Zig-zagging Cuenca

We download the cameras on a regular basis.  You should, too.  If your camera disappears, you'll still have your pictures. 

Here are some recent walking pics.

In our neighborhood, down at the river. 

Workers have been trimming trees.

New-to-us street art.

A little alley with artists' shops, off of Calle Larga.

Workers at the 3 Nov road construction.

Lovely shawl and black corn display.

Seems to be corn season year-round here. 

A fun woman's restroom sign.

We missed our traditional Sunday Walk and catch-up with the Watsons, but we did walk.   We also walked during the week, but Sunday morning walks are more peaceful with less traffic.

Chuck and Nancy (and other walkers) will recognize these neighborhoods and streets.  You can see we zig-zagged all over this City.

An ice cream sign on Av Lamar.

Watching those feet!

Pretty garden across from the SF Market.  The Chuch on the left was built in 1930.

3D wall mural.

More old beauties.

Feeding the birds. 

Rich and Howard taking a break.

You can see one of the day's walking themes was the Ecuadorian flag.

Rich really enjoyed Jenny's fabulous breakfast at the Kook.

A major fixer-upper.  You can see the old adobe and cane building techniques.

Back to the SF Market early morning.  This vendor had help setting up.

The shopping gals.

Nancy and Barbara always have to look.

Progress at the Round-about -- 27% Done

For those as fascinated as we are by the massive round-about road construction in our neighborhood, here are more progress shots. 

We are amazed by all the progress!

Officials report that the work is 27% complete.  Not sure how they came up with that number, but we can see all the progress, day to day. 

Workers work around the clock.  We can hear the beep-beep and all the trucks and heavy equipment at all hours. 

The good news is that many folks have jobs.

The project is still slated to complete by Nov 2012, just in time for Independence Day!

New Hats

Panama hats are made in Ecuador, not Panama.  Workers wore these hats and made them famous, while working on the Panama Canal.  There are several shops, factories, museums and a whole lot of people making these hats even today, right here in Cuenca.

One day we wanted new hats, so off we went with our friends, Barbara and Howard.

We stopped in again at a shop on Calle Larga with an impressive selection.  Lots to choose from.  We've visited this shop before, but kind of forgot about it.

We tried on many...some could work ok for us, some were just for fun.  We both wanted flexible, soft ones that could easily fit into a shopping bag when we didn't need them. 

We also wanted them to have a wide enough brim and solid weave that would protect us in the blaring sunlight (but not too wide, too heavy, too hard, too floppy or too white).  Our search was more for practical, not so much for fashion.

Old hat presses still in use.

Modeling hats.

Just right for the Kentucky Derby!

Some art work in the shop.

Panama hats are popular here!

We did find the perfect hats for us and had fun looking, too.

This shop and museum is near the 10 de Agosto market on Calle Larga.

 You'll see the huge Panama Hat on the outside of the building.