Lost My Heart in Cuenca! | An Indian in Ecuador 🇪🇨 Ep. 52

In a city where four rivers flow, shaped like a basin, lies one of the world’s most remarkable places. It is a city from which the highest number of flowers are exported globally. The climate remains pleasant throughout the year, ranging between 10°C and 20°C. It is also a city where you can drink water directly from the rivers and even from the tap. Surrounded by beautiful mountains, welcome to Cuenca, Ecuador.

Namaskar, Salaam, Sat Sri Akal, and Ram Ram to everyone. Once again, welcome to the 135th country of my world cycling journey – Ecuador, and to its beautiful city, Cuenca. It is Ecuador’s third-largest city, with a population of around 700,000 people.

I would call this the city of churches. I have travelled extensively, but I have never seen so many churches in a single city. There must be at least 50–60 churches in this relatively small city. Wherever you go, you will find another church. So, let us begin with this beautiful church in front of us, built on 25 December 1924. Let’s go inside and have a look.

Inside, there is a museum as well. Unfortunately, it remains closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

In the previous video, you saw that I had arrived in Cuenca and checked into a hotel. Nearby, there is this bridge, although the road ahead has been closed after the river. It is a bridge from the Spanish colonial era. Around here, you can still find many Spanish-era buildings and houses. Some examples can be seen all around, and you will also notice French architectural influences. Nowadays, many of the houses have been renovated, but some traditional structures still remain.

We need to continue along this route. You can see that part of the bridge has collapsed ahead. Four rivers flow through this city, and there is an interesting fact about them – all four eventually join the Amazon River.

What’s fascinating is that the Pacific Ocean is only about 100 kilometres away, while the Atlantic Ocean lies thousands of kilometres to the east. Yet, the water from these rivers does not flow into the nearby Pacific. Instead, it travels nearly 5,000 kilometres through the Amazon Basin before finally reaching the Atlantic Ocean. That’s because we are currently in the Andes Mountains, at an altitude of around 2,700 metres. The terrain slopes towards the Amazon side, directing the rivers eastward.

Alongside the river, there are beautifully designed stairways. What makes them special are the incredible murals and paintings covering the walls. Across Latin America, wall art is truly impressive. There are also thoughtful facilities here. One side has a lift system for wheelchair users so they can avoid the stairs, while another section has a dedicated ramp for cyclists.

The murals are stunning. One of them is called “Lady of the Leaf”. Nearby is a Punjabi restaurant, and my hotel is located in the same area. There are also several Pakistani restaurants in the neighbourhood.

And once again, another church appears. There is always something happening here – religious ceremonies, cultural events, and community gatherings. Indigenous traditions still have a strong influence on local life. A ceremony has just taken place, perhaps connected to a local ritual or celebration.

This map shows the old city. Just within this area alone, there are more than a dozen churches. Even utility boxes throughout the city are decorated with beautiful artwork.

Here stands one of the city’s two cathedrals. Cuenca has countless churches and two major cathedrals. In some areas, you genuinely feel as though you have stepped back in time. The historic buildings are incredibly beautiful.

I tried flying my drone twice, but the entire city is a restricted zone. Drone flights are not allowed here. Still, the architecture is magnificent. This particular building houses the Consulate of Guatemala.

Now we have arrived at the city centre, where the main cathedral stands. Today, there is also a festival taking place – a sweets and candy exhibition. Local desserts are on display everywhere. Volunteers from the Red Cross are present to ensure everyone’s safety during the event.

This city has truly won my heart. One of the best things about it is how safe it feels. Vendors are selling kiwis, strawberries, oranges, and other fruits. The city centre is beautifully decorated with colourful flowers.

Speaking of flowers, Ecuador exports around eight million flowers every day to Europe and the United States. The flower industry alone is worth approximately one billion US dollars.

Take a look at these local sweets. The atmosphere reminds me of Diwali in India, when sweet shops line the streets. There are chocolates, traditional treats, and many local specialities. I am definitely going to try some of them shortly.

