Living and Retiring in Ecuador

Goza and Hansel and Gretel -- New Eats in Cuenca!

2018-04-06T15:14:00.000-07:00

Mark and I have been anticipating the opening of Hansel and Gretel Panaderia/Pasteleria at the corner of Luis Moreno Mora and Roberto Crespo Toral in the Plaza Europea complex for quite some time. When I walked over to Plaza Europea to check on its progress, I happened on the restaurant next door which is Goza (numero dos), which was quite a surprise!

Everyone (it seems) is familiar with the Goza in El Centro (on Calle Larga), where you can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner al fresco. It seems to be pretty much of an expat meeting place. The new Goza is a little different in that no alcohol is served and the open seating outside is free of bus pollution (as it's not on a bus route).

The layout is spacious with plenty of outdoor seating and indoors you'll be spared the ten percent service charge because you order at the counter. The decor is fresh and modern with a lot of green space. Their sandwiches have a new twist in that you can order half of a sandwich of one variety and half of another variety (they range from $5-$7) and the drinks are basically the same as Goza #1, but without the alcohol. The atmosphere is totally different than the Goza on Calle Larga and is quiet with a nice mixture of Cuencanos and gringos.

The first time I happened on the new Goza, I ordered a chocolate chip cookie and cappuccino, which was a nice afternoon treat. Today we went for lunch and split a chicken sandwich on brown bread with avocado, hard boiled eggs, sun-dried tomatoes, eggplant and served with an organic green salad. I had fruit tea with an apple crumb cake (delicious!).

Right next door is the new Hansel and Gretel (at Plaza Europea), which will be opening later this month. Unlike Goza, Hansel and Gretel is a chain of panaderias/pastelerias and bistros to go, which will create some healthy competition for Goza. If you've ever visited Hansel and Gretel in Quito (in many of the shopping malls), you'll know what I mean. It will be the closest thing we'll have to Sweet and Coffee in Cuenca. Unfortunately, Sweet and Coffee doesn't work in cities less than one million people.

So what does all this mean?! I'm not exactly sure, but I have hope that one day a Sweet and Coffee will make its way to Cuenca because it's absolutely our favorite coffee place and we enjoy going to Quito and Guayaquil to get our Sweet and Coffee fix. They even have one in the Guayaquil Bus Station and it's one of the first places we head to as soon as we get off the bus. And I guess you could say that it's the closet thing to Starbucks that we have in Ecuador, but I certainly don't see them coming to Cuenca anytime soon.

I'll leave you with some photos of Goza (numero dos).

Until next time...hasta luego,

Happy Easter from Ecuador!

2018-04-01T08:37:00.001-07:00

Wow, it looks like I'm posting twice a year -- Christmas and Easter!

Since I last blogged we have two more grandchildren (Adeline Grace and Ellis Jon); we both have our Social Security; Mark is still teaching one ESL class per cycle at CEDEI; and I'm still writing (just not here -- it seems). Three more Chicken Soup books have come out and I have four stories in them, which is always fun. I love going back to the States to Barnes & Noble and browsing through the book section and reading my tales.

The holidays are always a time of reflection for us. We live in the club sandwich generation -- meaning we have elderly parents all the way to grandchildren, so we try to visit our kids and grandkids twice a year and my parents once a year. We're trying to avoid the holidays for travel, which means fall and spring visits to the kids and a spring visit to my parent's place in Brentwood, California.

After eight Easters in Ecuador, I think we've only made it back to the States for one of them. Easter is celebrated as a religious holiday in Ecuador (Semana Santa), so there aren't a lot of Easter bunnies, baskets, and all that goes with it. Good Friday is very quiet and most families spend the afternoon together eating the traditional fanesca soup (made up of twelve grains representing the twelve disciples). It's definitely an acquired taste and one that I'm not particularly fond of (for lots of different reasons). It's a fish-based soup with pumpkin, corn, herbs and spices, twelve grains, and served with fresh avocado, hard-boiled eggs, and plantains. The first time I ate it, I was sick for three days and haven't touched it since.

