foggy lenses and forgotten streets: my cuenca photo diary

okay, so i landed in cuenca with my camera bag heavier than my eyelids after that red-eye from quito. this city is all cobblestones and colonial charm, but wrapped in a damp, chilly fog that feels like a wet blanket. the air is so saturated, my lens hood collected more droplets than a spiderweb in dew. perfect for moody grays, terrible for keeping my sanity.



i wandered the streets, where whitewashed houses with red tile roofs lean into each other like gossiping elders. saw scenes like this:

and outside town, fields of yellow flowers burst through the chill, a defiant splash of color.

sometimes, you get a crowd shot that captures the vibe:

the food? someone told me that the mercado 9 de octubre is a must for local flavors, but skip the fruit juice if they don't peel it first. i checked TripAdvisor's top restaurants, but the real gems are the hole-in-the-walls with no signboards. Yelp reviews are spotty here-half the places aren't even listed, so trust your nose instead.

"that café with the blue door? they reuse coffee grounds. tasted like despair in a cup." - muttered by a hungover digital nomad at the hostel

"the cathedral during mass? no photos, but if you sneak one, the best shots are from the bell tower at dusk. just don't get caught." - confided by a local guide who seemed shifty

"for day trips, gualaceo's markets are an hour east, but the road is a pothole puzzle. chordeleg's silver is worth it, though." - overheard in a taxi while arguing over the fare

if you tire of cuenca's chill, guayaquil's coast is a bus ride away, or quito's high-altitude chaos calls. but me? i'm staying to chase that soft, diffused light only this fog can provide. just remember: humidity is the enemy of electronics, so pack silica gels and a sense of humor.

i found my refuge at a tiny hostel off calle larga, recommended by a local expat forum where they debate the best coffee shops like it's life or death. whatever you do, don't ask for wifi speeds-it's a sore subject.

now, if you'll excuse me, there's a plaza deserted by tourists because of the drizzle, and i think i can capture the soul of this place alone. unless that rumor about the hidden courtyard behind the church is true... someone said there's a garden that blooms year-round. i gotta see it.

keep your lenses clean and your expectations messier.