I was on a mission. Sick of taking pictures of churches and plazas, I set out that bright Saturday
with the intention of seeing what else the capital of Ecuador’s Azuay Provinces had to offer. Not only had I read about
them, but a few of my fellow CEDEI (Centros de Estudios Interamericanos) teachers
raved about some interesting ruins in the southeast corner of Cuenca’s
historical center. To that end, I went out to search what the hype was all about.
It was 11:00 am
when I started eastward. I sauntered for
several minutes down Calle Larga; the major street running parallel on the
north side of Cuenca’s
Tomebamba River.
As the midday rays scorched my face, I saw a sign with an arrow pointing
to ruins; I opted to descend the Bajada de Todos los Santos. Hardly any time passed before I noticed a
small gated area containing a few rock formations to my left. I glanced at the sign above the entrance and
realized I was looking at the Todos Santos Ruins.
Almost
forty years ago, workers were clearing this area and uncovered some
unusual looking stones. Upon further
digging, rock structures of Cañari, Incan and Spanish origin were
discovered. These ruins consisted of three
distinct building styles, and were eventually put on public display. I was impressed by the remnants of a Spanish
watermill that rested atop smooth Incan stonework and covered rougher Cañari
rocks. As a result, I took a few
pictures of the different construction methods on display and quickly moved on.
Next, I
returned to Calle Larga and continued east for a few more minutes before
arriving at my destination: the Museo del Banco Central. Despite my conclusion that all of the
museum’s floors were decorated with appealing pieces of the city’s past as well
as its pre-Cuencan history, I was truly captivated by the highest level. Featured above were spellbinding, very
elaborate showcases of Ecuador’s various ethnicities. Carefully viewing the
intriguing exhibits for awhile, I then took the advice of my guidebook and
rushed to the green grounds out back.
The Pumapungo
ruins sit on a huge site behind the Museo del Banco Central. Sweating profusely due to the intense sun, I
took dozens of pictures of the pre-Columbian foundations scattered atop a
terraced hill, which overlooked a lush park.
While I followed the snaking paths of the gorgeous greenspace, I noticed
various types of peculiar plants (even cactuses) and crops, such as corn. I meandered past the verdant park’s
pond and circled a small building that housed several kinds of soaring and
tropical birds. There were, in fact, countless
macaws, eagles and amazons. After
digitally preserving many of the colorful birds, I ascended a
steep staircase, which led to the site’s exit.
Quite
satisfied with the day, I still felt a bit disappointed I had to end my visit,
but I was in a hurry. Catching my breath
after struggling with the stairs, I suddenly realized it was just a couple
of minutes before 1:00 PM (closing time); my backpack was still behind the
museum’s ticket counter.