Retire to Ecuador? Why not!

I wrote this post just as we were leaving Cuenca last May and thought I'd review it and make a few notes as to how it differs from actually living here. This is a LOOOOOOOG post....LOL! As it turns out, many of our preconceptions (based upon reading online and books), turned out to be misconceptions (at least for us). Here are our current feelings about Cuenca, Ecuador. Noise, pollution and traffic For us thus far, the noise level has been tolerable. But this is entirely based upon where we are staying. There are many places noisier as well as quieter. The pollution hasn't been an issue unless caught in a trail of black diesel exhaust from a bus. The good news is that they are working on converting to propane powered buses in the next few years. There is also a light rail being built and a percentage of El Centro will become pedestrian malls. Traffic? No worse than any city and surprisingly not as chaotic as we thought it would be. Jan 2014: When we visited in April-M

I know some of you wonder what our days are like so here is how our day went today. We slept until we woke, something we do on most days. We sometimes have to set an alarm but normally avoid doing so. Breakfast was next - high fiber cereal topped with fresh fruit and whole milk (which comes in a cardboard box - remember Parmalat milk a few years back? Well, that is just one of the brands sold here in Ecuador. Then it was time to sort laundry and call Mr. Wash for pickup. We used him when we visited last year and were thrilled to connect back this time. $5 for a HUGE laundry bag load and $3 delivery charge. Well worth it and much nicer than taking a taxi to the laundromat and back. Email, web browsing and Facebook followed next along with a few games of Words with Friends. The sun was shining brightly and the breeze coming in the window was heavenly as we sat at the dining room table, joking and sharing what we were reading. At noon I logged into and managed to get registered f

We've made a couple more visits to El Centro and especially our favorite spot, Centro Municipal Artesanal or CEMUART for short (also known as Casa de la Mujer). Two stories of artisan market  filled with stalls selling every type of craft typical to Ecuador. We've bought quite a bit there, enjoying watching the artisans at work. Paintings, framed artwork, jewelry, baskets, hats, knick-knacks, wall hangings and much more. I think we've visited at least twice last year and four times this year. It's hard to walk out without buying something. This is also the one spot where we never haggle, regardless of local traditions, unless we truly feel something is overpriced or if we are buying multiple items in one shop. We also enjoyed seeing the nativity sets that were created out of entirely recycled materials. One of my favorites was made from parts of a computer, another from all cardboard. [click any photo for a larger image] We also find some of the best items

I love purses...all kinds, shapes, materials, colors and sizes. I've had many over the years, very large when the kids were young, smaller and leather for professional use, colorful and funky more recently. But with our move here to Ecuador I knew I needed to make a slight change. Crime here isn't rampant, in fact we feel safer than we do in any large US city. But crime of opportunity is more common than we'd like. We've read all the warnings, we take all the precautions: carry a cheap phone or a throw-away phone, no more then $20 (if more, then split it up into several pockets), use Velcro or difficult to zip pockets, etc. Stu has to be vigilant about pick-pockets, I have to worry about my purse strap being slashed and stolen. We both know to never leave them where we don't have a hold on them. He keeps his money and ID in secure pockets and I now carry an anti-theft purse. I was recently browsing Amazon and saw an ad for a purse similar to mine, from the sam

We are settling into our daily life now, our legalities are done (will post separately about getting our Visas and Cedulas) and we have 90% of our furniture and decorations (although not all hung yet). Our list of things to buy has shrunk to office chairs, bed platform for the main guestroom and headboard/bed frame for our bedroom. (We will be picking up the double bed for the office/guest room next week - another great used buy). As in any new house or apartment there are little things you would like to make life easier. For us it was THESE little things that have made a difference. Little felt buttons to put on the inside of cabinet doors so they wouldn't slam loudly - kitchen, two bathrooms and three bedrooms closet built-ins. While the noise wasn't unbearable, it did carry to our downstairs neighbor who has done the same thing! We love the quiet closings now. Slip-on faucet aerator/sprayer This one swivels and goes into spray or single stream mode with a fli