The unofficial web page of the greater Cuenca expat community

See the post above for the cheapest and possibly most hair raising way to get to Ecuador via Armenia Colombia.
Also, we just got back from EC and you can check my blog at
gerrygoestoecuador.wordpress.com
We rented a car, drove the country and had a great time. If u want to PM me I can tell u the car company, Hostels we stayed at, etc... We loved Cuenca and were there at the beginning and end of our 3 weeks. We stayed in Hostels everywhere we went.
Gerry in Oregon

They had a round table about immigration of gringos recently. Unfortunately we donŽt learn much about what was said from that article:

The owner of CarolinaŽs bookstore, Lee Dubbs, is the person second from the right in the photo, and his presentation was stated as the following:

Dubs habló sobre las expectativas de los ciudadanos extranjeros al llegar a Cuenca.

"Dubbs talked about the expectations of the foreigners upon arriving to Cuenca"

So I wonder what were those expectations that Lee Dubs outlined for the peeps, beyond the false notion that senior citizens are going to be learning Spanish beyond a handful of greetings and requests?

I am moving to Cuenca I have a home and am retired.I need some info Re:address change etc.Anybody?

Are you asking whether the USPS will forward your mail to Ecuador?

Yes I am

Yes I am

Ronkgoff wrote:

I am moving to Cuenca I have a home and am retired.I need some info Re:address change etc.Anybody?

Well, you have come to the right thread, even if you donŽt get the right answer.

I have a mail forwarding sevice called US Global Mail based out of Houston, Texas which chares me $15 a month for the box.

I rarely have them forward any mail to Cuenca, however. They scan the outside of the envelope so I know what is in my inbox. Most of the letters I tell them to discard or have them scan so I can read them online. On a few ocassions during my visa fiasco(thanks Grace), I had them Fed Ex my documents to me. They currently charges $37 for up to a 3 lb FedEx letter-size envelope.

They have uppped their prices for U.S. 1st class mail, however. Last week I asked for a quote for sending 5 small envelopes via U.S. first class mail and they quoted me $24. A year ago they forwarded 3 small envelopes U.S. first class for $8.

By the way, Texas has an 8.25 sales tax rate.  It may come in to play if you ever purchase something via credit card and have it shipped here.

Thank you amigo I had heard of this outfit.I appreciate the info.I do know of the problems in getting and receiving mail.I will use this company and see how it goes.If you are near Cuenca you are welcome to a meal at El Duende.A small cafe above Tomebamba river.If interested email.
Tarde,Ronaldo

I found this on the FB Expat site and thought it might help people flying into Quito....

I just figured out how to save 15 bucks getting into Quito from the airport from hell, and I'm so jazzed I need to go make myself a milk shake. But you can stop reading here if you have more than two bags. For lighter travelers, "just say no" to that big fancy bus that charges $12 freakin' dollars just to dump you at the ghostly old airport where it feels like a scene from West World and Yul Brynner is going to come grab you from behind, only to then find your only option to get the rest of the way into Quito is a taxi for $5 extra. Instead, walk 10 steps past that bus to the second island to get on the Kermit-the-frog-green colored "Tumbaco" bus. You'll be given a ticket to Rio Coca for $2, the northernmost station of the Ecovia, where then for only 25 cents you can board all the freshly emptied ecovias heading straight downtown. What's also nice about the Tumbaco bus is that it's faster (50 minutes vs. 70 minutes) and they keep all the luggage right on the bus behind the driver with the cobrador watching it like a hawk instead of in cargo bays. So for $2.25 I was home faster and with enough cash saved for dinner for two. It's a royal coup, gotta love it.

Nards Barley wrote:

I have a mail forwarding sevice called US Global Mail based out of Houston, Texas which chares me $15 a month for the box.

I rarely have them forward any mail to Cuenca, however. They scan the outside of the envelope so I know what is in my inbox.

I have a mail forwarding service called Bob's Sister in Phoenix, who performs much the same service.

On the rare occasions I get a letter that looks like it might matter, I have her open it and tell me, for example, whether the IRS is after me or not.

Works great, and she charges my favorite price.

Bob

I love Bob's sister.I have one or three of those-and a Bob's brother Good advise.
Gracias,Ronaldo

Hello, I am new to this blog and I am trying to learn as much as I can and do my research about Ecuador before making the move.  Some of my concerns are as follows and I appreciate beforehand sharing your thoughts with me.

1.  The climate is very important to me as it affects me emotionally.  I would like to know which town has the best weather, cool to slightly warm and little rain periods.

2.  What are the legalities involved in hiring a helper for housekeeping?  How much do they get paid?

3.  How is traffic in Cuenca?  Is it easy to drive,?

Thank you so much!

I would not drive.Housekeepers are everywhere no paperwork .Climate is perfecto

nancy roman wrote:

Hello, I am new to this blog and I am trying to learn as much as I can and do my research about Ecuador before making the move.  Some of my concerns are as follows and I appreciate beforehand sharing your thoughts with me.