So do we miss our family during the holidays -- living in a culture that is so family oriented and rich with holiday tradition? Of course we do! Recently a question was asked among expats in Cuenca, "Are any of your relatives angry that you moved to Ecuador?" I'm not sure that "angry" is the appropriate word, but it's been a challenge for us. Our boys -- before they were married -- were definitely hurt that we "abandoned" them. They were 23 and 28 at the time -- with lives of their own. Our friends were somewhat confused and hurt. My parents were used to it (I think) because we were missionaries in Italy for seven years during our 20's and 30's. I think it's somewhat easier with sons because both our boys are married with children and sons (as you know) gravitate toward the daughter's family, so in a real sense we've done them a favor. They're free to do everything with the daughter's family -- Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and summer vacation without any interference from the in-laws (us). I'm sure they're secretly very happy that we saved them a lot of family conflict. That's why we try to visit on the off seasons and avoid any holidays.

Our grandchildren will still get to know us, but we've freed our sons up from any conflict. I'm pretty sure it would have been different if we had girls. I think I would have wanted to be more a part of their lives, but you know the saying: "Sons are sons until they take a wife; daughters are daughters for the rest of your life." Both of our sons married Lancaster County girls (Pennsylvania), which means they are very tied to family and spend Sunday dinners, holidays and vacations together.

For the most part, our family and friends really don't care to know about our life here and what we do. I find that so odd. When we lived in Italy, they wanted to know everything about our lives and what we did. They'd say, "Say something in Italian for us?" I wonder if it would be different if we retired in Italy; I'm sure we'd have more visitors to be sure. Cuenca, Ecuador reminds me so much of Italy with its terracotta rooftops, cobblestoned streets, majestic churches, and brick buildings. I feel like I have the best of both worlds: modern living with an Italian touch. I feel that our boys and their families are really missing out on a cultural experience that would broaden their horizons, but then again maybe they don't want that.

Anyway, I've stopped trying to figure it out and we're just thankful we made the decision to retire abroad. We live a rich and full life with no need to have a car (we can walk everywhere); we have an active social life; and we plan to do more traveling (using Cuenca as a jumping-off point). We bought our condo here (five years ago), so we could live somewhere else six months out of the year and rent our place, but we haven't figured out when we would do that. Mark would definitely have to decide to stop teaching and I don't think he's ready to give that up yet.

This Easter we're spending it at home. Mark got the flu bug and he's really sick, so we're enjoying a very quiet holiday. We celebrated last weekend by going to Gualaceo (45 minutes from Cuenca) and stayed at the Arhana Resort, which was lovely. We try to get away every three months after Mark finishes a teaching cycle and there are so many wonderful resorts close to Cuenca, so we have our choice.

I'll leave you with some pictures of our time in Gualaceo.

Blessings for a Joy-filled Easter,

Connie & Mark

Feliz Navidad 2017

2017-12-24T14:38:00.001-08:00

Wow, the past few weeks have been amazing and exhausting. There have been concerts, ballets, galas, private dinners, parties galore...more parties, the festival of lights, Christmas plays, musicals, symphonies, more dinners, and today is Christmas Eve and the Pase del Niño Viajero parade (that lasts eight hours).

If I could pick a favorite event this season, it would be the Nutcracker Ballet with the Cuenca Symphonic Orchestra. It was the first time either one of us had seen the ballet and we were mesmerized. The tickets were a mere ten dollars, but I would have paid three times that amount. It was that good! I hope they make it a tradition every year. We had seats closest to the front so we could see into the orchestra pit and somehow by the end of the ballet, I wanted to be a harp player (or the Sugar Plum Fairy).

Gone is the big Christmas tree in Parque Calderon and instead they decided to light up Cuenca. Cuenca is in lights (literally) in Parque Calderon. There's a huge tree of lights at Plaza Otorongo (the tallest one in Ecuador) and lights spelling out LUMINARIA and more lights at Plaza Domingo spelling out NAVIDAD. And if that isn't enough, the Tomebamba River is "swimming" in lights. There are fish jumping out of the water; a frog sitting on a lily pad; a bluebird in the tree; and indigenous women doing laundry by the river. Oh, and just when you thought it couldn't get more colorful, the fireworks at night light up the sky in red, green and white with globos (balloons) floating into the darkness.

