Posts:
Bored? - (De El Mercurio del jueves, 19/2) 30 esculturas Cuy Kuna en Parque El Ferrocarril (30 Cuy Kuna sculptures in Railroad Park) - The 30 sculptures from the call for proposals for Cuy Kuna are being shown at the Parque El Ferrocarril. The pieces show different...
Parents of Cuenca school children are demanding immediate government action to repair and remodel schools. “Our children sit in classrooms that have ceilings falling in and bathrooms that have not worked for years,” said Ramiro Diaz, the father of two children who...
A number of CHL commenters seem to be under the impression that Cuenca has no zoning at all. That belief is understandable if your reference point is the North American planning system, but it is still wrong. Cuenca does have zoning, planning permission, and land use...
By Sylvan Hardy and Deke Castleman A statue of Garaicoa Abdón Calderón marks the heart of Parque Calderón, which marks the heart of El Centro, which, in turn, marks the heart of Cuenca. To get your bearings in Cuenca, this is where you start. Abdón Calderón was born...
Hungry? - (De El Mercurio del domingo, 15/2) Delicias ancestrales en Carnaval (Ancestral delicacies during Carnival) - Enjoying cuisine in the paradise like surroundings in the Cajas is a "must-do" during Carnaval. It's a little late for Carnaval, but you can still...
Negotiators for Ecuador and the United States announced Friday that a trade agreement between the two countries will be signed soon. The Reciprocal Trade Agreement (ART) eliminates or reduces tariffs on hundreds of products, they say. Ecuador will see tariffs...
This is not something that happens only in Cuenca. It shows up in almost every place where expats settle long enough for life to become ordinary. After the first six months or so, the city you chose stops doing some of the work for you. The early structure provided by...
Traffic, like cholesterol, causes blockages and is rarely discussed thoughtfully, being treated instead as a sudden affliction brought on by strangers or too many recent arrivals. We complain about it as if it arrived yesterday, when in fact traffic is a long-term...
Bored>? - (De El Mercurio del viernes, 13/2) Sinfónica y Mariachi darán un concierto (Symphony orchestra and mariachi band to give concert) - About 70 musicians from the Orquesta Sinfónica de Cuenca, conducted by invited director Patricio Mora, and from the...
Bored? - (De El Mercurio del jueves, 12/2) Agenda jueves, 12/2 - 10:00 - Mote Pata workshop & Celebration of Taita Carnaval - Museo Municipal de la Paja Toquilla y el Sombrero, Rafael M. Arízaga y Luis Cordero. 18:00 - Jueves de Compadres - Parque de la Libertad....
For most newcomers, the first months in Cuenca feel unusually vivid. The historic center looks like a postcard. The churches feel monumental. Every walk around Parque Calderón feels intentional, as if you are participating in something meaningful simply by being...
By Jackson Holtz Mindfulness meditation is a stress-management practice with ancient lineage that cultivates nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment, often by directing attention to the physical sensations of breathing. Initially inspired by centuries-old...
Although Ecuador scans 100% of exportable cargo in its ports, the government admits it does not have the time or personnel to review most of the images. According to port administrators at Guayaquil’s three ports, the “vast majority” of shipping containers leave the...
Bored? - (De El Mercurio del viernes, 6/2) Azuay listo para feriado (Azuay ready for the holiday) - The Carnaval holiday will be from el sábado, 14/2 to el martes, 17/2. Besides Cuenca, there are other places with their own attractions to visit. Paute is 41 km....
There is a profound question that occasionally occurs to me while walking to buy bread, not metaphorical bread or lifestyle bread, but actual warm edible bread within five minutes of the front gates of Larga Towers, bought with small change and carried home in a paper...
Bored? - (De El Mercurio del martes, 3/2) Obra de danza-teatro interpela indiferencia (Dance-theater work challenges indifference) - A theater-dance production organized by the Espacio Escénico will be staged on el 5 & 6/2 in the Auditorio Catalina Sojos in the...
This series was never really about cafes, routines, or where people spend their afternoons. Those were simply the visible signs. What it explored instead was what happens after the early excitement of expat life quietly fades. When Familiarity Replaces Novelty Many...
By Kristine De Abreu Cueva de los Tayos translates to “Cave of the Oilbirds.” However, this cave isn’t famous for bird-watching; it supposedly contains a golden library that harbors hidden knowledge and challenges everything we know about human history. Father Crespi...
Bored? - (De El Mercurio del viernes, 30/1) Más de 120 eventos por el Carnaval (More than 120 events for Carnaval) - Azuay Province is getting ready to enjoy a vibrant mix of fiestas, music, and food during the upcoming Carnaval holidays. Last jueves, local...
After my recent column on ICE and migration ran, it attracted nearly seventy comments within a day or two, many of them passionate, angry, supportive, dismissive, ideological, conspiratorial, and occasionally thoughtful. What they mostly were not, however, was engaged...
