25th May'My House is your House' said a man as we arrived on our bus in Cuenca Bus station. Louis was was his name and being tired and weary from travelling 6.5 hours by bus we agreed to stay with him. $5 a night inclugin breakfast couldn't be that bad.}

We arrived with Loiuis in a taxi to his house and it really was his house. We were shown our room with dodgy electrics and water stained walls. An amazing Pizza then bed.

26th May We visited the museum Banco Centreal which was full of ecuadorian history and a display of the ancient art of 'Shrunken Heads'a ritual performed by Shaman in the jungles of Ecuador. Behind the museum was the ruins of Puma Pungo an Inca ruin which had been made into some lovelly gardens. A stroll round the town to familiarise ourselves and get pur bearings found us outside 'Barranco' a famous Panama Hat making company. So many hats and most don't realise that Cuenca and Ecuador are the true home of the Panama hat!! We visted the cathedral whuch was never completed as the beel towers could not be added because the structure of the cathedral couldn't support the weight, ice cram in the park then home. A fantastic meal at cafe Eucalyptus with a not so live band as they didn't start playing till we left!!

27th May Breakfast with Louis followed by a 2 hour bus ride to Sig-Sig where we were to visit a Sunday market. Locals from all around visit the market to sell & buy. We walked up to the market and were amazed by the the amount of people the noise, the smells, the colours! Everything from livestock, fruit and veg, fish, souveniers. Local women carting huge loads in the sacks on their backs. Tequilla straw everywhere which is used to make the sombreros but none in sight.

We tried empanadas which were cheese filled pastries and sweet pretzels but decided against the live guinea pig!!

Hopped back on the bus to make our way to Chordleg the next market village. Chorleg is famed for its precious metals and filligary jewellery and it didn't disappoint. The main square was surrounded by jewellers with the most intricate works of Gold & Silver.

After a fun hour standing up bus ride we had coffe over looking the river on Cuenca. Mexican food in Blue mondays for dinner and crash.

28th May A visit to the oldest hat maker in town Snr. Alberto Pullo a 80 odd Ecuadorian who had been making hats for 76 years. A lovelly man who was excited to show us his hats and all the press clippings of himself over the years!! A true Ecuadorian celebrity!! He was such a genuine guy and had so much fun with him. After collecting our luggage from Louis we said aour good byes. Louis had been so helpful over the weekend with info on what to do and see that we had grown to really like Cuenca and Louis. Louis ran down the road and got not one but two taxis for us and kept insisting we left Mañana, Mañana!! But we had to leave. A bus back to Guayquil as we were to try an reach the beach for a few days.