My mission in publishing this blog is first to provide a living history of my settlement and life in Cuenca, and to provide myself and the reader with a journal account delineating my reasons for why I have chosen to settle in Cuenca. Second, the posts are my way of staying in contact with family and friends back in the states, and to provide them with an understanding of a country and culture that most North Americans have little knowledge and awareness. Third, the blog is open to one and all who wish to compare and contrast the experiences of expat bloggers living in Cuenca, so that you can determine whether or not from your perspective Cuenca is an appropriate move for you. Fourth, my blog provides another example of how expats view and interpret life in Cuenca. Ecuadorians and Cuencanos who may read this blog are especially invited to post comments that may enhance all expats understanding and appreciation of Cuneca and its people, or to correct any misinterpretations in my assumptions and perceptions of Cuencano culture. Finally, I hope I can convey the feeling of love and appreciation that grows within me each passing day for this heavenly city nestled in the Andes and its very special people.
WHAT A THRILL FROM SURVEYS TAKEN AMONG FOREIGN EXPATS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO VERIFY WHAT I AND MANY GRINGOS IN CUENCA ALREADY KNEW. CUENCA IS DESIGNATED AS THE MOST FRIENDLY CITY FOR EXPATS. CUENCA IS WHERE IT IS EASIEST FOR EXPATS NOT ONLY TO MAKE AND TO MIX WITH OTHER EXPATS; BUT ALSO TO MAKE AND TO MIX WITH HOME GROWN FOLKS AND MAKING INTERCULTURAL FRIENDS THAN ANY OTHER CITY IN THE WORLD. THE ECUADORIANS ARE A WARM, FRIENDLY, AND WELCOMING PEOPLE. THE GRINGOS IN CUENCA, UNLIKE MANY OTHER CITIES IN THE WORLD, SPREAD THEMSELVES ACROSS THE CITY, AND DO NOT LIVE IN FOREIGN ENCLAVES LIKE MOST EXPATS WHO SETTLE IN OTHER FOREIGN CITIES.
I HAVE LIVED IN CUENCA FOR ALMOST TWELVE YEARS NOW. IN THE BEGINNING MORE EXPATS WERE SENIOR CITIZEN GRINGOS AND A SMATHERING OF CANADIANS AND EUROPEANS. TODAY, THERE ARE ABOUT 2,000 VENEZUELANS LIVING IN CUENCA, WHICH IS A DRAMATIC DROP-0FF FROM JUST TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO, AS MANY VENEZUELANS MOVED ON TO OTHER COUNTRIES IN SEARCH OF WORK OR RETURNED TO THEIR HOME COUNTRY, DESPITE THE COMMUNIST TAKEOVER THAT CAUSED SO MANY VENEZUELANS TO DEPART THEIR COUNTRY OVER THE PAST DECADE. A LARGE MAJORITY OF REMAINING VENEZUELANS ARE PROFESSIONALS OR MANGAGED TO PROCURE A JOB HERE IN CUENCA. THERE ARE NOW APPROXIMATELY 500 CHINESE LIVING IN CUENCA AS WELL.
THERE ARE NOW MORE YOUNGER FAMILIES OF GRINGOS AND EUROPEANS COMING TO LIVE NOT ONLY IN CUENCA, BUT ALSO IN OTHER PARTS OF ECUADOR. THE YOUNGER FAMILIES, SINGLES, AND COUPLES ARE MORE ATTRACTED TO THE COAST AND THE WARMER TEMPERATURES NOT FOUND IN THE ANDES WHERE CUENCA IS CENTERED. MORE OF THESE YOUNGER NEWBIES TO ECUADOR LOVE THE PLAYAS (BEACHES) AND THE PACIFIC COAST.
NONE OF THE ABOVE IS INTENDED BY ME TO BE A MARKETING ADVERTISEMENT FOR MORE FOREIGNERS TO COME TO CUENCA. MOST OF US GRINGOS LOVE THE CURRENT POPULATION MIX. EXCEPT FOR POLITICIANS, DEVELOPERS, AND LANDLORDS; THE REST OF US ARE CONTENTED WITH THE SIZE OF THE CITY AND THE MIX OF PEOPLE. THE LAST THING WE WANT TO SEE IS A MAD DASH OF FOREIGNERS MOVING TO THE CITY, FORMING ENCLAVES OF WHATEVER THEIR NATIONALITY MAY BE, AND TAKING AWAY THE CHARM OF ONE OF CUENCA'S BIG DRAWS, WHICH IS A DECENT SIZE CITY OF ABOUT 325,OOO IN THE CITY PROPER AND ABOUT 625,000 METROPOLITAN OR CANTON-WISE (COUNTY-WISE).
