Baños and Quezada

So I didn't make it to Baños yesterday. L and I have tried making plans with a bunch of people, and needless to say... they didn't work out. Maybe today will be different. L made friends with a Cuencana the other night, but I have yet to met her. We have to go to Baños today!!! Hopefully third times the charm.

Instead we explored some more of downtown Cuenca. Every block I pass it seems I smell the aroma of baking bread. Here you can buy bread for 10 cents or less a bun, so I, like several of my friends would be, am in bakery heaven. After all, bread is the staff of life, right?

Last night we accompanied our host family to an awards ceremony for the Federación Deportiva del Azuay. It awarded the region's top athletes, including our own host sister Carolina for her performance in ping pong. The apex of the evening was an athlete of the year award to Jefferson Perez Quezada. He is a champion runner from Cuenca who performed in the '96 Atlanta Olympics. Additionally, he was the first Ecuadorian to win the gold medal in the 20 km race walk. It was an interesting experience to be standing in the presence of athletes competing in Beijing this year.

Hopefully I'll make it to Baños today... let you know!