After taking many photographs of the important
work in process, we left El Sagrario to enjoy the outdoor
ambiance of the Plaza Calderón.
In the center of the plaza stands a statue
honoring the heroes of the Independence struggle. Surrounding
the statue is a ring of 170 year old aucaria
trees. Other decorative trees and gardens filled with
flowers make the plaza an ideal place to wile away an
afternoon reading a book or simply taking in the surroundings.
The Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción
was completed in 1885. According to Efran: "A local
bishop decided that Cuenca should have a cathedral that
reflected the strength of its faith. With this decision,
the construction of this monumental temple began. The
temple you see here, with its eclectic architecture, three
massive cupulas, exquisite stained glass windows representing
different episodese Vatican. The main altar, made of wood and covered
in gold, specially resembles its counterpart in Rome.
"This was said by someone who spent much time in
this church -- Pope John Paul II, when he visited Ecuador."
Other important churches in Cuenca are the
Iglesia de las Conceptas, San Blas, San Alfonso,
Santo Domingo, San Sebastián, Todos los Santos,
Carmen de la Asunción.
We strolled down various streets lined by
colonial style homes and through renowned plazas such
as San Carmen and de las Flores, the latter's name originating
from the fact that ornamental flowers can be bought there.
The smell of food indicated to us that lunchtime
had arrived. Fortunately, we were at the Feria de Comidas
Típicas, that offered its visitors the most
traditional plates from Cuenca's cuisine. These included
hornado (roast pork), cuy (guinea pig)
and mote pillo.
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