ALTHOUGH THE CURRENT CROP OF GRINGOS WON'T BE AROUND TO SEE THE CITY GROW TO AT LEAST A MILLION PEOPLE. IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE WOULD WISH ON THIS HISTORICALLY CHARMING CITY. WE WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO SEE NEW GRINGOS AND OTHER EXPATS TO REPLACE THOSE WHO LEAVE OR PASS ON, BUT WITHOUT MAJOR NET INCREASES IN FOREIGN POPULATIONS. CURRENTLY, ABOUT TWO PERCENT OF THE POPULATION IN CUENCA PROPER IS EXPAT.
I BELIEVE THAT MOST CUECANOS FEEL THE SAME WAY, AND WOULD NOT WANT TO SEE THE CITY LOSE ITS CUENCANO HERITAGE AND CUSTOMS AND "BIG CITY WITH A SMALL TOWN FEELING" DUE TO OVER-CROWDEDNESS FROM RAPID POPULATION GROWTH. ON THE OTHER HAND, COME VISIT AS TOURISTS, ENJOY THE CITY AND ITS ATTRACTIONS AND CULTURE, TRAVEL AROUND THIS ABSOLUTELY AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY, AND THEN COME VISIT US AGAIN SOME OTHER TIME. YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME BACK FOR ANOTHER VISIT.
THIS PAST SPRING AND SUMMER, I AM GOING TO SHARE FOUR PERSONAL CELEBRATIONS OF JUST HOW MUCH FUN WE CUENCANOS HAVE WHETHER WE ARE NATIVES OR TRANSPLANTS. WHILE WE HOPEFULLY WAIT FOR THE RETURN OF PERPETUAL PARADES AND FESTIVALS BEGINNING IN NOVEMBER, AFTER THREE YEARS OF LOCK-DOWNS AND DELAYS.
JERRY RAMOS' BIRTHDAY PARTY
JERRY'S PARTY WAS HELD AT LA TAPITA SPANISH RESTAURANT. THE RESTAURANT HAS EXCELLENT SPANISH FOOD. IT HAS BECOME SO POPULAR THAT I THINK IN ANOTHER YEAR, THEY MAY HAVE TO FIND A LARGER SPACE. THE OWNERS ARE SPOUSES JORGE MONTANA FROM MADRID, SPAIN, AND HIS WIFE JANNETT BARBA WHO IS FROM QUITO. THEIR RESTAURANT IS LOCATED AT CALLE ARRYAN Y AVENIDA AMERICAS, ONE BLOCK FROM CALLE ORDONEZ-LASSO.
JORGE AND JANNETT HAVE BECOME VERY GOOD FRIENDS OF JERRY RAMOS AND MYSELF. EARLIER THIS YEAR WE CELEBRATED JANNETTE'S "16th" BIRTHDAY AT JUAN CARLOS' OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT, TIESTO'S.
BELOW IS ANNA LUISA ALVARACIN CABREA AND HER DAUGHTER, VICTORIA,WHO WERE TWO OF THE GUESTS.
Link for the video on YouTube (Click on the link above):
BIRTHDAY GIRL JANNETT AND JORGE. JORGE IS HAMMING IT UP FOR THE CAMERA.
JANNETT AND JORGE IN A MORE STANDARD POSE.
JORGE HAD TO COME TO ECUADOR TO FIND HIS LIFE-TIME SWEETHEART IN JANNETT. THE LADIES IN SPAIN JUST CAN'T MEASURE UP IN BEAUTY AND CLASS WITH ECUATORIANAS. ISN'T THAT RIGHT, JORGE?
BELOW IS PAULINE FARREN, JERRY RAMOS AND JANNETT. THE MASK MAN IS A WAITER, NOT A DESPERADO.
PAULINE, LIKE ME. LIVED A NUMBER OF YEARS IN THE CHICAGO AREA.
