cuenca, ecuador: my soggy, number-filled nightmare

okay, so i'm in cuenca, ecuador, and i think the weather is trying to drown me. it's 11.62°c right now, but with 97% humidity, it feels like i'm breathing soup. my phone says 'feels like 11.37°c' which is a lie because it feels colder when you're soaked. i just checked and it's...well, it's exactly that, hope you like that kind of thing.

i arrived two days ago with a backpack full of damp clothes and a hostel booking number: 3654667. simple, right? but then everywhere i go, i see this number. on a receipt for a $0.50 coffee, on a wall graffiti, even on the bus ticket. it's like the city is stalking me with digits. and 1218739896 - i got that from a street vendor who sold me an empanada for $1. he whispered it like a secret code. 'call me if you need more,' he said, winking. sure, dude.

cuenca is this picturesque colonial city, but right now it's gray and wet. the cobblestones are slick, the churches are majestic but dreary. i embedded a map so you can see the layout:



i'm staying at hostel 'la casona' which costs $8 per night. found it on tripadvisor with great reviews, but when i got here, the wifi was down and the shower had cold water. someone told me that the reviews are from when they renovated two years ago. classic.

for food, i'm surviving on almuerzos. there's a place called 'menu del dia' on calle sucre that does a set lunch for $2.50. i looked it up on yelp but beware, the rice is sometimes undercooked. i heard from a local that 'if it's mushy, it's old rice, so avoid.' helpful.

if you get bored, guayaquil's malecón is a 6-hour bus away, or quito's historic center is 8 hours. both are expensive and touristy, so i'm sticking to cuenca's free parks. the park in the center is nice, but it's always full of pigeons and beggars. one old lady told me 'give nothing, they're all scammers' which is harsh, but hey.

the humidity is killing me. my camera lens fogged up, so i took fewer photos. here are some i got from unsplash to give you an idea:

i met this indie film scout at a cafe, and he said cuenca is perfect for gritty street scenes. he showed me some photos that were amazing, all rain-slicked and moody. made me wish i had a real camera.

for events, i check this local events page but it's mostly in spanish. there's a free walking tour on saturdays - i saw the flyer with 3654667 on it. coincidence? probably.

i also frequent the tripadvisor forum for cuenca where expats argue about everything. someone said that the best ceviche is at 'la trigueña' but i tried it and it was mediocre. so, take advice with a grain of salt.

last night, i got caught in a downpour and hid in a bakery. the baker gave me a free role because i was shivering. ecuadorians are generally nice, but the tourists can be rude. i heard a group of americans complaining about the rain - like, you came to the andes, what did you expect?

the number 1218739896 - i called it from a booth, and a guy answered in spanish saying '¿quién es?' i hung up. probably a wrong number, but now i'm paranoid.

anyway, if you're planning to visit cuenca on a budget, here's my advice: bring a raincoat, buy sim cards for cheap data, and ignore any numbers that haunt you. also, eat at the markets, not the tourist restaurants.

i'm signing off because my wifi is acting up again. and it's still raining. 97% humidity, folks. wish me luck.

in my hostel dorm, i have a roommate from germany who snores, and a girl from argentina who practices yoga at 6am. i tried to join once, but my back protested. the low pressure here gives me headaches, and with the constant damp, it's a recipe for misery. but hey, that's travel.

someone told me that the thermal baths in baños are divine, but that's a 4-hour bus ride through winding roads. if you get motion sickness, bring drugs. i heard from a local that the buses are cheap but dangerous, so don't sit in the front.

oh, and i almost forgot - the ground level pressure is 795 hpa, which explains why i'm out of breath climbing hills. cuenca is at 2500m, so pace yourself.

for more tips, check out this budget travel blog which has a list of free walking tours. i did one and the guide was awesome, even though the rain didn't stop.

so, that's cuenca for you. wet, weird, and full of numbers. until next time, keep your gear dry and your wits about you.