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The mounds of reeking garbage on the edge of this settlement 600 miles off Ecuador’s Pacific coast are proof that one species is thriving on the fragile archipelago whose unique wildlife inspired Darwin’s theory of evolution: man. Tiny gray finches,...
On a recent day, the man known in Ecuador as the Gringo Chief wore a traditional black smock and a necklace strung with jaguar and wild boar's teeth, perfectly suitable for the Cofan Indian ceremony marking the acquisition of yet another slice of rain forest. With...
by Anne Carr and Monica Aguilar Sizer Here we are in Cuenca -- visas, residency, property, and all! Most of us researched Ecuador extensively before we came to visit, then arranged our return to stay long-term here. Almost everything is perfect about Cuenca: climate,...
As Latin American economies strengthen and incomes rise, the behavior of Latin American consumers is changing and so are their shopping habits. “Consumption becomes very important as a signal that your family is moving up,’’ said Lovina McMurchy,...
Photographs by Edd Staton Edd Staton (of the eddsaid blog) and I met for lunch at Carbón, the parillada (grill) at the Cuenca Hotel, centrally located on Presidente Borrero between Gran Colombia and Mariscal Lamar. Meeting at noon, we beat the downtown lunch...
Ecuador voters will vote on 10 constitutional reforms, including a bullfighting ban and measures that critics claim is an attack on the free press. Two recent polls predict that voters will approve all the proposed reforms. The top issue on the ballot, however,...
[Editor's note: An exposition of the work of Cuenca cermacist Eduardo Segovia opens tonight at Larrazabal Gallery on San Sebastian Plaza and continues through mid-May. The show features new work by the artist and is titled "Compositions Between Black and...
Mixx isn’t merely a new ice cream shop in a city and country full of ice cream shops. It’s a world-class operation, with a great location on Plaza de San Blas, state-of-the-art equipment, and flavors limited only by the raging imagination of the Canadian...
It's a common topic of discussion around here in expat circles: What impact will the fate of the U.S. dollar have in Ecuador, which uses the U.S. dollar as its currency? Everyone seems to have a different idea about the future of the U.S. dollar in Ecuador. Some...
On Monday, Ecuadorian authorities delivered Colombian drug trafficker and an alleged leader of the criminal gang "La Cordillera," Jhon Jairo Vasco Lopez, to their Colombian counterparts. Vasco, alias "Nico," will be transferred to a courthouse in...
When Rafael Correa became president of Ecuador in January 2007, he was sworn in in unique style. The ceremony took place in the Andean town of Zumbahua and Mr Correa wore an embroidered shirt typical of some highland villages. Shamans shook sacred herbs over his head...
Although April rainfall in Cuenca is running well above normal, the city is being spared the devastation seen in northern parts of the country. Severe flooding in Quito has wreaked havoc on the city´s major streets and highways, destroying dozens of cars...
My first night in Cuenca, I attended an event at the Cuenca Chamber of Commerce launching its Cuenca for Expats program. I ponied up $100 to join the Chamber, buying access to the members-only content at CuencaforExpats.com and invitations to Chamber functions. (For...
Although the low cost of health care in Cuenca has long been a draw for foreigners relocating to the city, it is beginning to catch the interest of international medical tourism companies. Alex McClellan, a former U.S. hospital administrator, says he expects to see...
After Ecuador and the U.S. dismissed each others’ ambassadors last week, the future of diplomatic relations between the two countries remains strained although both sides say they already working on reconciliation. The U.S. State Department says that Ecuador has...
Diego Rivas has been gored in the shoulder, knocked to the dirt and trampled by snorting bulls. But the 29-year-old Ambato native has always dusted himself off, picked up his red cape and gone back to the only job he knows: being a matador. Now...
Besides its UNESCO designation as a World Heritage City, Cuenca also bears the distinction of being a “Healthy City.” According to the Pan American Health Organization, which bestowed the health honor, Cuenca´s policies to provide medical services to...
[Editor’s Note: On April 6, Cuenca High Life published an article by Lee Dubs, proprietor of the English-language Carolina Bookstore and long-time Cuencano, in which he classified expats to Ecuador from a long-timer’s perspective; Lee and his wife Carol...
By Dr. Lee Dubs Fact: North Americans are currently migrating in large numbers to Ecuador, and especially Azuay Province, where Cuenca is located. First Question: Why? Second Question: Who are these people? Not everyone has the same motives, of course,...
To date, the Cuenca Expatriate Benevolent Association (CEBA) has raised $650 through the inaugural session of Gringo Bingo, various “passing-the-hat” opportunities, and blog posts. This amount will be matched by a donor who has asked to remain anonymous;...
Week of August 16
Azuay stays under state of exception as authorities track criminal groups expanding around Cuenca.
Older adults and people with disabilities can now request vehicle tax break online.
That unresolved bank complaint has another place to go and the service is free.
