes. It was pouring rain,
but our hour and half hike was still incredibly beautiful.



We also hiked in Podocarpus National Park (30 km north Vilcabamba).
This 5 km hike took 4 hours - it was not raining, but the path was
very muddy and wet and precarious in some places. Ole is waiting for
 cloud to sweep me off of this ridge. Another breathtaking hike!



Street vendors in Vilcabamba. Vilcamba is about 80km from the
Peruvian border, hence the two Peruvian ladies selling stuff from
Peru.



The poster says "Vilcabamba - World Centre for Gerontology
Investigations". People are said to live long lives here (over 100
years old).



Maybe it's true....