There are not just one or two stalls here – the entire central plaza is filled with sweet vendors and festive displays.

This is the city centre, and a programme is taking place here. There seems to be some construction work going on, which is probably why they have closed off the central area. Even so, the place looks absolutely beautiful. Since it is festival time, the atmosphere is even more vibrant.

Look, this lady is selling lottery tickets. And over here, there are shops set up inside as well.

I have now come to the other side of the church. Let’s see whether I get a chance to go inside. This church was built in the 1800s.

This is the main church. Just look at how beautiful it is. Isn’t it amazing? Let me go inside – it is even more impressive from within. It is incredibly large, spacious, and beautifully designed. This is the magnificent San Francisco Church.

There are flowers everywhere, making it even more attractive. I asked about the tickets.

“How much is it?”

“One dollar. The next tour is in one hour.”

“Okay.”

For one dollar, they offer a one-hour guided city tour. Since the next tour starts in an hour, I thought I might join it if I get the opportunity.

This chocolate shop is quite famous here. Ecuador produces a large amount of cacao, so its chocolate is well known around the world. Areas close to the equator are ideal for growing cacao and coffee. As a result, both Ecuadorian chocolate and coffee are extremely popular.

Look at this place – they have parked a vehicle inside and decorated the area beautifully. I thought I would stop for a coffee before continuing. I bought a coffee for two dollars and enjoyed it before heading back towards my hotel.

My hotel is in the building next to this one. Just look at these buildings – they are so beautiful. Some have been painted in bright colours, but the original architecture itself is impressive.

Over there is a technical college, and right beside it is my hotel. It is a good hotel. They have given it a lovely design. My room is upstairs. I will charge my camera for a few minutes and then head out again.

A little later, I boarded the sightseeing bus.

Wow! Now I am on the bus. Sitting on the upper deck will give us a fantastic view of the city. Let’s sit here. The front seats are occupied, but this spot is good too.

The bus charged me two dollars. Normally they charge ten dollars, so I got lucky. Behind me, you can see the beautiful cathedral.

The guide said there would be an English commentary, although I wasn’t entirely sure how much I would understand.

During the journey, the guide explained that these are the remains of the Inca civilisation. The Inca Empire had two important capitals – one was Cusco, and the other was this city, Cuenca.

The name “Cuenca” means “basin”, which makes sense because the city sits in a bowl-shaped valley surrounded by mountains. Cusco and Machu Picchu are similarly located in mountainous terrain.

The bus continued through the city and eventually climbed to a hilltop. From there, we could see the entire city, the rivers, and the surrounding landscape.

The bus dropped us at a viewpoint and informed us that we could return using any bus later.

This is the highest point of the city. Several viewpoints have been built here, and many of them also have churches nearby. Let me show you the views.

People have created different observation points here. The sight from the top is absolutely breathtaking. The city stretches far into the distance and looks spectacular from above.

After spending some time there, I boarded the bus again. This time I got a seat at the front, which offered even better views.

Ahead of us was the city’s largest shopping mall. The bus then passed through the old streets, giving us wonderful views of the historic architecture and churches.

We eventually returned towards the city centre.

This appears to be the local food market. There was smoke everywhere and a strong smell from the food stalls. I stepped out briefly to show it to you.

Here they roast bananas, which actually taste very good. Roasted bananas develop a flavour somewhat similar to tamarind.

Our sightseeing tour was now complete, and I started heading back to the hotel.

Near the hotel lives a gentleman originally from Bahadurgarh, and today happens to be his birthday. I planned to visit him for a while before returning to the hotel to rest.

Tomorrow morning, I will begin a new ride towards Quito. Quito is about 450 kilometres from here. It will probably take three or four days to reach because the route passes through mountainous terrain. It may even take a little longer, but let’s see how it goes.

I shot this video on 6 June. Now let’s see how many days later I finally upload it.

Until the next video, stay happy, stay busy, stay cheerful, and stay healthy.

Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!