Posts:
Like many of you, I’ve been advised to take calcium supplements. As I aged into my 50s I received a number of vague recommendations from doctors to “take calcium” after a bone density exam showed bone loss. People who have osteopenia (low bone mineral density) have a...
Early in the morning, shortly after light and while most of you are still asleep, I ease my cross country bike, the Blue Rocket, from his berth at my home in San Joaquin. I keep him well maintained with air and oil and he’s always ready to go at a moments notice, just...
By Robert Bradley The alfresco restaurant, Casa Azul Galeria Cafe, on the plaza of San Sebastian church, was my first haunt in Cuenca. Several mornings a week I would wander down, plop into one of their comfortable chairs, and read for an hour or so while sipping...
Editor’s note: This is the second of a six-part series by Don Moore, a former Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras who developed a fascination with northern Peru — and wrote a book about it. Don spent most of January in Cuenca. By Don Moore Tramping down the Andes is...
By Blanca E. Vega Although I am born of Ecuadorian parents, I know more about being Ecuadorian American than I do about being Ecuadorian. I have little experience living with large extended families as some of my cousins are accustomed which also means that I have...
I was talking with a friend recently who told me, “I’m thinking I might move back tothe U.S.” I was quite surprised both by his announcement and his reasoning. He said he is having difficulty making friends and feels he might have better luck if he returned to the...
By Deb DuBoff Meet Felipe Alvarez. He is one of Cotacachi's young business owners who have a desire and passion for living a healthy life in our naturally abundant area. He has found a vital niche to fill by providing products that keep us healthy while also promoting...
According to Fortune Business Insights, chia seeds are gaining immense recognition in the world market, due to its healthful properties, increasing demand for natural food ingredients, rising demand for health and dietary supplements. But when I was growing up, chia...
By Jaime Moreno Is it possible that you have low iron levels in your body? Iron deficiency anemia is one of the most frequent causes of longstanding malaise in human beings. Worldwide, it is estimated that 1.24 billion individuals have iron deficiency anemia and over...
-- Sponsored post -- One of the more frustrating questions expats are faced with when they move to Ecuador is, “What exactly do I need to do about health insurance?” Whether they have chosen to maintain their health insurance in their home country, or have decided to...
On July 27, 2019, I reported that Tim Nacey had led a small group of gringos to Quingeo, a small village in the highlands of the Andes 17 miles south of Cuenca. It was an exceptional experience. Click here for the story. The early hours of Monday, January 27, were not...
By Robert Bradley Some seeking a better life are lucky. Most, however, take a route that is much more laborious, fraught with danger, and requires a level of endurance few choose to withstand. Such was the case for Chinnu and Abin George. Chinnu no longer felt safe in...
If you want to avoid obesity, should you have your DNA tested to learn what is the best diet for you? The answer is... no. Well, you can, if you want to. As advertised in a popular 'gringo' online forum, you can spend hundreds of dollars and send a sample out to Spain...
Breakdancers!! Spinning wildly on the slippery tiles of the gazebo floor, around and around they go. The music blares loudly from boom-boxes with a quick and staccato beat. It’s the perfect rhythm-keeper for their unbelievable gyrations. I’m watching some amazing...
By Rob Bell If you’ve ever seen the comedy skit by comedian Jimmy Fallon (featuring Will Ferrell) you know how ridiculous wearing tight pants looks on the average male physique. Luckily, in Ecuador only women wear tight pants, usually, very tight! To misquote the old...
I hosted a meeting at my home several months ago. When it was over, a couple approached me and introduced themselves, the woman presenting me her business card as one would a precious jeweled box. It was embossed and featured multiple bullet points, front, and back....
By Jeremiah Reardon The covered grill across the street from Fishbon Del Sur’s parade float sizzled with steak strips on a stick. Attendees and costumed participants had several options to purchase snacks on Calle La Republica under a dazzling sunset. An evening with...
By Robert Bradley Among my first memories of Cuenca, and one of the most satisfying, was my introduction to almuerzo, the traditional fixed-menu mid-day meal. Back in Portland, Oregon, I was accustomed to grabbing a sandwich, or worse, a mystery meat burger, and be...
Psychologists say that stress is defined as anything that alters our homeostasis, be it good or bad — and that bad stress can even turn into good stress, and vice versa. As reported in Harvard Health, “The combination of reactions to stress is also known as the...
I will celebrate the beginning of my fifth year in Cuenca next month. While others are dazzled by the pyrotechnics of Carnival, I will pretend that a least a few of the candles are for me. I learned a long time ago to carry a camera with me everywhere; you just never...
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.