JORGE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY (Monday, September 19th)
ON THE LEFT IS ERNESTO LOUCEL, ALBERT PAUTA, LUCIA CURNON. ALONG THE BACK WALL IS EDGAR ORTEGA, JANNETT BARBA, J0-ANNE
ABOVE IS CESAR NAPANGA, WHO IS PERUVIAN. HIS WIFE IS ESTHER, WHO IS THE BLONDE IN THE VIDEO BELOW. ESTHER IS VENEZUENLAN. CESAR MET ESTHER IN VENEZUELA. THE COUPLE LIVED IN VENEZUELA, AND WITHIN A WEEK AFTER HUGO CHAVEZ WAS ELECTED, THEIR PARENTS DIDN'T RAISE NO FOOLS! THEY MOVED TO LIMA, PERU WHERE THEY LIVED FOR ALMOST TWENTY YEARS. THEY MOVED TO CUENCA ABOUT THIRTEEN MONTHS AGO. IN THIS PHOTO WITH CESAR APPEARS MARGARITA AGUIRRE.
BELOW WAS OUR SINGER FOR THE EVENING, UMBERTO BALLONE, JANNETT AND JORGE
BELOW AT HER FIESTA BEST IS MARGARETA AGUIRRE, FERNANDO AND LOURDES FERNANDEZ
ABOVE IS PRISCILA AND JORGE MOSQUERA
Link for the video on YouTube (Click on the link above):
LOURDES FERNANDEZ, NINOSKA QUINTUNA, NINOSKA QUINTANA, JAVIER VINTIMILLA
MARGARITA AGUIRRE, FERNANDO AND LOURDES FERNADES.
BELOW IS JOSE MOSQUREA, 13 YEAR OLD ALVARO, SON OF JORGE AND JANNETT.
JERRY RAMOS' WELCOME HOME PARTY
AFTER A THREE MONTH ABSENCE, JERRY RETURNED FROM THE STATES TO CUENCA. MANY OF US HAD NOT SEEN ONE ANOTHER SINCE BEFORE JERRY LEFT, SO WE HAD A ROLICKING GOOD TIME CATCHING UP AT EL PEDREGAL AZTECA MEXICAN RESTAURANT. CUENCA HAS BEEN BLESSED WITH A NUMBER OF QUALITY MEXICAN RESTAURANTS AND I FIND AZTECA'S FAJITAS TO BE THE BEST IN THE CITY.
ABOVE ARE BROTHERS ESTEBAN AND ANDRES RIOS; CAMERON NEELY, WHO IS VISITING FOR SIX MONTHS IN ECUADOR, AND IS A SPANISH MAJOR AT YALE; AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST IS MARIA ROSA, MOTHER OF THE THREE RIOS BROTHERS.
ANDRES, ESTEBAN, AND MATHIAS RIOS DECIDING WHAT TO ORDER.
ABOVE IS CYNTHIA MILLS, JERRY RAMOS, AND SIEG AND KAREN BRAUM.
ABOVE IS EVERYBODY'S FAVORITE SPANISH TEACHER ANA LUISA ALVARRACIN CABREA, CYNTHIA MILLS, AND JERRY RAMOS IN THE SHADOWS.
ABOVE AND BELOW IS JERRY RAMOS, SIEG AND KAREN BRAUM, JIM MOLA, AND PAULINE FERREN
BELOW IS MATHIAS RIOS, SIEG AND KAREN BRAUM,
AND SANTIAGO MOLA
BELOW IS SHERRY NADEU, LINDA AND RAY LEWIS
BELOW JERRY, SIEG AND KAREN, AND JAIME
IT SEEMS TO BE A POPULAR THING IN RECENT YEARS TO COME UP WITH NEW COCTAILS BY MIXING BEER WITH SOME WHISKEY, TEQUILA, RUM, VODKA--YOU NAME IT. I ORDERED A DRINK LIKE THAT ONCE. IT WAS ATROCIOUS. I HAD TO ORDER SOMETHING ELSE, BUT I STILL HAD TO PAY FOR MY FIRST DRINK. I LATER TRIED A SIP OF SOMEONE'S BEER-LIQUOR COMBINATION--NEVER AGAIN. WHAT A WAY TO RUIN GOOD ALCOHOL!
