Posts:
By Margaret Winter Looking for Cuenca's best nightlife? You'll find it at the Jazz Society Cafe. It's a little miracle to find a jazz club of this caliber in the Andes, with world-class performers in a venue that’s got the warm, intimate vibe of an authentic New York...
A year has passed since I posted another version of this column in CuencaHighLife.com. The more things change, the more they stay the same. But, what’s changed? Time. A year has passed. What has stayed the same? Unfortunately, everything. The same individuals are...
By Chris Clarke This is the first of two articles about Ecuador through the eyes of a writer living in Costa Rica. The second will compare the similar economic and political problems of the two countries. It is a short flight to Quito from San Jose. Presently, you...
Last week, my column detailed the impressive increase in life expectancy around the globe. As reported in the National Institute on Aging, “The dramatic increase in average life expectancy during the 20th century ranks as one of society’s greatest achievements....
By Christopher Lux It’s been a year since so many people on Ecuador's coast lost so much — family members, friends, and neighbors. There was also the loss of housing, stores, hotels, and work places. Structural losses in the community of Rio Canoa, just inland from...
Black Tongue lives a pretty good ways from here. I met him in Wyoming this past February. As you can see, we are already on a first name basis and quite familiar with one another. That's why he's letting me hang out with him so close and on his turf. He's a young...
By Susan Burke March Your smile may be the most important part of a first impression, and it’s said you never have a second chance to make a good first one. As I walked into the office of GC Specialized Dentistry I thought, this is the definition of a great first...
By David Fagerlie Recently, I attended a presentation about the work of a nonprofit organization that was held after hours at a local restaurant. I paid a fee to attend that was much greater than the value of the dessert and a beverage provided; the balance supported...
Walking. It’s my favorite way to get to know a place. I’ve come to love my new city and find new delights in it every day. On foot. While I try to vary my routes, particularly in El Centro, there are a limited number of ways to get there. As anyone who has been here...
What is allopathic medicine, and why do some people throw that term around so insultingly? Wikipedia reports that German physician Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843) invented the term “allopathy”. He conjoined allos "opposite" and pathos "suffering" to refer to harsh...
By Rob Gray There's a lot more to growing the best food ever than you think, more than can be covered in a single article. So, in this article I will present an overview of six fundamental principles I believe necessary to produce the highest quality, fresh...
If I were to enter a contest to see who has the highest risk for skin cancer, I might win. Thumbs down. My risk factors include: Lighter natural skin color; skin that burns and freckles easily, blue or green eyes, blond or red hair. Check all of the above. Born blonde...
In Ecuador, they are everywhere. In Cuenca, it is no different. I live by Parque Calderon, about a block away. This is considered the epicenter of the city by all Cuencanos whether mestizo or indigenous. So, it’s fitting that the “New Cathedral” also known as,...
By Sandra Block Americans who live abroad have an unusual and costly problem: Financial institutions are reluctant to take their money. But with a new account created by the State Department Federal Credit Union and the nonprofit American Citizens Abroad, they now...
My morning routine includes listening to podcasts from a variety of NPR radio shows as I walk on the Tomebamba. Yesterday, I was in stitches listening to the food safety expert describing how most people’s kitchen sinks were best suited to hosting a riotous party for...
By Rob Gray Before coming to Ecuador, I had put together a rather detailed plan to do a commercial permaculture farm that benefited from the integration of raising both plants and animals. In our first year, we chose to work solely with plants and as we improved the...
By Doug Hansen A growing number of travelers from around the world have begun an exodus to a tiny town in southern Ecuador —Vilcabamba— that sits tucked away in a green valley surrounded by a series of undulating mountains. Some, like my wife and myself, are drawn to...
Juicing. It seems like an ideal way to lose weight and get healthy, right? After all, you’ve seen that babe holding a glass of juice, a tape measure conspicuously draped around her impossibly tiny waist. Maybe you’re tempted by the caption that guarantees that...
We had been on the road for twelve days and Big Red's odometer reading indicated we had already covered 4,300 miles of road. Some was desert sand, some gravel, some asphalt and some interstate; they're all taken in stride. Not to say that Edie and I hadn't been...
The days leading up to Easter in Ecuador has a very exciting vibe. We were just in Quito, and throughout that big city and here in Cuenca, all the mercados are stocked with salt cod, and restaurants have put out special signs advertising the arrival of fanesca!...
