Posts:
By Lisa Grainger As if on cue, the marine iguana lifted its stumpy nose from its black-scaled body and sneezed, sending a shower of droplets onto the feet of our guide, Morris Garcia. “As I was saying,” he grimaced, wiping his ankle, “these are the only iguanas in the...
By Arlene Anderson "The time for a complete change was long overdue," says Gloria Gilbere, a single 70-year-old, who made her move to Ecuador in the summer of 2016. Even though previously thriving in large, action-packed cities, she now wanted to live in a small...
Sunday October 1 2017 is World Vegetarian Day! Founded in 1977 by the North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS) and endorsed by the International Vegetarian Union in 1978, October 1 is the kick-off of Vegetarian Awareness Month. How can you eat more healthfully? In a...
By Louis Bourgeois Working on my farm the other day, my wife watches me and suggests that I could take down a section of fence, making a much shorter trip as I carried heavy bags of soil to a new planting bed. I thanked her for the suggestion but shared that I liked...
My clothing was soaking wet but I wasn’t on that cold and rainy day. I had donned rain pants and jacket prior to entering the high grass mid-afternoon. It had been raining lightly when I left my truck, striking out for one of my favorite front range locations,...
A reader wrote to ask where in Cuenca he could buy “ketosis strips” to test his urine for ketones since he had decided to “pursue a ketosis diet.” He noted that purchasing a ketone testing machine is much more expensive, so I assume he’s looking to save money. Well, I...
By Lee Shrader A few thoughts about interacting with government agencies in Ecuador. First, let me say that this will be old news to those of you who have been in Ecuador a while, but might be helpful to those newly arrived or looking to come to Ecuador. My thoughts...
By Robert Bradley The tragedy of natural catastrophe we witness in the news is a stern warning to prepare and appreciate our bounty every day. Too clearly we have seen that generations of memories and the accumulation of centuries can be swept away ... like water. It...
By Louis Bourgeois Beyond the unexpected blessing of the arrival of my daughter Amelie, my immersion into the Cuenca culture has provided clear benefits. My lifelong dream has been to live in an international community, close to the earth and aligned with basic...
A good friend wrote to tell me she was concerned because she’d read that older adults need to eat more protein to avoid losing muscle mass. “I think it’s very difficult to get 100 grams of protein a day! Especially for vegetarians. What do you think?” Do Older Adults...
By Cathryn Jakobson Ramin For patient after patient seeking to cure chronic back pain, the experience is years of frustration. Whether they strive to treat their aching muscles, bones and ligaments through physical therapy, massage or rounds of surgery, relief is...
By Jean McCord I had my gun but could I use it? There I was, alone, waiting for the killer to appear. Could I really judge whether to shoot — or not? The route to this life-changing moment started tamely, about twenty-five years ago. I had written the first draft of a...
Can they actually prove that chocolate is good for you? Well, it’s mighty hard to do! I just ‘Googled’ “chocolate health” and see a myriad of reports suggesting that chocoholics enjoy better heart health, lower blood sugar, lower blood pressure. The headlines also...
In my previous column, I discussed the truth about how alcohol is metabolized (no, it doesn’t “turn into sugar”) and how to fix a hangover (prevention is a reliable strategy, “cures” not so much). Today’s column reviews some recent research about alcohol’s health...
Hiking alone high in the Andean páramo amidst the knob and kettle formations of the Andes offers a unique sense of wildness. I don’t see footprints of domestic animals or the signs of the hand of man in many of the places I seek out. I always feel as if I could...
By Louis Bourgeois With two tries Catty became pregnant in May 2015. The reality and excitement of having our first baby, at 38 and 63, respectively, was intensified with the first ultrasound. We would be having a little girl. Catty and I explored names, first using...
By Jonathan Look In 2011, at 50, I took early retirement from my job as an air traffic controller, left Texas and began traveling the world. Since then, with the exception of a few short visits back to see family, I’ve been hopping from bases as diverse as the Chiapas...
By Ray Horsley I'd like to share some Cuenca highlights, especially after my first post which was kind of negative about phone and internet problems. Others have written on the subject, but there are so many joys about this place for new arrivals I can't help being...
My eye and I are ready for the surgery to remove the oil so I can once again have vision in both eyes. However, without mentioning it earlier, my doctor has decided to take a long overseas trip and if he does the surgery now, he won't be available for the follow-up...
Reporting on nutritional news is fraught with misinterpretation. One recent example was coffee. Headlines pronounced that drinking coffee prevents heart disease and stroke. Happily for those who dislike coffee, the study never suggested that people who don’t drink...
Week of September 20
Ecuador turns to industrial power cuts to protect Mazar and keep homes from going dark.
Ecuador raises its 2026 growth forecast, but El Niño could spoil the outlook next year.
Cuenca retirees challenge medical and therapy changes at IESS senior center.