MARIA ROSA AND CAMERON NEELEY TOOK THE PLUNGE, AND FOUND IT AGREEABLE.
BELOW IS JERRY, SIEG AND KAREN.
HAIL, HAIL, THE GANG'S ALMOST ALL HERE. ON THE LEFT IS JERRY RAMOS, SIEG AND KAREN BRAUM, JIM MOLA, PAULINE FARREN, SHERRY NADEAU, LINDA LEWIS WITH HUSBAND RAY SITTING AT THE FAR END OF THE TABLE. COMING DOWN THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PHOTO IS MARIA ROSA, CAMERON NEELEY, ANDRES RIOS, MATHIAS RIOS, ANNA LUISA, AND CYNTHIA MILLS.
MISSING IS LOREN AND NANCY KUHNE. NANCY WAS UNDERGOING HIP SURGERY AS SOON AS SHE OVERCAME A BLOOD INFECTION. NANCY WAS A STAR. HER SURGERY WENT SPLENDIDLY, AND SHE HAS BEEN A CHAMPION WITH HER THERAPY SESSIONS. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE TWO OF THEM REJOINING US IN FUTURE OUTINGS.
Many talented people pass through Cuenca residing for a few months, a few years, or they become life-long residents. Some are writers, comedians, singers, dancers, actors, artists, or who worked at careers involving world-wide travel and jobs of diplomatic and contracted global implications. There is always fascinating people to meet and in some cases to befriend in Cuenca. Roberto Brinkmoeller is one of those gringos who came to Cuenca as an accomplished pianist, and in his retirement enjoyed playing at the only two establishments that have grand pianos in Cuenca. The hotel Mansion Alcazar has a grand piano, in a beautiful setting where there are evenings when song and piano music flows. The other grand piano is found in Creta Restaurant located in Mal Del Rio, a cloth table restaurant of class with good food at reasonable prices. Roberto has played in both of them.
Roberto just returned to the United States for what is to be his third attempt at permanency back in the states. Each time his relocation has always brought him back to Cuenca. At 85 years of age, he appears to be be going strong, doesn't look his age, and we hope he will return to Cuenca again. For those who fall in love with Cuenca, it's very difficult to leave.
It has been difficult for Roberto as two of his closest friends, Bob and Dori Hoerster have returned to Texas and are in ill health. This video was created as a tribute to them and to their memories of the beauty of Cuenca and the many friends they left behind. Mathias Rios, the creator of the video, completed it just the day before Robert took his flight back to the United States. I hope you enjoy both the piano performances and the delightful scenery and views of Cuenca.
If anybody has even tasted Deep Dish Chicago Style Pizza in Chicago, at one of
the top deep-dish pizzerias like Gino's East, Uno's, or Lou Malnati's of my
generation, back when Deep Dish became the craze in Chicago during the 60's and
70's; they were in for a savory pizza delight unknown to the world at that time. People thought nothing in the coldest Chicago winter nights to wait outside these restaurants in line for 45 minutes to an hour to get a seat, and then wait another hour before the pizza was baked and served. In the last twenty years, folks would stand in line and place their order on some electronic gizmo, and now on their cell phones and have the pizzas about ready by the time they are seated. But back in the good, old days, the rugged baby-boomers would stand out in the freezing, windy Chicago weather just for the honor of having a seat of privilege at the table of exceptionally yearned for deep dish pizza.
Back in these early days of deep-dish mania, there was fierce competition
especially between Uno’s and Gino’s East restaurants in Chi-Town. Everybody had their favorite of the two, much like the rivalry between
the White Sox and the Cubs, and never the twain shall meet. It was amazing
how heated folks could get over which pizzeria had the best deep-dish--Uno's or Gino's East.
Today,
whenever I go home to visit family, we always make a trek to the south suburb
of Homewood, Illinois, at Aurelio’s which in my opinion has the best deep-dish
in the Chicago area. Of course, new
places have also sprouted up in recent years, which many millennials prefer,
because the younger generations like places that they feel have their
stamp of approval. Also, many of the
branches are not always up to the quality of the original pizzeria. I had a deep-dish at Unos in Baltimore Harbor a few years ago. It was good, but somehow just wasn't quite the same taste as the original Unos on Ohio Street in Chicago.
