On the road to Cuenca...

We left Banos by private transit for a long ride to our next stop the city of Cuenca. As we leaving we got some good views of the Tungura Volcano that were obscured when we were in the town.

We drove through so many stunning landscapes especially fertile lands which feed the people of Ecuador. Even though the people are poor they usually own enough land to grow produce to feed themselves and a little left over to sell at the market.

On our way we stopped at the oldest church in Ecuador which was established by the Spaniards on their conquest in 1524. It was a very simple stone church called Iglesia de Balbanea with very thick walls...

We also passed by many small indigenous towns with people dressed in traditional clothes depending on which region they were from, the difference may be in the color they wore or even a hat unique to each place.

Waiting for the bus...

Having a rest...

We then stopped in a town for lunch, can't remember the name, that was a main centre for the region, we didn't eat but walked around looking at the sights especially the colorful clothes.

 Love his red poncho 

 On the main street...

Three in a row...

 Don actually felt tall here given how short everyone else was...

 Beautiful embroidered fabrics...

 Having her shoes shined...

I just loved the blue on yellow in this picture.

As we drove along the countryside I noticed many large homes that looked empty and remembered that our guide had told us about the amount of money that is sent to Ecuador every year in the form of remittances. This is money that Ecuadorians who have moved to work in other countries send back home to help their families and build homes for when they return home. In 2013 the World Bank estimated that there was over 2.5 million sent to Ecuador mostly from USA and Spain.

Big homes for a rural landscape.

We also stopped at Ecuador's most important archaeological site called Ingapirca which are the largest Inca ruins in the country. It was built on a site originally settled by the Canari indigenous people. It is beautifully preserved...

 From a distance...

The surrounding landscape, we were imagining what it must have looked like in the time of the Incas.

 A view from the Temple of the Sun which is the most significant building on the site which is constructed in the Inca way without mortar.

 A group shot, still smiling after sitting in a van together all day!


And a picture with a smiling local woman who was glad to have her picture taken for a dollar.

More driving and almost into Cuenca which made for a long day but another beautiful view of this amazing country, Ecuador.

Small villages as we drove.

Valleys and hills everywhere...

The official Ecuador tourist sign...

Colourful like the country! Now on to Cuenca...