While we went into El Centro but timed it to be after the parades even though last year there was nothing violent, we wanted to avoid the crowds. But a friend, LT Murphy, captured a great video of the event.
Our normal bus had to take a different route due to road closures for the demonstrations, so we had several blocks to walk to our destination. We saw a lot of folks headed out of El Centro, both by foot and car. We also saw the remnants of the extra police brought in - just in case.
{Sorry for the poor quality of some photos, most were taken with my iPhone 3s. Remember you can click to see a larger image.}
We decided to eat lunch at Cafe de Ñucallacta since we needed to buy coffee beans anyway. This was their first day open in their new location and they were offering an expanded menu. What a treat! Three times the size (or maybe more) than their old location, spread over two rooms, it is now open, airy and bright. The furnishings were quite comfortable and the new menu offered a lot of choices. They even had the WiFi working!
I opted for what they call the Wet Burrito with chicken. A flour tortilla, tomato, black beans, cheese, pico de gallo (although it's not what we typically find in the US), chicken and a special sauce. Absolutely delicious and very filling.
Stu opted for the chicken fajita and enjoyed that as well. The little side dish of hot sauce made him sweat a bit, but he loved it.
They also had a dessert counter. We didn't indulge but it looked tasty.
From there we walked down the stairs where a lot of folks were selling jewelry and bags.
Then over to Parque de la Madre where 24 artisans were showing off their wares. A lot of food products, some household decor, toys, clothing, jewelry - it was a feast for the eyes. I was good and didn't find anything that I couldn't live without so we left empty handed.
We took a walking break in the park, enjoying the sights and sounds of children all around us. One family especially enjoyed rolling down the small hills, their trek started by mom pushing them over.
A bus back home and a few final shots.
We ended up with over 7,000 steps although the day ended up over 10k after a twenty minute walk up to meet new friends who had just arrived in Cuenca. Oh, and although it looked like rain off and on all day, we barely got a drop. A good day for sure!
Ciao for now!