Last night we had dinner with some friends at Mansion Alcazar and we could hardly hear one another with all the fireworks that were going off for a solid hour. By the way, Mansion Alcazar is and always will be our favorite place to celebrate -- whether it's a birthday, anniversary, Christmas or for no reason at all. No one in Cuenca has attention to detail like Mansion Alcazar and we're always treated like family. It was a packed house at the Mansion as many come to Cuenca just for the Pase del Niño Viajero parade. Today was spectacular and sunny, so I hope the kids keep their sombreros on.

Tomorrow we'll have a Christmas brunch and our kids from Pennsylvania will call and we'll get to watch our two-year-old granddaughter, Clara, open up her gifts from Mimi and Nano. We'll be flying to Pennsylvania in January to see our growing family; our newest granddaughter Adeline Grace Pombo (Addie) was born on December 21st.

We were kind of hoping not to have any December birthdays as we don't do snow anymore, so we'll have to devise a plan to celebrate summer birthdays in the fall and winter birthdays in the spring. Cuenca has pretty much spoiled us in the weather department. After living in blizzards for twenty-three years, there's nothing thrilling about going into subzero temperatures with snow and ice.

In case any of you were wondering, we don't plan to go back to the States to live because we have grandchildren (as many expats before us have done). I look at it this way, if we went back we'd be working full-time until we dropped dead and then we wouldn't be able to see our grandkids anyway. This way, we have the best of both worlds: we can have an extraordinary life and when we return to the States for a visit; our grandkids have our undivided attention. Let's face it; what employer would give you one month twice a year to see your kids and their kids (aka grandkids)?

Mark will only be teaching one or two classes in the spring (April), so we have a fairly long vacation from our vacation coming up. And I still write, but I'm pretty selective about what assignments I take on. I first ask the editor, "How badly do you need this?" If it doesn't fit with my schedule, then I politely say no. I didn't have that privilege before, but now I do. I have a story in a new Chicken Soup book coming out in February titled "Miracles and More" and I continue to write for them from time to time. I have a new motto in my 60's: "If it's not fun, then don't do it!" Life is way too short to say yes to anything that's not fun.

After seven years, I think our family has realized that we're not moving back, so they've stopped asking. But I do feel hopeful that we'll have more visitors as my sister and her husband made it here and hopefully one day our grandchildren can come visit us. I think it would be a wonderful opportunity, but it's entirely up to their parents.

And Cuenca just keeps getting better and better. The old blue buses are being replaced by newer buses that are eco-friendly. That's a relief! And in less than 288 days, the tranvia (electric train) will be complete. A French company has been assigned the duty of completing it and I have a feeling it just might become a reality in 2018.

Christmas in Cuenca is as busy or as quiet as you want it to be. There are so many things going on you can get exhausted just thinking about it or you can be selective and only do the things that really matter to you. This morning in church, the kids were in costume and sang a medley of Christmas songs and it was so wonderful. Worship is a big part of our lives and so time spent with our church family is extremely important to us.

We also have a goddaughter, Gaby, and her boyfriend, Freddy, and we love doing things with them once or twice a month, whether it's a movie, out to dinner, or just spending a night at home fixing dinner and playing boardgames, it's a blessing. Both are university students now and one day Mark will be walking her down the aisle. We always wanted a daughter and now we have one.

We want to wish you a blessed holiday season and the happiest New Year ever!

Until next time...hasta luego,

Connie & Mark

Four Points Sheraton in Cuenca

2017-11-28T14:43:00.000-08:00

Mark and I recently celebrated a milestone (42 years of marriage) and we didn't even have to leave town. We took a taxi three blocks up the hill (that was my suggestion), and entered the doors of the new five-star Four Points Sheraton.

