A Parade of Nuns

Sunday we 'happened' upon a parade at the Square.  We're still trying to figure out what the occasion was...

There was a banner in the beginning but we couldn't get close enough to read it.






Then a HUGE banner about a block long!
Lots of nuns and students carrying it somewhere.

Here are the students at the end of the parade.

There was also a spirited marching band (and, yes, they played "Chola Cuencana"!)











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The children were having a great time posing for pictures with the cars. 

These cars seem to be more popular than the horses.

Note the girls posing nicely.

Here are a couple busy little boys, taking the car apart.

What you don't see is the back wheel off and leaning on the fence.

Dad intervened right after this picture was taken.

A family posing with the best prop of all!

We weren't the only photographers... this little girl was taking a picture of her parents.

Just another fun and relaxing Sunday.

Av Solano and a History Lesson

More walking pictures through the sidewalk construction on Av Solano.  It's always amazing to us that we see real progress each day we walk this route to town.

Supplies on site.

If you enlarge these pics, there are lots of interesting details...

Nancy is still worried about the trees.

Street art along Av Solano.

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One early Sunday we walked the middle of Av Solano.  We wanted to check out all the monuments when the traffic was more peaceful.  All of the statues are of famous men in Cuenca's history. All are slated to be repaired later this year.

Here is Fray Vicente Solano.
Cuenca-born in the late 1700's, he was a Priest, journalist, writer.

Most of the statues appear to be dated in the 1950's-60's...time to repair and renovate along with the street work.

Dr Andres F Cordova.

Dr Cordova was schooled in Cuenca, then went into politics.  He was President of Ecuador in the 60's.

Dr Benigno Malo (across from the high school  named for him).
He was an educator, diplomat, politician, lawyer.

We wish we knew the story of the women on this monument.  Perhaps they were added to provide 'balance' with all the men...

We think these internal walkways will become the 3rd lanes on Av Solano.

More famous men from Cuenca's history books.
The plaques will be more readable when the renovation is done.

We think one of the statues is Remigio Crespo Toral.  (Lawyer, journalist, poet).

We caught this pic of a plane flying low over the area.  One of the first commercial flights of the day.

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Another fun picture of street entertainers on another day, another walk on another street.









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We hope all who celebrated USA's 4th of July had a fun day!  We spent the day with good friends and a lot of delicious, USA-inspired food!

A feast!  Ribs, salads, desserts and so much more.
All a little taste of past 4th's.........yum!

Early Sunday

We really enjoy getting up and out early on a Sunday morning.  Quiet and peaceful, compared to the weekdays full of traffic and noise.

Cute doggie enjoying the sunshine.

No rain, no hot, perfect walking weather.

Along the river.

River was low on this Sunday, no rain for a few days.

Fun to see Cuenca wake up.  Early deliveries at the Square.

Vendors setting up at the Flower Market.

Shops are still closed.

Quiet streets..

Some serious locks on these doors.

Fun signs along the way.

We always expect this wall to fall over any minute.

The fountain in San Sebastian Square greeted us on the way to breakfast.












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We love the birds!