Happiness is...

... $0.50 espresso and unexpected free wifi. Ecstatic is the place to myself, finishing the espresso 45 minutes ago and no one bothering me to order anything else.

not Nescafe!

I really, really like Cuenca. The pace is perfect, the town is charming and the people have been so very nice, even with my communication and direction fails today (which I think were more annoying to me than anyone else involved).

Found a great hostel for the next three nights (Posado del Rio) which is in the middle of town but still really quiet, and the two sisters who run it keep it spotless. Unlike last night, sleep should be no problem tonight. I keep saying I am done with dorms but they are fine in general, and I just can't seem to pass up $6 for a bed, shared bathroom and full use of the kitchen. Even though I only eat PB&Js it's nice to make them in a real kitchen. And $6/night for lodging plus $12/week for PB&Js and various supermarket snacks mean I don't feel bad paying for a private tour in the mountains or to fly to Lima instead of taking that treacherous bus ride across the border.

the "dorm"

stairway to nowhere in back of the hostel

Hit a few museums today including a convent and attached Museo de las Conceptas, and now I am going to the final one of the day. I have been trying to reserve museum time for rainy and/or errand days but there are enough in this city to make an interesting culture-filled day of it without spending too much money...

there are so many things wrong with me in a convent... maybe that's why the photo is so dark?

convent bar!

convent rose!

convent... no, just kidding - Prohibido Museo de Arte Extreme aht

D'Hoffryn?

Tomorrow I am off to Parque Cajas for the aforementioned guided hike and maybe a waterfall hike on Thursday. I need about three more years in this country alone. Can't believe Friday is the end of my Ecuador road.

from the hostel balcony