Thin crust pizza over the last twenty years has made a come back in Chicago, although it never really disappeared. More people today are weight conscious, and I was surprised to learn that Uno's is dropping deep-dish pizza in all of their restaurants across the nation. The powers that be claim it is too time consuming to make and bake and requires to many ingredients. In other words, they are more concerned with maximizing profit, and moving people along more quickly in their restaurants. American culture is way past the point of having respect for tradition over profits.
Chicago
style deep-dish pizzas are built in the following order: homemade thick crust, hefty amounts of mozzarella cheese, toppings, fresh tomato sauce or tomato slices. Each has its own unique taste, and the crusts can
vary in taste and texture. Gino’s East uses a buttery tasting
crust for example, and the pizzas are furthered custom-made by the choices
customers choose to add.
When deep dish first began in Chicago, before the original outlets would move across the country, sausage had always been the favorite
meat on pizzas in the Chicago market. I discovered while a grad
student in the late 70's at NYU, that pepperoni was the big favorite, and thin crust was the Big
Apple’s style. I never had a pepperoni pizza until I attended school in NYC. Later, pepperoni as a pizza topping became a big choice in Chicago as well.I don’t know what the ratio between pepperoni and
sausage choices are in Chicago today.
Another
absolute favorite is Giordano's, which appeared in 1974, and was a quick
favorite of the Deep-Dish Stuffed Pizza crowd.
The stuffed pizza requires two layers of crust. The bottom layer is layered with an ubiquitous
amount of mozzarella cheese from the cheese capital of the U.S.A.—the state of
Wisconsin. Another layer of crust is
added and then the tomato sauce and toppings are added with a sprinkling of
cheese.
Unlike
Ecuador where pizza has rapidly grown in popularity over the last decade. Ecuadorian pizza is thin crust, and often
little if any tomato sauce is used.
Ecuadorians prefer their pizza primarily with cheese, and various meat
and vegetable toppings. A small number
of pizzerias attempted deep dish pizza. A
couple of them even claimed they were serving authentic Chicago style deep-dish
pizza. None of them even came close. Usually the toppings where sparse and the Mozzarella not as deep, because
the price of the pizza had to correlate with the income level of most
Ecuadorians.
Then
miracle of miracles! I am eating in Kolibri
Restaurant in Hotel Carvallo, located at 9-52 Gran Colombia on the north side
of the street between Avenidas Benigno Malo and Padre Aguirre(099 269 9659 or 096 411 8205). They make an absolutely fabulous lamb shank in
red wine reduction sauce. The taste is
fantastic, and the meat just falls off the bone. The
hotel and restaurant, owned by a Guatemalan family, who among their many
international items on the menu also offer some very good Guatemalan stews of
either beef or chicken, which are delicious, worth raving about, and quite
reasonable in price.The restaurant is
attractive, with a nice ambience, and has a large dining room perfect for large
family and business gatherings.
It
was here at Kolibri that Josue, an attentive, efficient and likable waiter, and
family member, asked me which city I was from in the states. When I mentioned Chicago, Josue excitedly
told me that his sister, Arlene Meneses, the chef at Kolibri's, who has culinary training and
worked in several restaurants in cities in the states, including New York City, can make fabulous Chicago
style deep-dish pizza.
I trusted Chef Arlene’s other dishes, so without
sampling the pizza, which is not on the menu, but must be ordered in advance; I
gathered eleven of my friends, and we made a night of it this past Thursday
evening.Everybody was very pleased with
the outcome, including those who prefer thin
crust pizza.The pizza had a very good
crust, that is neither like a cracker crust nor like bread, and was four inches deep, and baked to perfection.
All of us either pre-ordered pepperoni or sausage,
although we also had a plain cheese or ham as choices. The mozzarella was raved
about as friends commented on the rich flavor, the extensive amount and the high
quality of the cheese, fresh Italian spices were used as well.Chef Arlene had cooked peppers, onions, and
mushrooms, placed on the table so we could add them to our pizza.I wasn’t sure how well having these condiments
would work out since these ingredients are usually baked in the pizza, but it
worked out just fine and they were delicious as we added them onto the pizza to our amount and liking.Even the grated parmesan to sprinkle
on the pizza was tasty, fresh, and not salty.