The lobby of the hotel is spacious and luxurious with five-star service as soon as you enter. And the view is amazing at every turn, especially from Cook's Restaurant at sunset and there is plenty of balcony space to enjoy the city lights "al fresco."

Our check in was a breeze and we stayed two floors below the rooftop pool, which is the only one of its kind in Cuenca. The roof is retractable, so you can swim under the stars. On Saturdays for $20, you can enjoy a pool party that includes music and a drink for a cover charge of $20. We came on a Friday, so we had the pool to ourselves and what a treat to do laps in a heated, chlorinated pool. Not that we don't love going to the mineral baths in Baños, but this was special in its own way.

We spent our honeymoon night at the Sheraton in Concord, California; we lived three blocks from the Sheraton in Catania, Italy; and now we're three blocks from the Sheraton in Cuenca, Ecuador. It seems that the Sheraton is part of our travel experience.

We had a gift card for our stay, so it was free (a gift from our kids for our anniversary) and we spent $34 on a magnificent dinner. The chef is Peruvian with a fusion flair. Anyone can enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner at Cook's Restaurant and reservations are preferable, but not required. The view is the best in Cuenca, especially at sunset so keep that in mind if you're dining out. The free breakfast buffet that comes with your stay is one of the best we've ever had and includes Ecuadorian dishes, eggs to your liking, plenty of fresh fruits, pastries, breads, cereal, meats and a variety of cheeses.

The rooms are spacious and be sure to ask for one facing the city (you won't be disappointed). The halls are carpeted, but the rooms are floating floors for a modern, polished look with clean lines. And the bathrooms are huge with a rain shower and all the amenities you'd expect in a five-star hotel.

After dinner, they delivered a special gift to our room for our anniversary, so be sure to let them know if you're celebrating a special occasion. The quality assurance manager will make sure that every detail of your stay is perfect.

The Four Points Sheraton in Cuenca is the only hotel in Ecuador that is next to a a shopping mall complete with a theater, bowling alley, food court, and event center, so it's the perfect place to host large functions (or small).

This is the first chain hotel in Cuenca and because of its location, I don't think that it will be competing with the other boutique hotels in El Centro, but certainly for us it's a novelty and we'll continue to use it for our "staycations."

Quite frankly, when we were there overnight it truly felt like we were on vacation in another city. It's amazing what a million-dollar view and a change of location will do for you.

We'll definitely be back!

Until next time...hasta luego!

Cookies and Candy Anyone?

2017-10-21T18:45:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year when we start thinking about what to give our neighbors and friends for Christmas. It's easy for us; we just send our kids an Amazon card via Punch Bowl Greeting Cards. And, of course, in January 2018 we'll be going back to the States for the "twins" -- both our daughter-in-laws are pregnant and due at the same time. We thought it was so kind of them to coordinate that for us!

But what about our friends in Cuenca, what do we give them? We have our guards and their families; our friends; our pastor and our goddaughter and her boyfriend, and the list goes on. Well, in the past I made my own cookies, but I found a better way! AbueSofi is a new pasteleria (bakery) that I found near Supermaxi (Don Bosco). It's two blocks east (going toward Mall del Rio), turn left on Av. Francisco de Orellana (past the Condominiums Yanuncay) and you'll see AbueSofi on the right. Juan Pablo is the owner and he makes a variety of cookies every day (chocolate chip, banana chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, lemon, oatmeal -- to name a few). The thing is they don't taste like your average cookie from the bakery; they taste like they're from your mom's kitchen! He also makes brownie bites (my personal favorite), cakes, and sugar cookies. These are no ordinary sugar cookies; they come individually wrapped or you can order them by the dozen and the recipe is like my mom's recipe.

Juan Pablo is also available for your catering needs; he makes bocaditos (appetizers) and my personal favorite is his cheese cracker/biscuits with herbs that are perfect for a cheese platter.

