By Martin Simmons As someone who has spent five or six months a year in Cuenca since 2003, I always appreciate the fact that I’m able to see the city with fresh eyes every time I return. For me, it’s like viewing a series of snapshots, taken in chronological order. It...
By Kathleen Peddicord You may be surprised to learn of the two biggest expenses expats often face. Most of us think of rent. Food and entertainment. Taxes maybe. But, in my experience, many expats spend more on two other expenses. These two costs rarely show up in...
If you're planning a trip to the beach in Ecuador, you'll have plenty of choices to choose from. Although the beaches of the extraordinary Galapagos Islands are, without doubt, the country's best, the mainland's Pacific coast offers a number of excellent beaches that...
Editor’s note: Beginning in 2008, students at the University of Cuenca have conducted surveys of what Cuencanos think about North American and European expats and their impact on the community. The survey was repeated in late 2021. Graduate student Silvia Lara, who...
By Ray Horsley This is a countdown of what I've come up with as the ten most prominent “Sounds of Cuenca”. You might also call them “Noises of Cuenca”. It depends on your perspective. I've spent my life and career as a musician. Although I don't think I have any...
By Stephen Vargha There is an ancient Chinese Proverb that says, "To the ruler, the people are heaven; to the people, food is heaven." Owner of Cuenca's Lamian China restaurant on Av. Florencia Astudillo, Tan has imparted that philosophy with his top-rated Asian...
By Andrew Mark Miller An influx of Californians and other Americans has made its way to Mexico City, angering some locals who say they are gentrifying the area, according to a report. The Los Angeles Times report on Wednesday outlined how some Mexican locals are “fed...
By John Keeble The world is a wonderful place, especially Ecuador – but it does look strange when you are hanging upside down on a zipline high above the jungle canopy. Everything is in the wrong place, including most of your blood, as you race face-first towards the...
By Megan Henney Scorching-hot inflation is inflicting financial pain on millions of U.S. households, but the rising price of everyday necessities has squeezed one group in particular: retirees living on a fixed income. Although Social Security recipients receive a...
By Alice Kantor More Americans are relocating to Europe, driven across the Atlantic by the rising cost of living, inflated house prices, a surging dollar and political rancor at home. Italy, Portugal, Spain, Greece and France are among the most popular destinations....
By John Anderer There are plenty of reasons to keep moving well beyond your 60th birthday. Regular exercise in old age helps preserve cognition, improve balance, and prevent bone loss—just to name a few perks. In fact, a recent study even reports that when we...
By Dave Barry We need to talk about the lizards. I think they’re up to something. Here in South Florida we’re accustomed to lizards, of course; they’re everywhere. When I moved here decades ago, the lizards were one of the things I had to adjust to, along with the...
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 of which are easily overlooked. What elevation are you...
Two of the most ubiquitous items seen daily on earth are on display in this quick snap taken at a local tienda here in Vilcabamba. One of my campesino neighbors is relaxing in the the waning afternoon light wearing ubiquitous item #1: a New York Yankees baseball cap....
By Lee Harrison Recently, I had a good lesson in what it's like when your country is a target and experienced one of the biggest benefits of being part of another culture. A few days ago I found myself walking along a quiet, tree-lined street in Pocitos, Montevideo,...
By Sylvan Hardy Expat radio host Ron Gordon is back on the air. In fact, it’s Gordon’s third time broadcasting Café Blues on Cuenca’s Antena Uno (www.antenauno.com), 90.5 FM. His first broadcasts date back to 1995 when he took a break from his law practice in the U.S....
By Tim Greene For the well-traveled, the idea of retirement abroad can seem an idyll. You pick a place you’ve loved visiting, whether it’s the thrumming avenues of Paris or the sunny strands of Panama or the mountains of Ecuador, and jet off for the perfect permanent...
By Aude Soichet and Allie Yang The Galapagos Islands in the eastern Pacific Ocean are staggeringly beautiful, volcanic and remote — 600 miles away from Ecuador, the country that owns them. At least 14 islands make up the Galapagos National Park, and a remarkable 97%...
By Silvia Ascarelli Bill and Dean Keyes and Chase and Saralee Squires separately say they have found the same retirement spot with perfect weather — temperatures in the upper 60s and low 70s year-round during the day and in the upper 40s at night during the winter (in...
On the Pacific side of South America, Ecuador is bordered by Peru to the southeast and Columbia to the north. It is one of the smallest countries in South America, but it’s also just about (if not the) most well-known and diverse in the entirety of all Latin America....
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