Cuenca , like so much of Ecuador & probably most of South America is a city so full of contrasts.

There is loads of traffic: buses , cars & taxis and the pollution that goes with them. Supposedly 1500 taxis in the city . ( But none when you need one ! )

There is a large student population due to 3 major universities and there are international restaurants serving food to match the best in the UK at a fraction of the price. There are art galleries , museums , many beautiful churches & a cathedral. , modern shopping centres , modern banks , and as many mobile phone shops as you find in York . ( But our phones only work as alarm clocks ! Am more hopeful for Chile )

We went to the cinema again last night - just like Warner Brothers multiscreen with a food hall upstairs sporting KFC & other food joints.

There is also still a very strong indigenous presence. As I walk along the river to school every morning the women are washing their clothes in the river. They beat them against the large rocks to clean them & lay them out on the grassy banks to dry in the sun . It amazes us that their clothes end up cleaner than when they went in the river !

In the streets 3/4 of the population could have stepped straight off Oxford Street with their smart business suits (men & women ) and/or their tight jeans & sexy tops whilst the rest (the women anyway ) wear the traditional costume , big colourful embroidered gathered skirts with warm knitted cardigans & white pork - pie style straw hats. Their black hair is worn in two long plaits. The men wear the same hats in black but otherwise nothing special. The children also are dressed in the traditional style. The women tie shawls around themselves as baby-carriers or indeed to carry anything, shopping , gas-bottles , vegetation , etc.

It is difficult to ignore the poverty all around. There are many beggars & it only takes a few cents to make them smile. There is only so much one can do but it disturbs us.

We are here for another full 2 weeks so I apologise if my commentary gets boring but we have settled into a routine here now. Spanish lessons last from 8 till 5pm with a 3 hour break for lunch & I get homework daily as well so it doesn't leave a lot of free time . Ady meets me at lunchtime each day & we eat & wander or e-mail or whatever. He's quite happy except for Arsenals progress or lack of it ! We're both enjoying life.

I am trying to reply to any comments left on this site but don't have everyone's e-mail address so you need to e-mail me direct if you want a reply.

Have had no success so far putting photos on this site. Just my lack of expertise combined with instructions on-screen being in spanish. About to try again now. Otherwise I may have to fly Paul ,my technical advisor out here !