Posts:
American-born photographer Thomas Ives has worked for international news and feature magazines for over 38 years. His photo essays and images have appeared in National Geographic, Time, Geo, Stern, Newsweek, Life, Smithsonian, and many others publications. He...
By Joanna Bender Being a doctor was the earliest dream Cuenca dentist Daniela Ordoñez can remember. “Ever since I was very small, I loved medicine and wanted to be a plastic surgeon,” she recalled. “When I graduated high school, there was no doubt I would enter...
By Christopher Lux Brian Benson grew up surfing in Southern California. His wife Tabitha was born in Cuenca and moved to the United States when she was very young. "When we met, in San Diego, I was intrigued about her country," Brian recalls. "We had been to Ecuador...
According to Mayra León, Cuenca attorney and director of Ecuador Legal Services™, prospective expats are often not aware of the legal options that can make their relocation to Ecuador easier. An example, Mayra says, is the fact that there are visa options that offer...
American-born photographer Thomas Ives has worked for international news and feature magazines for over 38 years. His photo essays and images have appeared in National Geographic, Time, Geo, Stern, Newsweek, Life, Smithsonian, and many others publications. He...
By Gary Michaels Recently, I had the opportunity to visit a new restaurant in Cuenca that offers something that I doubt you’ll find anywhere else in Ecuador — maybe anywhere else in the world. The restaurant is called Amañan which, in Quechua, means “make your own,”...
One of the joys of living in Cuenca is the opportunity to enjoy the concerts by both the Cuenca Symphony Orchestra and the University of Cuenca Symphony Orchestra. Just last week, for example, the University Orchestra presented a concert Thursday evening at the...
Whether it's the requirements for obtaining a visa, starting a business and hiring employees, tenant - landlord rights and obligations, real estate closings, banking regulations, the role of notaries in legalizing contracts, or criminal issues, the laws and regulatory...
By Susan Burke March As AnimalPlanet.com reports, there are a number of proven health benefits associated with pet ownership, including physical, mental and emotional improvements, from enhancing social skills to decreasing a person’s risk for heart attack. According...
Off to the States. Not until July but I have decided, so it shall come to pass. Unless, of course, it doesn't. I have gotten very comfortable in Cuenca and the thought of traveling back to the U.S. just doesn't appeal to me. Partly because in the past, other than for...
By Susan Burke March Ahhhhh, a facial. Finally! I’d been putting off my quarterly facial because my favorite “facialista” had to return to the States, leaving many of her regular clients feeling … well, at loose ends. However, before she left she recommended Bienestar...
American-born photographer Thomas Ives has worked for international news and feature magazines for over 38 years. His photo essays and images have appeared in National Geographic, Time, Geo, Stern, Newsweek, Life, Smithsonian, and many others publications. He...
By Wendy Jane Carrel I was invited to visit a government run senior residence in Zaruma, Ecuador and was excited to make the trip. Who wouldn't have said yes for an opportunity not only to meet more Ecuadorian seniors, but for the chance to discover the gold capital...
A recent appeal for information in a favorite expat e-Newsletter got my attention. An unsuspecting reader posted a simple query: “Do we need proof of current yellow fever and typhoid vaccinations to enter Ecuador from Columbia?" (No). This simple question escalated...
By Wendy Jane Carrel I have returned from the province of Zamora-Chinchipe in the Amazon region where it is humid every day of the year. It is located in the southeastern part of Ecuador and straddles the Andes province of Loja and the Peruvian Amazon border. Zamora...
American-born photographer Thomas Ives has worked for international news and feature magazines for over 38 years. His photo essays and images have appeared in National Geographic, Time, Geo, Stern, Newsweek, Life, Smithsonian, and many others publications. He...
Text by Scott Fugit Photos by Dee Fugit There’s still something special about the old fashioned photograph. Although this is undeniably the video era, the attraction of a frozen instant in time cannot be denied. Of course, this is age related. We remember terms like...
Some great news, at least for me. I really love my little apartment on the river and with the lease expiring in June I have been worrying about being able to find something that will fit me so well. I was in Rentals Cuenca office last week and the Philadelphia owner...
American-born photographer Thomas Ives has worked for international news and feature magazines for over 38 years. His photo essays and images have appeared in National Geographic, Time, Geo, Stern, Newsweek, Life, Smithsonian, and many others publications. He...
She's been called the South African scam lady, a witch, thief, and liar. She's said to have an arrogant attitude and a bad temper. She’s fair game for social media ridicule by expats who comment on her weight (it’s a lot), clothing (not fashionable), and hair color...
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.
