Back From Sucua

We are back from our trip over to Macas and Sucua.  Well, actually, we went to see Macas, but ended up in Sucua, 23 kms down the road. 

When we arrived in Macas, we were met by the mayor (Jose Luis) and a guide by the name of George.  Two very warm and wonderful people.  Originally we were to stay the night at Jose Luis’s house, but it was upstairs and no dogs allowed, so they found a hotel that would allow the pups. Unfortunately, the hotel we were to stay in had way too many steps – with very high risers, so just wouldn’t do.  In fact, it had two steps down into the bathroom.  The gentleman running the hotel, a very large man, was crest-fallen when we told him, but soon brightened and even practically carried me back out to the side walk.  As is the custom here, as we parted I kissed him on the cheek.  George found a lady south of town who had a room, but I couldn’t even get through that door.  We could have made that work with some wall-walking, but George said to wait 20 minutes – he would be right back.  He then took us to a hotel south of Sucua, which worked much better.  Handicap accessibility is still not a normal thing here, so no rooms designed for that, but it was workable. 

The manager was great and did everything and anything he could to accommodate us.  He is the nephew of the owner who built the place about a year ago, but didn’t know much about running it, so the nephew came home from New York to run it.  Sorry, but I didn’t get his card and do not remember his name, though I would highly recommend his hotel to anyone coming that way.  The rooms were clean, there was a pool, fountains, spa, a cabin or two, plus a huge breakfast every morning.  $20 per night.

Looking out our door

These are everywhere

 

The next day George came by and took us (all four of us) on a tour of both Macas and Sucua.  We were pleasantly surprised with Sucua and fell in love with that area.  It is flatter than Macas which is very hilly and much more open.  Macas is a beehive of activity with 17000 people in a fairly small area.  Sucua (population just under 1000) is a bit lower in elevation, and though everything there is lush and green, Sucua is far nicer, in my opinion.  The next day, George took us on a house-hunting tour which meant driving up and down the streets of Sucua, finding an empty house, and asking the neighbors who owned the house and leaving cards.  We found a cute little 3 bedroom, 1 bath home, but were told it was already rented out.  But, the renter had until 6 that night to confirm, which he didn’t, so we went to do an inspection on the morning before our trip back to Quito.  All doors were passable in my wheelchair except the bathroom and most discussion involved that room.  The door could be reversed (it opened  inward instead of outward) and at the same time widened.  The homeowner agreed if we paid for the materials.  He would also make ramps into the front and back doors. 

With that in mind we headed back.  We stopped in Banos, a hot springs resort, to spend the night and we toured that town.  It is wall to wall shops selling everything from clothing, candy (they pulled the taffy right out on the street , touristy junk, sugar cane, fruits and vegetables, cuy, of course, and just about anything you can think of to eat. 

That night George got a call from one of the homeowners whose neighbor he had spoken with and left his card.  He said the house we called about was not for rent, but he just happened to be building two brand new homes in Sucua that he intended to rent.  One is almost complete, the other a few weeks out.  We decided to put house number 1 on hold until George could go look at the two new ones for us tomorrow.  He knows very well what we need, and he is thinking that, with the home that is about two weeks out, if changes need to be done to make it accessible, it could be done now.  He will be sending me pictures, prices and any other important information tomorrow or Tuesday. 

George (Jorge) is a true find and worth every penny he is earning from us and more.

One other thing that makes Sucua (or Macas) attractive is that Ecuador is building a highway across the mountains west of these towns going to Cuenca. That will make Cuenca an easy 4 hour trip away should we need to do some major shopping, or specialized medical treatment.  It will also bring more Gringos our way, which we don’t really want, but it will cause the town to advance.  Also, the SuperMaxi (supermarket) in Sucua has ramps at the entrance.  The owner is in a wheelchair.