Click on a photo to enlarge it.
Wednesday, 15.05.2002: Punta Sal - Cuenca
Today we left Peru and went into Ecuador. The border crossing was extremely hot and humid and took nearly 2 hours. We turned off the Panamericana and climbed through some lovely green mountains to Cuenca, which is at 2400m and so was much cooler. We stayed at a lovely hotel with thermal pools and had to have an extra night there as Prue had injured her back and couldn´t move!
This was definitely the best hotel on the entire South America trip. The rooms were equipped with TV. We ordered dinner from the hotel restaurant and enjoyed it in our room while watching a James Bond film and later on the Champions league final between Madrid and Leverkusen.
Thursday, 16.05.2002: Cuenca
We got up at 8am and took a minibus to the Panama Hat factory for a free guided tour. It was really interesting to see the handmade production of the famous hats and quite tempting to buy an Ascot outfit in the store but Helen decided that it was a little posh for a trip like ours.
Panama Hat factory in Cuenca
Afterwards we went into the city centre for a ladies day - shopping (not a lot to buy really), sightseeing and a quick lunch. It was Max´s birthday so we went to a supermarket to buy drinks, snacks and a birthday cake for the afternoon celebrations at the thermal pool.
When we all got back to the hotel Max´s room was all decorated and the lads had even left their empty beer cans in the bin and a floating mars bar in the toilet!
Prue had booked a table for Max´s birthday dinner at a really nice restaurant. We took one taxi and the hotel´s minibus into town. The boys in the taxi got dropped of near the restaurant but the driver of the minibus just drove passed it and went around the houses for ages. Max had to get out in the middle of the street and peed between 2 cars!
After the meal Max got a big birthday cake. All of a sudden Jason, Peter, Richard, Graham, Lisa, Aaron and Bridget had disappeared to paint HAPPY BIRTHDAY letters on their buttocks. So we sang it to Max and they all mooned! All the other people in the restaurant left straight afterwards ... hmmm.
Friday, 17.05.2002: Cuenca
We spent another relaxing day in Cuenca enjoying the facilities of the hotel.