His prices are also amazing! Twelve of his specialty cookies are 12 for a dollar. Oh, did I mention he makes scones (chocolate chip, strawberry, and berry). I don't know of any place in Cuenca that sells scones. They're 40 cents a piece or five for $2.00. Recently, I ordered cookies for a women's event and they flew off the plates; they're that good!

For a box of two-dozen sugar cookies (decorated), it's $10.00 or 40 cents a piece (cheaper by the dozen!) or you can buy them individually wrapped for 50 cents. In fact, we just might decorate our Christmas tree with cookies this year.

Finally, after seven years, we found someone who makes cookies that taste better than homemade. Juan Pablo lived in the States for a number of years and so all of his recipes are American (I could taste the difference immediately).

He makes sandwiches as well, including chicken salad sandwiches. Your holiday entertaining just got easier. Call Juan Pablo with your orders and they can be delivered to your home.

Here's Juan Pablo's information:
Phone: 281-0507
Email: pasteleria1abuesofi@gmail.com

Juan Pablo speaks perfect English and he answers his emails every day (seven days a week).

And if you have a real sweet tooth, then you can combine cookies and candy. At MercArt, I met Gaby Ordoñez who has a dulceria. I'm a See's Candy lover and I have to say that she's my new See's Candy source in Cuenca. She makes candy for all occasions (especially weddings). She makes a chocolate heart filled with peanut butter; Nutella squares; toffee and chocolate crunch (vanilla and chocolate) and peanut butter crunch. My absolute favorite is maracuya and coconut. The smaller candies are 3 for a $1.00 and the larger ones are $1.00 a piece. The chocolates are individually wrapped in specialty wrappers (all different), so they look sensational in a box with a clear lid and tied with ribbon. Gaby also speaks perfect English.

Here's Gaby's information:
Agustin Cueva 8-57
Email: gabyordoñez83@gmail.com
Phone: 07-281-1400
Cell: 098-571-8884

There you have it; your Christmas shopping is complete. Now that Cuenca has blueberries, homemade sugar cookies, and "See's Candy"; I don't feel the need to leave Cuenca (except to see our kids, grandkids and my parents).

Life just got a little easier and whole lot sweeter in Cuenca!

Until next time...hasta luego!

Bodhi's Burgers -- An Overnight Success!

2017-07-21T09:47:00.000-07:00

What happens when a guy from Berkeley, California goes in search of the best hamburger in Cuenca and comes up short? He makes his own burger and his business is an overnight success!

Bodhi and His Welcoming Staff

We went to Bodhi's Burgers the first week they were open and just followed the crowds (literally!). I felt like I was in the movie "Field of Dreams" where all the cars led to the same spot. With their "In-N-Out Burgers" logo and 1950's soda fountain theme with black and white-checkered floors and red decor, we felt like we took a step back in time. As California natives, we felt right at home.

We ordered the combo for $2.99 which comes with a hamburger, fries and Coke in a bottle. To be honest with you, Mark and I have been vegetarians for the last ten years and once in a while, we have fish (rarely beef). That's definitely going to change, as once a week we'll need a Bodhi fix.

The Combo -- $2.99

Their hamburgers are made from the finest beef available and their fries (look like In-N-Out Burgers on the West Coast), but the oil isn't the cheap stuff and you can taste the difference. And everything is homemade, including the mayo which is made from olive oil. Mark and I shared a Coke from a bottle with two straws and we felt like teenagers again. It's been decades since we've had a Coke and let me tell you, it was a treat. Did I mention they also have homemade ice cream and homemade chocolate sauce that tastes like my mom's recipe.

Bodhi's location is perfect. We took the #22 bus from our place and just as it heads into town on your way to San Sebastian Plaza (up the hill) -- look to your right and follow the crowds. You can't miss it. Or if you're at San Sebas Plaza (at the corner of San Sebas Cafe), head down the hill and just as the road makes a turn, you'll see Bodhi's on the left with the yellow and red signage.

Follow the Sign -- You Can't Miss It!

They have a lovely terrace area with a beautiful view of the Cajas and on a sunny day you'll want to spend the afternoon there. Best of all, Bodhi makes his presence known and visits with everyone -- either coming or going. We loved hearing his story about his quest for the perfect hamburger in Cuenca and his passion for making it a reality. Bodhi's business is set up as a franchise, so look for more in the future.

