Eewy Cuy and Shopping

After successful avoidance of the SkyMall catalog on the plane (doesn’t everyone need a giant football helmet- shaped doghouse?- “a must for true fans of the game”), today was our day to explore Cuenca and find some wonderful treasures. Even better, we started the day by seeing Rotary in action: we assisted as translators for the wheelchair distribution coordinated by the Cuenca Tomebamba Rotary Club and the Canadian Rotary District 7010. How amazing, to see the happiness on the faces of young and old, as they received their beautiful new wheelchairs. The families were so grateful, and we were truly honored to have the opportunity to participate in the goodwill created that morning.

Of course, distributing over a hundred wheelchairs in several hours will give one an appetite, so our generous guides for the day (Alicia, Carmen, Maria Eulalia and Marlene) from the Cuenca Patrimonio Rotary Club took us out to enjoy a regional delicacy: cuy. What, you might ask, is cuy? Well, it’s guinea pig, nicely seasoned and spit-roasted to perfection, served with hominy, a side of sancocho (akin to carnitas) and crisp pork skin, and plenty of Coca Cola (don’t bother asking for diet Coke… just enjoy)! They even leave the little claws on, the easier to grasp the drumsticks with. Following brunch, we visited the Military Hospital of Cuenca. There, the Club Patrimonio sponsors cleft-palate surgeries for the poor children in the area (unfortunately, this deformity is quite common in Ecuador). The club sponsors 2 surgeries per week, and to date they have assisted over 480 families in the area, changing the futures of these children who so desperately need blessings in their lives.

Additionally, we visited downtown Cuenca, with narrow cobblestone streets dating back as far as the sixteenth century. We loved the beautiful cathedral with its enormous golden altar and dozens of stained glass windows. The light streaming through the windows was all the more striking due to the darkness inside the church: all over Ecuador, there are roving blackouts which cut off power to homes, businesses, and even streetlights for up to four hours each day in different parts of the city. The root of the problem lies in the fact that the country is in the middle of a prolonged drought (5 months without rain). I know it doesn’t sound like much time to us Californians, but Ecuador relies on hydroelectric power, so no rain= no electricity. We rounded out the day with a visit to the Panama Hat Factory (yes, the famous Panama hats actually originated in Ecuador and are still made here). The factory is owned by Rotarian Gladys Ortega and her family: she generously made certain we all received straw hats before we left, warmed by her friendship and the traditional canelazo cinnamon liquor she served us as well!