Posts:
By Stephen Vargha It appears that the neighborhood, El Vergel, has become the hotspot for restaurants. “Ten years ago, it was the area of Gran Colombia and Av. de las Américas,” said Luis Maldonado. “Then it was Remigio Crespo Toral. And now, it is El Vergel.”...
By Jamie Friedlander Serrano Bill Gates is known for his solitary “think weeks.” The painter Georgia O’Keeffe often spent days alone walking and working at her ranch in New Mexico. And the poet Emily Dickinson wrote often about the revelations that can come from time...
Author’s note: Welcome to ‘The Executive Lunch in Ecuador: A Closer Look at Almuerzo Culture’ where we dive into what makes Ecuadorian Almuerzo special — especially for those in their golden years living in or around Cuenca. If you’re an expat or a senior, retiree, or...
By Allie Yang We often think of smoking and drinking when it comes to addiction — but there’s another compulsion affecting as many as 14 percent of adults and even 12 percent of kids: food addiction. Indulgent dishes enticing us with fat and sugar can feel impossible...
By Jackie Laughlin Ecuador: Home of the bucket-list-worthy Galapagos islands, a volcanic archipelago visited by nearly 200,000 tourists per year, where Charles Darwin famously collected his data to form his theory of evolution. That’s Ecuador, right? Not exactly. The...
By Hicks Wogan When you choose a hobby, do you consider whether it’s not only fun, but also good for you? If not, science has you covered: In recent years, countless studies have shown that a wide range of hobbies offer physical and mental health benefits to...
By Kate Marin “Doctor I’ve wrestled with reality for 40 years and I’m happy to say that I’ve finally won out over it.” --The character Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey Elwood P. Dowd has a best friend. The best friend is a six foot, three-and-one-half inch tall, invisible...
Author's note: Welcome to ‘Cooking at Home vs. Ordering Meals in Cuenca, Ecuador: A Practical Guide for Seniors and Retirees’ where we explore the ins and outs of cooking at home versus ordering meals — especially for those in their golden years living in or around...
By Stephen Vargha In the past five years, Cuenca has become a global, international city. It is no longer an isolated city in the middle of the Andes mountains. The arts are a huge reason. Global cities have experienced an increase in culture, cultural life, and...
By Eric Vance Ahi steak. Akami sashimi. Albacore on sourdough. Whether you smoked yellowfin on the grill or spread skipjack on a sandwich, chances are you’ve had tuna recently. On average, Americans eat around two pounds of the fish per year, more than any other...
By Michael Miner This is a call for spiritual support, whatever that means to you. Say a prayer, do a dance, ask Gaia for a special favor, get out the palo santo and your singing bowl. The time is now. Make the effort. Sally Dudar is experiencing increasing health...
By Jim Smith Moving to Ecuador can be an exciting adventure, especially when it comes to experiencing the local food. For expats living in cities like Cuenca, meal preparation and dining out offer unique opportunities to blend your home country’s flavors with...
By Chase Squires There’s a new breakthrough for U.S. military veterans in Cuenca, an office for vets who want help with service-connected disabilities and disability claims. And it’s free. Volunteer Veterans Service Officer Mark Tomlinson works in a new office in the...
By Lachlan Brown We all want to be liked, especially as we age. But often, it’s those sneaky little habits we’ve picked up over the years that can become barriers to likability. The difference between being liked and being overlooked can sometimes come down to the...
By Garry Vatcher Many of us are affected by the current chaos with the power cuts and pending water cuts. Some buildings have generators and have not been affected. Many however, do not and are finding things very difficult. There is a certain romanticism with dinner...
By Stephen Vargah Many foreigners move to Ecuador to retire. “I moved because I was dissatisfied with my life in London,” said Ned Cresswell. A good number of foreigners end up residing in Cuenca. Others move to the coast of Ecuador while some set foot in smaller...
The brick, cinderblock, concrete and rebar looks the same whether you’re in Morocco, Mexico, Peru or Ecuador. Provisional, half-finished brick and cinder block dwellings. Lone structures slouching in patches of prickly pear along the highway, jagged villages clinging...
By Jim Smith Stepping into Cuenca's Kolo restaurant, I was immediately welcomed by Milena Lopez, the vibrant Cuban-born owner and single mother of two. Despite the busy atmosphere, Milena greeted me with a warm smile, instantly making me feel at home. Kolo has been a...
By Alice Callahan Name a common condition — heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer, dementia, irritable bowel syndrome — and chances are good that following a diet high in ultraprocessed foods has been linked to it. But the ultraprocessed food category is large and...
By Sylvan Hardy A long-time expat tells the story from 2008 of a man from Texas who wanted to build a townhouse development in Cuenca’s northeast suburbs. The Texan wanted to partner with a prominent Cuenca developer in the project and made an appointment to present...
Week of August 23
Ecuador’s economy grew 2% during the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, according to new Banco Central del Ecuador data.
Cuenca gets a prime view of next week’s deep partial lunar eclipse.
Ecuador’s economy grows 2% in the first half of 2026.
