Buenas, Cuenca

From the valle we went to the city of Cuenca, to stay with Keith's host family. Carmelita (Keith's host mother) was very inviting and her home was quite nice. we spent some time chatting with Carmelita and Maria (Carmelita's daughter) before going to hit up some Salsa lessons.

Not far from where we were staying, we came to Cachumbombay. It was the dance studio where Keith had taken private lessons from the owner, Daisy. Our goal was to get as good as possible before going out in Colombia. We were fortunate that Daisy and Joanna were going to be able to give us private lessons.  Daisy was a very pretty older woman from Cuenca, who was suprisingly single. I say that because, from my observations, most women in latin america are married with 4 kids by the time they are my age. Joanna, was a college student who really enjoyed salsa and seemed shy around gringo's. The classes where far beyond what I had expected, I have never learned so much in such little time. I can see why private lessons are so expensive in the states, the learning is much better and it takes a lot of the intimidation out of the patterns.

Later we caught up with several of Keith's former students for dinner, before heading out to enjoy the Cuenca nightlife. I was suprised by how well some of them spoke English, not that I doubted Keith's teaching but they just knew so much. Andrea had actually lived in the states, as she did a nanny exchange program called Au Pair. After she had explained the program, I thought it was a great alternated to Day Care in the U.S. She also mentioned that she was getting a government scholarship to study in any U.S. university. You must be pretty damn smart if your country pays you to go to school somewhere else.

The nightlife was fun and inexpensive, we enjoyed showing Ecuadorians what fools we could be. Nothing illegal, just randomn siillyness. I found it rather sad that when I wanted to be included in serious conversations later in the night, I was to far gone to hold my thoughts together. We continued this pattern for a few days before enjoy a relaxing sunday with Carmelita's family. I really liked how Sundays seemed to be family days for everyone in Cuenca. Most shops where closed and everyone used it as a day to rest. We rested up before getting on the road again and heading east to Cali, Colombia.

I will miss Cuenca, it has quickly risen to Numero uno in my heart when it comes to Latin American cities.