While my travels have taken me some very distant and interesting places, one place really stands out among them all. This place is Cuenca, located in the beautiful Andean highlands of Southern-Central Ecuador. Most travelers from outside of Latin America come through Cuenca for a few days, only to check out the plethora of churches, museums and cultural sites that are scattered all throughout the city and the surrounding areas. Others, such as expats from the US and Canada, have flocked here en masse because of the low cost of living and overall vibrancy of the city. However, there is another side of Cuenca that most people do not get to see. It is one that I have a great admiration for and feel truly blessed to have been able to experience during my time there. This is the side of Cuenca known only by the local residents. Or, as I could say, the coolest group of locals you could ever want to meet in any city.
Located across the street from La Orquidea is a neighborhood bar and restaurant called La Baraca. By day, they serve a delicious and affordable lunch and by night, mostly weekend nights, they have local bands and DJ's perform in the dining room. One particular night, I heard the sounds of punk and metal echoing through the narrow streets and so decided to inspect the scene. Making my way over La Baraca, I discovered a group of young, 20-somethings, skateboarding back and forth down the street and stopping occasionally to swill one of the 20oz bottles of Pilsner that their friends were passing around the group. Although my Spanish was even worse than it is now, which was probably similar to talking to a baby, I knew that I belonged there.
The first person I talked to was Esteban. I learned that it was his 28th birthday party and that his band was headlining the show. The mosh pit was awwwwwesome, but the lack of communication seemed to stifle what would normally have been an easy opportunity to make some new friends. At the end of the show, and after drinking probably 4 giant bottles of Pilsner to the dome, I was feeling a solid buzz, but also a bit lonely. I started to make my way across the street to my hotel when a few people called me over their way. They were one guy that I had talked to briefly earlier on, and two girls that I hadn't seen at all throughout the entire show. They asked me, in an amalgamation of Spanish and English words, if I wanted to come with them to get a drink. It was about 3 or 4 in the morning at this point and I was supposed to be getting up around 8 or 9 the next morning to go to Baños de Ambato with my Dad. Feeling the need for adventure still running thick in my veins however, I immediately agreed join them. I thought we were going to walk to another bar somewhere down the street, but it quickly became apparent that I was getting involved in much more.
I hesitated a moment as I was aware of the fact that I was about to get into a total stranger's car in the middle of the night while half drunk. Cecibel, who can speak English pretty well, ensured me that they weren't bad people. With just the little bit of assurance that I needed, the four of us piled in and blazed through the nearly deserted streets of Cuenca. We had mini drag races with other friends' cars on the tiny streets and blowing through road sign after road sign I wondered, for a second, if I had made a good decision. That thought was almost immediately followed by a sense of relief as I knew that that was exactly what I wanted to feel at that moment. (Sometimes you just need something that takes you over the edge enough to get your heart pumping and your mind wondering for a bit)
We pulled up to a storefront with a rolling steel gate already down, covering the windows and doors. This shop, which I assumed to be closed down for the night, was actually still open for business and simply closed the gate for security purposes. With a simple knock (no particular combination thereof) a small window in the gate opened and a voice from inside inquired about our business there. We bought a bottle of Zhumir (a popular Ecuatorian liquor), I think (my memory is a bit cloudy over that detail) and then we were on our way. This is how I learned to buy liquor late at night in Cuenca.
We arrived at a friend's apartment and proceeded to take shots and talk in broken Spanish and English, most of the conversation was filled with laughter anyway so it really didn't matter. Cecibel and I eventually found ourselves outside, taking pictures while I was waiting for a cab which we called from a pay phone. We exchanged numbers before parting ways that night and I promised to let her know when I would be back in town again.
Cecibel, or ChiChi as I came to know her, and Vero, became close friends of mine from that night on. Those two, Chichi in particular because she always let me know what her and her friends were up to, were largely responsible for making my experience in Cuenca a most memorable and fulfilling one.
Vero y ChiChi
guambras
Chili, Vero, ChiChi, Lionel, Amanda (chama), Miguel, Mariela's hand (jajaja)
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