The above photo is one of my favorites, although Sieg and Karen Braum may never speak to me again. Don't they look like they arrived with five shots each of double tequila under their belts?
Below, always playful Sieg is being comical for the photo. While Karen is looking chic with her shorter hairdo.
In the photo below, Sieg is being serious, while Karen looks like she swallowed the canary. I wonder what she knows that she is not telling us?
Below is Ed Green and his lady friend, Osisris.
It
takes an hour to bake Arlene’s deep-dish pizza, so we arranged to have the
pre-orders placed in advance, Arlene could already assemble the pizzas, and begin baking
them a half an hour before we arrived.
Then when we arrived, we could order our drinks, and converse awhile,
while we snacked on some nuts and seeds while we waited for our order.
Below is Kolibri Restaurant within Hotel Carvallo.
Above, the Rios brothers, Mathias, Andres, and Esteban.
Below, the tall friend in Red is Loren Kuehne.
Below between Jerry in the yellow shirt and me in the blue shirt is Maria Rosa standing, mother to the three Rios jovens.
Below is Estaban Rios, Jerry Ramos, Mathias Rios, and Jim Mola
When the pizza did arrive, it was served hot right out of the oven. I love the gooiness of the mozzarella as it stretches from the pan to the serving utensil while the waiters attempt to put a slice on our plates, and repeatedly try to get all the stretched cheese onto the plate. A true Chicago ritual.
I
wanted to invite a large group of friends, but Josue had to remind me that
Kolibri is not a pizzeria, with multiple ovens just to make pizza. They could only bake a maximum of four pan
pizzas at a time. The slices are very
big, and while some of us ordered two slices, we all took the second slice home
with us as the one slice was very filling.
Also, we wanted to save a little room for dessert.
Kolibri has fabulous desserts.I have had the burnt, fig cheesecake, which may
not sound very appetizing.However, it was
quite good and something different to enjoy.The chocolate mouse is outstanding, as is their other cheesecake options.
Below, the chocolate mousse
The overwhelming dessert choice of the night by practically
everybody was Baked Alaska.I
only had this dessert once in Mumbai, India.I wasn’t impressed.It was too
sugary.However, Chef’s Arlene’s Baked
Alaska had a perfect crust or cake layer on the bottom, delicious layers of various flavors of
ice cream, topped off with meringue.As
an adult, I’ve never been fond of meringue, but I had never tasted Chef’s
Arlene’s meringue before, it was incomparable in taste and texture. The entire
pastry is one of the best you will find in Cuenca.I don’t think Baked Alaska is normally on the
Kolibri dessert menu, so I would suggest that when you make reservations for possibly four or more
people, you can request the Baked Alaska a day or two before your dining night. It would be well worth the effort.
As
for the pizza, it truly was as good as any of the best Chicago style deep-dish
pizzas, I have had in the Windy City.We
paid Chicago prices, but it was worth it.One pan of four large slices, four inches deep is $30.50, two slices from the pan would be $15.25, and one slice, if four people share a pan is $7.13 each, which
is not bad for a slice of pizza that is filling, and that will leave you swooning for more, just like when the
moon hits you eye like a big pizza pie that’s amore.Top it off with Baked Alaska for dessert, and
you will have an evening to remember, and something unique in Cuenca’s culinary
offerings.
To see the short video of the evening while being serendaded by Dean Martin, either click on the box below or on the You Tube link:
It was in December of 2009 that I accidentally turned to Yahoo during one Christmas vacation morning and saw the list for the ten best cities in which to retire. Cuenca which I had never heard of before was listed as number one. Only Cuenca of the top ten cities did I not find anything negative. I began my research of Cuenca, and fell in love with it before I even made my exploratory journey of one month to this South Andean city in July/August of 2010. My greatest fear was that there was no way Cuenca could live up to my expectations. However, when the month came to completion, I did not want to leave. I retired in January of 2011, and moved to Cuenca the following March. I don't know where the time has gone. On one hand, my visit of 2010 seems so long ago after all the multitudinous changes that have taken place in my life since then. On the other hand, my time here has gone by so fast that it is scary to think how quickly the next few years of my life will speed by as well. The beautiful thing is that Cuenca is my home, and I did not choose Cuenca. It truly was destiny that led me to this beautiful city in the mountains.
