Sundays on Solano

There is more to life than increasing its speed… …Mahatma Gandhi

I have always guarded my Sundays like a sentry on duty at the gate. My preference is a quiet Sunday, hoping for rain, so I can permit myself to do nothing – all day. Sundays allow me to think. To engage all my senses. To daydream. To open the door of creativity. To listen to French – jazzy vocals.

My first sighting of Cuenca, Ecuador, came on a chilly, misty Sunday morning, walking into Parque Caldron. The soft sound of a romantic Bolero serenading the mostly empty Parque drifted along on a slight breeze. As we followed the pathway, I was startled by the voracity of emotions I felt. I turned to my husband and said, “this is it. This is where I want to live, here in Cuenca.”

And here we are, three years later. On a Sunday, writing this post. We live on Av. Fray Vicente Solano. Otherwise known as Solano. Solano is the main thoroughfare running north and south, from the Rio Tomebamba to the Rio Yanuncay. The four lanes of traffic are divided by a wide, expansive, well-manicured, green space lined with mature trees, benches, and statues. It’s a bit like a two-mile-long park running down the middle of the Avenida. Usually, you’ll see two mounted policepersons riding their horses, down the green center, toward the river on the weekend evenings.

The Quiet

Sunday’s on Solano allows you a window into the life of the city. By early afternoon, you’ll see families walking together, heading into El Centro. Mom and dad and a couple of kids, all walking along, holding hands. On the center green, the benches will have friends catching up on stories. Couples of all ages walking and playing catch with their dogs. Traffic is at a minimum. All movement seems in slow motion. The Avenida is close to spotless. Every morning, including Sunday, you will see two maintenance workers dressed in green overalls and caps, pushing a large cart and sweeping the sidewalks running along with the green space.

There is a serenity that resides here, in Cuenca. The energy that fills a small city is evident during the week. But, come Sunday, the page is turned toward the family and friends. Most restaurants are closed, as are most of the stores throughout El Centro, the city’s historical center.

An afternoon stroll

As you walk south along Solano, the view is altered subtly. You can begin, just down the steps from the Historical Center, crossing the Rio Tomabama and Av. Doce de Abril onto Solano. You are immediately transported out of history and into the 21st century. The commercial low-rises, banks, buses, and the first of the three schools lining the Avenida come into view. Interspersed with the businesses are lovely older homes, most walled in for privacy and a few taken over as commercial business. As you move along toward Turi, the commercial spaces give way to more homes on larger lots as the view becomes more residential, with mature trees and flower beds in bloom. As you near the Rio Yanuncay and the base of Turi, it becomes more tranquil and relaxed.

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The four seasons

As I sit here typing, I am serenaded by the continual rumble of thunder booming over the Andes Mountains with my sirene view of the church steeple a block away. One of the many joys of living in Cuenca is the advantage of having at least three of the four seasons in one day. Today began with the crisp breeze of fall, morphing into a touch of spring for a few moments and now reminding us that we in the southern hemisphere are moving into winter. No matter the season, we are surrounded by natural beauty and the kind faces of the Cuancanos that have called this area home for centuries.

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Surrounding Solano are numerous Mercado’s. A larger one a block east has everything from veggies to a cobbler/shoemaker. My favorite is a Tuesday morning family-owned farmer, pictured above on the flatbed. Dos Sucres is a wonderful restaurant that hosts the produce farmer and family. Everything is picked that morning or just the day before. The flavor is beyond compare.

Well, friends, this has been my hood since we moved here. It’s a wonderful combination of motion and serenity. We’ve made incredible friends. Every day we are grateful to be living here, and I am so grateful that you stopped by for a visit…Gracias. xok