The sky thinks it has a squabble of seagulls in its sight, but then quickly realizes that this is not the coast and that these are not seabirds; this is Paute, and what is flying is a single cloud, born high in the Andes, discharged in the night, and drifting downwind...
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...
By Jan Dynes Books were the stepping stones of my life. They became each decade’s touch stones and they formed me. My choices were an education that allowed me to become and embrace being everything from a reigning queen to being a slave, angry militant, migrant...
The painter, David Williams, arrived in Cuenca in 2015 after suffering a debilitating condition that all but claimed his eyesight. This condition would be devastating for anyone, but for a visual artist it is life altering. He credits two significant factors that...
By Silvia Marchetti Buying an abandoned home in a tiny, depopulated Italian village is something that many travelers will have mulled over, especially given the vast number of bargain house schemes launched in the European country over the past few years. After CNN...
I was having another fluky day tootling around El Centro. As I wandered along Calle Larga towards Inglesia Todos Santos, I realized with regret that it has been two years since I last set foot in the restaurant right across the street, Sunrise Cafe. I also realized...
Most people visiting Peru or Ecuador for the first time quickly realize that the rich indigenous heritage makes the countries what they are today. Particularly in the Andes, a prime reason for many visits is to connect with, and learn about indigenous traditions --...
By Sarah Jackson It's no secret that the pandemic has wrought havoc on our mental health. From social isolation to grieving loved ones lost to COVID-19, many people have struggled with their mental well-being over the past year and a half. "Already, there was an unmet...
I’ve been granted a gift greater than any vast fortune; I’m in love with the most marvelous woman ever. She is alluring, smarter than I am by a country mile, is extraordinarily kind, consistently generous towards others, deeply reflective, and enjoys a spiritual...
By Linda Pressly and Esperanza Escribano Squatting has a long history in Spain, often fuelled by high rates of homelessness. But there is now a darker phenomenon too -- squatters who demand a "ransom" before they will leave a property. And this has led to the rise of...
Occasionally, I see a question posted on an Internet forum from an expat-wannabe inquiring about quiet places to live in Cuenca. If I were ever inclined to answer, it would be to deliver an emphatic "Don’t come to Cuenca!" . . . or anywhere else in Latin America, for...
Ecuador’s Ministry of Health reports that nationwide the number of hospitalizations and deaths from Covid-19 are at the lowest levels since March 2020, when the pandemic was declared. Health officials in Cuenca and Azuay Province say their numbers reflect those at the...
I’d like to share it with you a little test suggested by W.S. Merwin… Blindfold yourself with some suitable object. If time permits remain still for a moment. You may feel one or more of your senses begin to swim back toward you in the darkness. Meanwhile, have...
By Deke Castleman and David Morrill Although Cuenca's nine major mercados have been hard-hit by the pandemic, they are slowly reestablishing their prominence in the city's day-to-day commercial life. Lively, vibrant, and bountiful, they are once again selling 300 to...
By Cody C. Delistraty There’s a certain sinking feeling one gets when thinking of the perfect thing to say just a moment too late. Perhaps a witty parting word could have made all the difference. There is no English word to express this feeling, but the French have...
Author's note: On the morning of March,16 2020, Ecuador closed its doors, forcing visitors to shelter in place. As a result, Peter Schramm, owner and manager of Izhcayluma Eco-Resort, near Vilcabamba, Ecuador, became the de-facto governor of an island state...
By David Morrill One of the great pleasures that many expats discover in Ecuador is art collecting. Even those who were not collectors back home take up the habit, smitten by the quality, variety, and sheer emotional force of the talent in this small Andean country....
By Oscar Holland Homesteads dotting a pastoral landscape, families living by lamplight and men in straw hats riding horse-drawn carriages -- the scenes in Jake Michaels' photographs could easily depict bygone times in the American Midwest. But not only do his pictures...
By Bruce Cook In January, 2020 I made a proposal to the Historical and Heritage Areas of the Canton of supplying Memorial Benches to the city. The proposal was well received and we proceeded to locate 72 appropriate sites for placement. The director then forwarded a...
Author's note: The news of the earliest days of the corona 19 pandemic was well recorded by the press in Ecuador’s three major cities: the chaos in Guayaquil, the anger in Quito, and the somber acceptance in Cuenca. However, it was in the villages and small towns...
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