Saturday (March 8) -- Roaming about Cuenca; climbing to top of "New Cathedral"

Yesterday (Saturday, March 8) was another perfect day in Cuenca, spent walking around, sightseeing, shopping and eating. This was our first full day in Cuenca.

The "New Cathedral" viewed from Calderon Park, about 3 blocks from our hotel.

These high school students wanted to hear some English spoken, so they asked to talk with us.

English students listening intently to Mary's questions

Mary at work, practicing her English skills

Some beautiful native dresses at Calderon Park in front of the cathedral

Inside the New Cathedral

On the roof of the New Cathedral

Part of Cuenca from the top of the cathedral

Cathedral domes

Cuenca, the valley and hills

Vendors in front of cathedral

Morning flower market

Snack on the street

3 great slogans! 

Lunch spot at cathedral

After breakfast we met Roger and walked over to Calderon Park (3 blocks), my favorite spot in Cuenca. Didn't get more than 100 yards before stopping at a pastry shop for coconut balls covered in chocolate. The park was full of people at 10 am. A political rally was going on in one corner, with some pretty good singing. We relaxed on some benches and were approached by some local high school students who wanted to have some experience having an English conversation. Mary obliged them (see photos).
We left the park and wandered through a nearby flower market, clothes market, and crafts shop complex.
We wanted to see the inside of the cathedral, then climbed up and inside winding staircase to the roof of the cathedral, where we saw the city from above, sprawled all around us. After another round of shopping, we had lunch at an outside table just across from the cathedral.
We walked down to the edge of the old city, overlooking the Tomebamba River, which we hope to walk almong later. Our afternoon walking and shopping trek was interrupted by a cloudburst that forced us into a tiny restaurant for unusual coffee, tea and mediocre pastry.
When the rain quit we abandoned our double-decker bus tour and went back to the hotel for some rest.
We walked about 5 blocks to our dinner spot, a Columbian restaurant that's one of Roger's favorites. We ate there last year. We had a good, full dinner, with beer all around -- cost for 5 people was $33