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Editor's note: This is the first of a four-part series "Saving the World – One Ecosystem at a Time". Article 2: "Your opportunities to connect with nature on an ecotour." By John Keeble In a skeptical world coming to terms with the recent 190-nation agreement to save...
By Andrew Van Dam We all know that America is a nation of immigrants (with the obvious exception of its long-marginalized native population). But every so often, it feels like it’s on the verge of becoming a nation of emigrants. After the 2004 reelection of George W....
“This is the biggest and best Pase del Niño ever,” is how Carmela Llivipuma described Saturday’s Christmas Eve parade through Cuenca’s historic district. The granddaughter of the event’s founder said 120,000, maybe more, watched or participated in the parade that...
By Stephen Vargha Being an ecologically or environmentally responsible person is becoming more popular as climate change has become more evident, and our oceans get filled with plastics. Many people are trying to reduce their own adverse influence on ecology and the...
By Jeremiah Reardon From the vantage point of our fifth-floor apartment and its ample patio, I enjoy the panorama of the Andes’ green hills to the west, changing from sun lit to shadows cast by clouds. They give me a secure feeling because our water comes from its...
By Stephen Vargha A three-month long art exhibit just opened up in Cuenca that Boris Ordóñez considers to be the most important one his curated gallery, OFF Arte Contemporáneo, has ever had. “Of all of the artists that have been exhibited here, Garry is in a class all...
By Stephen Vargha Family is the root of a Cuenca restaurant’s name. Many misinterpret its true meaning. “Co. means companionship, friends,” said Jose Ibañez. Jose is the owner of Calvo & Co., a west side restaurant that is famous for its gourmet hamburgers. “Calvo...
By Laura Brown Vegan diets have become increasingly popular over the years, especially among people looking to improve their health. Indeed, a growing body of evidence shows that plant-based diets (including vegan diets) can have many benefits for health, and have...
By Bani Amor “What time are we headed to Playas tomorrow?” I asked my mom at her cousin’s house in Guayaquil. “Seven in the morning,” she replied. “So eight, Ecuador Time,” I quipped back. She looked up at me for a moment from the mountain of luggage she was...
By John Keeble Cuenca expat Jean McCord, caught in limbo between Cuenca’s hospitals before being helped by Ecuadorian and expat communities, is recovering from surgery and beginning the long road back to full health. Her experience is a warning for every expat. She...
By Susan L. Hart Twenty-plus years of traveling and living abroad have taught me that the world is full of surprises, and it’s the incongruous bits you discover in unexpected corners of it that are the real travel treasures. This was absolutely the case this past...
By Stephen Vargha Cuenca is becoming a more diverse city. And that includes its music. “I was surprised how many people are following us around,” said Anayvis Beltrán. “People have told us how impressed they are with our music.” Anayvis is part of Trio NoAn. The...
By John Keeble One of Cuenca’s most respected American residents has been caught in an agonizing health trap that is a warning to every expat. Jean McCord, well-known in writing and church circles, has been left, through no fault of her own, with only the generosity...
By Jeremiah Reardon A favorite expression of my Irish American mother went, “It’s a wonderful life if you don’t weaken.” A native of Coaldale, Pennsylvania, Genevieve’s family relocated to Millville, New Jersey, to find work during the coal strike of 1902. They rented...
By Jeremiah Reardon Cuenca just celebrated its two hundred and second year of independence from Spain. Founded in 1557 the Spanish built its churches on the ruins of Incan temples. As nine-year expat residents, my wife Belinda and I note how proud Cuencanos are, a...
By Stephen Vargha Cuenca is becoming a jazz lover’s paradise. But it was a desert for jazz not long ago. “Ten years ago, it was difficult to find jazz in this city,” said Christian Torres. “Cuencanos did not know what jazz was all about.” The 41-year-old Cuencano...
Are you interested in learning more about healthy farming practices in the Cuenca area? The Azuay provincial government is offering a free half-day tour for expats to a small farm west of Cuenca. The tour also includes a visit to Tienda Campesino in El Centro that...
By Stephen Vargha A native of Cuenca turned what was once a vacant lot on the south end of Av. Fray Vicente Solano into a thriving weekend market for secondhand goods. “There were 65 families working in the streets before I bought the property,” said 72-year-old Jorge...
By Heather Kelly Too much screen time is something we usually associate with children and young people. We think of little kids watching hours of CoComelon on iPads, or teens who would rather be absorbed in video games or YouTube than talk about their day. But there...
Editor’s note: This is Part 2 of a 3-part series, Conscious Living. So we ended the first segment of this series with the question: "Is it true?" Is it true that Claus Schwab, World Economic Forum and The Great Reset are representatives of evil? Or is it possible that...
