One Saturday I set off with 5 other students from the school to see the smaller towns of Gualaceo and Chordeleg (about 1 hour outside of Cuenca).

Gaulaceo is a pretty town with a hugh fruit and veg market – unfortunately you have to watch your possesions all the time as there are a number of thieves walking around the area and generally come in a group of women.

The food hall was even more entertaining as all meat is on display with heads and all. Apparently the pork (chuncho) is delicious but the surrounding areas are not that clean so we all opted to give it a miss. Outside the food hall is a number of local people around a BBQ cooking some Cuy (Guinea Pig) – I am yet to try this exotic delight and I have a feeling that the family I am staying with will one day bring one home to try!

Along the route we stopped to see how the colorful materials are made for clothes, scarves, ponchos etc. It is all done by hand and for the amount of hard work that goes into making them the price is definately a bargin.

In addition to watching how the clothes are made we also stopped at an Orchid Farm. For those not interested in flowers you would still have found the production and preservation of these delicate floweres interesting. Apparently Ecaudor has over 4000 specices – now aren´t you glad I didn´t take photos of everyone of them 🙂

After having lunch at the river where we were entertained by some really sad music sang by some locals picnicing we went on to Chordeleg. Famous for selling gold and silver – at a very reasonable price!!

After I returned to Cuenca my family came to fetch me to take me to the Zhucar, which is where Alfredo has his a house at the family farm. It was a really lovely home and it reminded me of Dad´s farm in South Africa minus the wild animals – all I saw was cows!!