1.  The climate is very important to me as it affects me emotionally.  I would like to know which town has the best weather, cool to slightly warm and little rain periods.

2.  What are the legalities involved in hiring a helper for housekeeping?  How much do they get paid?

3.  How is traffic in Cuenca?  Is it easy to drive,?

Thank you so much!

1. I suggest Arrayanas, a suburb of Quito.

2. All get paid minimum wage. With benefits about $5k annually. There are legal steps which are manageable.

3. Cost of car is 2 to 3 times USA so most expats do not own relying on buses and cabs. This is possible however not convenient with safety concerns. Cuenca downtown streets are tight with traffic similar to most metro areas.

Go to Ecuador and learn we all have different experiences.You can get by in various ways.

Fox News?

Definitely NOT a moniker coined in the "Department of Redundancy Department" ....

   Carlos   aka "ElGringoBueno"

PS  Sorry, couldn't help myself ...

PPS  BTW, can you believe that Bill O'Really? [SIC] actually worked at a TV station in the "People's Republic of Portland" early in his "career" ...  I'm guessing his departure was mutually agreeable.

BobH wrote:

Nards Barley wrote:

Blanca Guillen, representative of the houses of tolerance, manifested that because they are mixing the sale of alcoholic beverages with sex services, it is difficult to deliver receipts to the clients because it can cause the break up of marriages and separation of couples.

LOL! Of course, just because a receipt is issued, doesn't mean the customer can't just leave it behind.

Any married customer of a brothel who is dumb enough to take a receipt home, deserves whatever ensues.

Years ago, I spent one very long evening in a "dance hall/brothel" just outside Cancun drinking "El Presidente" brandy with the Madam (at the bar) whilst my "roomie" was sampling the local "wares" [SIC] ...

We both had a good time ...

GringoBueno wrote:

Years ago, I spent one very long evening in a "dance hall/brothel" just outside Cancun drinking "El Presidente" brandy with the Madam (at the bar) whilst my "roomie" was sampling the local "wares" [SIC] ...

We both had a good time ...

So you will feel right at home in Ecuador?  Is that the point?

Purchased a new tool at Sukasa the other day. Here are the photos of its first use. I think I am going to like it, although I need to cut a little deeper next time.

More Coopera liquidation news this afternoon.

El próximo lunes 12 de agosto inicia la segunda fase de la devolución de depósitos a los socios de la Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crédito ‘Coopera Ltda.', en liquidación.

"August 12th they begin the second phase of the return of deposits to members of Coopera."

En esta etapa se atenderá a las personas naturales que tienen depósitos de hasta 30.000 dólares y adultos mayores que tienen hasta 40.000 dólares.

"In this stage, they will attend to natural persons that have deposits of up to 30,000 dollars and older adults that have up to 40,0000 dollars.

Las personas con discapacidad o con enfermedades catastróficas podrán retirar 30.000 dólares independientemente del monto de sus depósitos. Se aplicará un cronograma según el último dígito de la cédula.

"The persons with disabilities or with catastrophic illness will be able to withdraw $30,000 independent of the amount of their deposits"

The Commercio words it a little differently and defines the age cutoff for "older adults":

Entre el 12 y 16 de agosto se regresará el dinero a los cuentaahorristas que tienen hasta USD 30 000. También se devolverá el dinero a quienes superen los 65 años y tengan depósitos hasta USD 40 000, según la información de la SEPS.

"Between August 12th and 16th money will be returned to those members who have up to $30,000.  They will also return moeny to those who exceed 65 years of age and have deposits up to $40,000."

By the way a natural person is

natural person n. a real human being, as distinguished from a corporation which is often treated at law as a fictitious person

P.S.
The sign that lady is holding in the front rows says that they demand Presedent Correa involve himself in this case.

Ecuador way ahead of the USA in this case, declaring that a corporation is NOT a person.  Bravo

mugtech wrote:

GringoBueno wrote:

Years ago, I spent one very long evening in a "dance hall/brothel" just outside Cancun drinking "El Presidente" brandy with the Madam (at the bar) whilst my "roomie" was sampling the local "wares" [SIC] ...

We both had a good time ...

So you will feel right at home in Ecuador?  Is that the point?

Not sure if you're intentionally putting your words in my mouth, but ...

I was simply sharing an anecdote about brothels in response to someone else's post about brothels. 

That happened to be my one and only experience in that type of environment.  I was simply commenting that my room-mate and I BOTH had a good time even though I did NOT sample the wares as did Duane.  All I did was drink El Presidente with the madam.  She and I chatted and laughed ...  So, she and I also BOTH had a good time.

Mr Mugs, do you NOT know what the American cultural reference "wingman" means?  I was simply biding my time whilst my roomie was "taking care of business".

or ... Are you simply hiding in the weeds to take cheap shots (again!) at folks on this blog?

or ...  Are you projecting your (dirty) thoughts upon me?

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and just assume you just didn't understand my "English" and/or the role of a wingman.

