David Morrill
Articles by David Morrill :
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My travels with John Hosford
Editor’s note: This post has nothing to do with Ecuador, Cuenca or expatriatism. It is about one writer’s obsession with the man who courted his great-great-grandmother during the U.S. Civil… -
The San Bartolomé guitar makers maintain a generations-old tradition in the high Andes
By David Morrill No one knows exactly when the guitar-making tradition began in San Bartolomé, a picturesque village 20 miles east of Cuenca. Local historians agree, however, that it dates… -
Gringo prices, viveza criolla, and how to survive economically in the Latin culture
By David Morrill and Deke Castleman “Los precios gringos” or gringo pricing, also known as the “gringo gouge” and “gringo tax,” is a hot topic in virtually all Latin American… -
Saraguros maintain their independence and cultural ties to their Inca ancestors
By David Morrill With the notable exception of the Otavalan craftspeople and merchants, no other indigenous Ecuadorian community has maintained its ethnic identity like the Saraguros. Centered around the town… -
Living on the lam in Cuenca, Facebook fugitive went by the name of ‘Si’ for ‘Silence’
By David Morrill As an Ecuadorian court grapples with a U.S. extradition request for fugitive Paul Ceglia, a bizarre tale is emerging of the man prosecutors claim tried to defraud… -
Justice was swift and merciless in Old Cuenca; A hangman’s post and humiliation cross stand testament to the city’s bloody past
By David Morrill On September 10, 1783, Cuenca resident Melchor del Valle was convicted by the Spanish Royal Court of murdering his brother Sylvester. The sentence: “Two hundred lashes in… -
Parque Calderón: For more than 400 years, it’s been the heart and soul of Cuenca
By David Morrill and Deke Castleman Most foreign visitors start their tour of Cuenca at Parque Calderón and many expats pass through the park on a daily basis. Travelers and residents… -
The future of the U.S. dollar in Ecuador; It’s secure for now but that could change in the future
By David Morrill and Deke Castleman What do U.S. expats think about using the U.S. dollar in Ecuador? Not much, frankly, although it’s hard to deny that it makes life… -
Classes of Cuenca expats: How newcomers pick friends and acquaintances based on cohort traits
By Deke Castleman and David Morrill The large influx of foreigners to Cuenca in the past decade has turned this Andean city into a world-class laboratory experiment for what immigration… -
Looking for a a place in the Ecuadorian countryside? Here are some important considerations
By David Morrill Although cost and location are probably the biggest considerations when looking for property in the countryside near Cuenca, there are other factors that deserve serious attention, some… -
Alcohol abuse is widespread among expats, experts say: Alcoholics Anonymous offers help for some
By David Morrill Gerard, coordinator of Cuenca’s English-speaking Alcoholics Anonymous group, recalls standing on the second-floor balcony of the AA meeting room on Presidente Borrero on a Friday afternoon several… -
Cuenca’s Museum of Aboriginal Culture represents one man’s passion for Ecuador’s history
By David Morrill Cuenca´s Museo de las Culturas Aborigenes, or Museum of Aboriginal Culture, is not your typical roadside attraction. Despite the fact that it is relatively small and privately… -
German anthropologist visits Cuenca to study the Amazonian head shrinkers and gets more than he bargained for
By David Morrill Until the Amazonian ritual of head shrinking disappeared in the 1950s, almost any head was fair game for shrinking, including those of foreigners. The best-known case is…