Enjoy and Bodhi Burger on the Terrace

Bodhi's Burgers has become an overnight sensation and the ambiance draws us back to our childhood in the 1950's, so it's not only a booming business, it's a Baby Boomer's paradise -- complete with hits from the 1950's and 1960's playing in the background.

As I write this, Mark and I are on our way to have lunch at Bodhi's and hope that you'll drop by soon as well.

Bodhi Makes Everyone Feel Like Family!

Until next time...hasta luego!

Address of Bodhi Burgers:

Sucre 17-80 y Bolivar

Cuenca, Ecuador
Cell: 096-900-7688

The Transformation of Puerto Lopez

2017-07-11T10:21:00.001-07:00

The New Pier at Puerto Lopez

Last month we visited Puerto Lopez and stayed at our favorite place – Hosteria Mandala – and got to finally see the completed malecon (boardwalk). It’s been three years since our last visit and I couldn’t believe the transformation. There are bike lanes, pedestrian lanes, roads and bridges, where dirt and sand used to be. They landscaped the areas with palm trees, flower beds and street lights. The bad news is the side roads—off the malecon--are still dirt (aka sand).

New Bike Lanes in Puerto Lopez along the Malecon

The dusty streets never bothered us much, but it rained the entire week we were there so Puerto Lopez became Puerto Lodo (Mud) and so we sloshed through the streets with our flip-flops—nearly sliding down most of the sidewalks and kicking up mud wherever we went. We’ve always gone in June, July or August because it’s cooler with no humidity and often overcast, but it’s never rained. This time we got lots of rain, so much so that I was walking on the beach in my bathing suit and holding an umbrella (if you can picture that!).

Our favorite beach—Los Frailes—was the same (rain) with one notable exception, the sun peeked through the clouds for a couple of minutes before it started pouring down rain. And we noticed there were tighter restrictions at the entrance; they searched our belongings before heading up the path to the beach. We remember seven years ago, when there was just a dirt path, no signs, and just paradise awaiting you.

Los Frailes is still paradise, but there are signs posted everywhere about not picking up shells and coral and to dispose of garbage properly. No food or drinks allowed on the beach. There’s an area where you can have lunch near the entrance. I’m all for keeping Los Frailes pristine, but I felt like I was going through airport security.

Los Frailes on a Sunny Day

The last day before we left there was a beautiful sunset and the following morning the sun came out and the sky was gorgeous—just like we had remembered it. I think it will be quite a while before we return and if we do, we’ll be sure to go in March when there’s a guaranteed sunset every evening and no rain!

Sunset at Puerto Lopez

Sunrise from Our Balcony

A Sunny Morning -- Our Last Day!

Introducing the New Malecon!

But one thing has remained the same—Hosteria Mandala, which is the only place to stay in Puerto Lopez. It’s an oasis of tranquility, fine hospitality, and excellent food! Pasta Aurelio (cream sauce with shrimp, garlic, and walnuts) is a must and we had it twice and for dessert—freshly made coconut ice cream. Life doesn’t get any better than that! We always enjoy meeting people from around the world and some have become lifelong friends. Staying at the Mandala is like coming home!

Hosteria Mandala at night (our home away from home)

The New Malecon -- almost reminds me of Avila Beach in California

Our Balcony at the Mandala (aka Connie's reading spot!)

The Pathway to our Room at the Mandala -- magical!

Exotic Flowers at the Mandala

Puerto "Lodo"

The Dogs of Puerto Lopez

The New Malecon with lots of seating areas and beautiful new brick walkways.

View of the Ocean from Our Balcony at Hosteria Mandala. I can still hear the ocean waves...

Ahh...so relaxing -- view of the beach from the Mandala

Puerto Lopez has undergone an amazing transformation and we'll be back.

I always feel like I'm in Hawaii in the Gardens of the Mandala.

The sun came out for us on our last day!

