Cuenca is a magical place and no wonder why artists, students and tourists all flock there. Its cobblestone streets, old-world cathedrals, colonial parks and urban rivers draw you in for more and for any artist or writer looking for inspiration, Cuenca promises to deliver. Cuencan culture and history are thoroughly represented throughout the country. It’s the capital of the Azuay province, the third largest city in Ecuador, and the economic center of the southern Sierra.
This uniqueness, together with Cuenca’s incredibly preserved history, earned Cuenca the honor of being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Trust site. Take a look at the 20 chosen photos below, which were not chosen because they were the best of my collection of hundreds that I took, but for their diversity so you can get a flavor of the old and the new of this charming Ecuador town.
A local woman shopping a few streets north of Cuenca’s very picturesque river.
Chatting in the Square. Or perhaps negotiating.
It seems as if every Ecuador town and city has its fair share of graffiti and of course, murals.
Loved her face. Seems like she has so much to say and to much wisdom to share.
Two young men in the back of a pick-up truck on their way to the market.
Inside Courtyard of Mansion Alcazar, one of the most upscale hotels and restaurants in Cuenca, if not the most.
There were plenty of stunning natural wood and painted wood doors throughout the town.
A bit of Puma with Classic Indigenous Attire?
Murals along the wall not far from the river.
Selling fruit near the main square.
A vendor set up in San Francisco Square.
Market Time.
Parque Calderón, which is the city’s main plaza and the spot around which Cuenca revolves. The impressive New Cathedral (Catedral de la Inmaculada) and its huge blue domes dominate the plaza. On the opposite side of the plaza is the Old Cathedral (El Sagrario).
Some of the buildings are being worn away but none of it detracts from the town’s beauty and charm.
Inside Look at one of the narrow hallways that you walk through; it’s another world behind those old Victorian and beautifully painted doors.
A little boy helps his mother sell fruit from a moving stand in the center of town.
Argentine-born Artist Ariel Dawi in his studio in Cuenca:
Graffiti and art combined.
She was sitting along the stairs that brought you down to Cuenca’s enchanting river.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