   Carlos   aka "ElGringoBueno" 

PS  I certainly expect to have a wonderful time in Ecuador, living amongst the locals, learning espanol and avoiding the American style cynicism and negativity that I'm leaving behind (and I don't even live on the East Coast ... )  I determined early on that full immersion will do wonders for my language skills.  I'm also coming to believe that full immersion will make for a much more enjoyable retirement to be VERY careful which expats I "hang with" once I'm ready to venture out from my full immersion "experience".

PPS  As I understand it, you still reside in the US of A so, fortunately, I won't have to dodge your "mug" [pardon the pun ...] in order to "feel right at home in Ecuador".

oops,

I didn't completely "edit" the 1st postscript ...

Please feel free to insert "the wisdom of others on this and other sites" between "retirement" and "to"

   Carlos

Thanks for clarifying that, Carl

BTW, you can edit a post you make, you need not explain it with an additional post.  Thought you might want to know that.

Thanks,

I hadn't noticed the "edit" tab ...  Unfortunately, the external keyboard for my new iPad and I don't seem to work together very well and I'm constantly having to proofread and edit my "typing" before I even make the initial post.  In the future, I will save myself some time with my newfound "toy", the edit tab.

   Carlos

PS  I wish I wasn't so much of a perfectionist, but with a career in the audit/accounting world it's hard not to dot the "I's" and cross the "T's" ...

PPS  I just thought it was a funny story for a guy to hang out all evening in a flop house and not "flop" ...   Although I'm not much of a "moralist" I am simply concerned about get the "ooga booga" disease from "goofing around" if you catch my drift.  I don't even enjoy strip clubs, but with 10 years of out of town assigments traveling with folks in their 20's and 30's on "expense accounts" I have had the"pleasure" of watching a few shows over the years.  In Oklahoma circa 1983 we went to one that was so "elegant/ostentatious" that almost half of the patrons were female dates of the local cowboys ...  Go figure!

The television network Ecuavista interviewed a Gringa named Patricia Oknor yesterday during that Coopera meeting where they announced the second stage of the payments to depositors with balances of at least $10,000.

Ms. Oknor said that they sold everything in the U.S. and wanted to invest in Ecuador.

If she is at least 65, she should get up to $40,000 soon.

mugtech wrote:

Ecuador way ahead of the USA in this case, declaring that a corporation is NOT a person.  Bravo

Mugs, I'm with ya on this one ...

One of my favorite bumper stickers is something along the lines of ....

   I'll Believe Corporations are People as soon as Texas Executes One!!!

I don't think Enron qualifies since it was essentially "suicide by deceit", so we don't have Texas to thank ...

   Carlos   aka "ElGringoBueno" 

PS  You can substitute Florida for Texas if you'd like, since they're both "leaders in their field" [notwithstanding George Zimmerman, of course).  Don't EVEN get me started on the latest display of American insanity ...  the Stand Your Ground pathology. 

My wife cuts the skin of the pineapple and boils them to make juice.

Not sure of all the steps but can ask if interested.

Mike

quito0819 wrote:

My wife cuts the skin of the pineapple and boils them to make juice.

Not sure of all the steps but can ask if interested.

That is a pretty good idea. One thing nice about using that tool is it leaves about 8 ounces of juice inside the carcass, instead of spilling it all over the counter.

after boiling the cut up skin for about an hour Johnie puts it all into a blender and mushes it up and then strains it.  Sugar to taste or drink as is.  We like it as is.  If system revolts as being too healthy...add vodka

quito0819 wrote:

after boiling the cut up skin for about an hour Johnie puts it all into a blender and mushes it up and then strains it.  Sugar to taste or drink as is.  We like it as is.  If system revolts as being too healthy...add vodka

Thanks I will give it a try sometime. If I add any booze, it will have to be aguardiente, unfortunately.

Mistymeaner wrote:

Personally I think the bags are way better than the boxes.  However they don't make them for almond or rice milk so I deal with the boxes.

Talking about milk: Do they have lactose free milk available in Cuenca?  Or, how do lactose-sensitive people deal with that issue in Cuenca?

just love each other i love the while world i love to make friends:)

Where are some reasonable places to stay in Cuenca. Live in Salinas but want to see Quenca on a limited budget.

Hi Lee, If you have a copy of the Lonely Planet tour book, there are many hostels, etc reviewed. Price, description, pros and cons, etc.  We stayed at Posada del Rio Hostel rated the #1 budget pick and loved it. It's run by two EC sisters and was easy walking distance to most everything. A bus stop right across the street took us almost everywhere we couldn't walk to. TLPlanet is rated the top tour guide for EC by most people. Have a great time in Cuenca.

I don't but will get it. Sounds like it has a lot of good info. Thanks

I'm looking to rent an apartment in Cuenca, but don't know where to begin my search. Can someone recommend a good realtor?

PMessage me.

NellyD wrote:

I'm looking to rent an apartment in Cuenca, but don't know where to begin my search. Can someone recommend a good realtor?

If you are already in Cuenca, I expect my apartment to vacant within a couple weeks. PM me as well if interested in seeing it.

P.S.
If you meet me, you will have to sign a confidential agreement not to disclose my identity to government officials and bloggers.