Until next time...hasta luego,

Just in time for National Dog Day, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dog Really Did That? will be hitting the bookstores on August 8, 2017. My story is titled "Two Marines." I'm excited about this book and all royalties go to The Humane League.

IESS Update -- New Health Care Premiums!

2017-05-09T12:02:00.001-07:00

We've been part of the IESS System (Ecuador's National Social Security and Health Care) for the past five years and during that time our premiums have not gone up. For a couple we pay $80.03 monthly, which is all we pay -- no co-pays, no deductibles, and you cannot be denied based on age or pre-existing conditions. It even includes dental care!

All that is changing as of July 2017. New rates are as follows: 17.6% for the holder of the pension and 3.41% for each dependent, so for a couple the new rates will be 21.01%. Many expats were upset to learn of the new rate change last week. However, Ecuadorians have always been paying this amount for years -- half paid by their employer and the other half paid by the employee. There is no discrimination; we're only asked to pay our fair share.

For the past five years, we've been paying the rate based on Ecuador's minimum wage (as were all expats), which is $375 per month and if you're on a pensioner's visa, you are required to have a minimum of $800 per month and $100 per dependent.

This is just the starting point. There are 13 different visas that you can receive, including: investor's visa (25K in the bank or 30K in real estate); professional visa; pensioner's visa, etc. Don't worry, they have records on everyone's visa, but they're starting with the pensioner's visas first because the majority of expats are here on their Social Security. But if you have 25K in the bank or have a professional visa, don't think you're going to escape the new rates. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has all your information tucked away!

You will need to go to the IESS Building on Hermano Miguel and Gran Colombia (fifth floor) and make an appointment with Diana Calle. Bring your cedula, the letter you used to receive your pensioner's visa, your CLAVE for IESS (and password), IESS readout, and your last three months of bank statements showing your pension income. If you have a RUC number, business or you're working in Ecuador, your rates may be different.

To set up your appointment, email Diana Calle at dcalleg@iess.gob.ec and she'll be happy to help you out. If your Spanish isn't up to par, don't worry...she speaks excellent English.

Any way you look at it, IESS is a great deal. Where else are you going to go in the world with the quality of care we receive with just one low monthly payment? I guess if you make one million dollars a month, your rate won't be that low, but hopefully that's the exception and not the rule.

Until next time...hasta luego,

Connie & Mark

El Patio Comida Urbana

2017-04-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

The food truck craze isn't only in the States, it's come to Cuenca!

The new "El Patio Comida Urbana" is on the corner of Av. Solano and 28 de Febrero. Opening date was March 30th and they're the new hot spot in town.

It's so close to our condo, we can't help to stop by for a Chai Te Latte Caliente, a gyro, a slice of pizza or a crepe or waffle. All the food trucks have specialties -- even sushi! There's something for everyone and a wonderful courtyard where you can listen to relaxing music and enjoy the atmosphere.

There's even a doggie park for your fur babies and a children's play area (with restrooms). Think of it as an outside food court, but better.

The first night we had Emilio's pizza by the metro. For $5.88 we had a half meter of pizza with toppings and it was huge. There were three of us and we all took home some leftovers.

The next day we had a waffle with everything (mora, strawberries, bananas, ice cream, and whipping cream) for $5.95 at Tip Top Crepes and Waffles and it was delicious. Everything is made fresh while you wait and it's delivered to your table in the patio area filled with rustic furniture, plants,and colorful light fixtures.

Don't let the rain stop you because the common area is covered and there are patio tables outside with comfortable seating.

Also, Emilio's Italian Place has a double-decker food truck. If you go upstairs, it's all enclosed with a beautiful view of Turi at night.

Here's a sampling of the food trucks:
Pachau Food Fusion - Try their strawberry and kiwi drinks
Los Checitos
Namii Hamburgers
The Rock Van
El Tradicional -- Ecuadorian Food
Emilio's - Italian
Jeff Salteaditos -- Great appetizers
Grills on Wheels -- All things grilled
Tip-Top Crepes and Waffles -- Try the Everything Waffle
Chingon
Plataneria from Colombia
El Gury Sandwiches -- Gyro meets sandwiches and wraps
Maru (Dulces)
Sabores y Tradiciones
The Beer Garden
Midori -- Sushi

There are a lot more trucks that I left out, but you'll have to experience it for yourself. They are open Tuesday - Sunday from 11 AM to 11 PM, although on Tuesdays (or at least this Tuesday they didn't open until 12 noon).

I'll leave you with some pictures to whet your appetite!

Common Area

Midori Sushi

Until next time...hasta luego!

Connie & Mark

Citizenship in Ecuador

2017-03-26T20:25:00.002-07:00

This is the third part in the series under the New Immigration Law 2017. After you have applied for permanent residency and have been in Ecuador for three years, you're eligible to apply for citizenship if you so choose. The main difference between residency and citizenship is that with a residency visa, you cannot run for political office. With citizenship, you can run for political office, with the exception of the presidency. I don’t know of any expat who has such high political aspirations (yet!).

As a permanent resident you're allowed to be out of the country of Ecuador for 90 days the first year; 90 days the second year and 18 months the third year. Under the new law -- to take effect in June -- it's 180 days the first year, 180 days the second year, and five years the third year.

Personally, I don't know why anyone would want to leave the country of Ecuador that long! I miss Ecuador after being gone for only ten days. If you're a world traveler or if you need to go back to the States to take care of a loved one (parent or child) for an extended period of time; it's nice to have the flexibility that citizenship brings.

However, you need to know upfront whether you want to go for citizenship because the requirements for being out of the country are different. After obtaining permanent residency, you cannot be gone more than 90 days total in three years (if you're going for citizenship). Many expats have been caught off guard when they went to apply for citizenship and found out they were out of the country too many days. We do know of folks that were able to obtain citizenship even though they were over the limit of days out of the country, but it was a lengthy process.

Citizenship comes down to a personal decision. If you have your residency tied up with an investment (25K in the bank or real estate), you may want to free up your assets, so citizenship would give you that flexibility.

Also, citizenship doesn't tie you to any time constraints for being out of the country. You can come and go as you please. The United States and Canada are one of the few countries that allow dual citizenship. For a complete list of other countries that allow or don't allow dual citizenship, click here.

As far as traveling through South America, you'll have more freedom with Ecuadorian citizenship as you won't have to apply for a visa and have fees to visit such countries as Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Uruguay. If you travel extensively, Ecuadorian citizenship may be worth considering.

We know American citizens who have lived in Ecuador for 30 years and have never applied for citizenship; you just have to remember to renew your cédula before its expiration date. Our cédula expires in 2022, but passports come with expiration dates as well! Quite frankly, I have enough trouble keeping up with one passport; I'm not sure that I need two.

Also, we know folks that went through the process of Ecuadorian citizenship and ended up moving to another country. And we know others who actually failed their citizenship test and had to start all over again.

If you're still in the stage of applying for permanent residency, I would encourage you to go for a professional visa. It requires a four-year college degree, but it isn't tied to any investment. If we were to do it all over again, we would have applied for professional visas as we both have college degrees and we would have applied separately.

As it stands now, I'm dependent on my husband's pensioner visa from UPS. When he passes away, I won't receive his pension, so I will have 30 days to apply for a new visa. If I had citizenship, I wouldn't have to worry about that.

Is that reason enough for me to go through the process of citizenship? Probably not. Since we will both receive our Social Security this year, I will just reapply independently. In fact, I may do that sooner rather than later and most likely I'll apply for a professional visa.

Lastly, if you’re worried about the ever-tightening banking restrictions for U.S. citizens living abroad, a second passport could come in handy. Should you want to open up a bank account outside the U.S., you may wish to do so using your Ecuadorian passport.

It all boils down to a personal choice whether you want to go for citizenship or not; it's not mandatory.

Next time I'll discuss the process and requirements.

Until next time...hasta luego,

Connie and Mark

New Immigration Law 2017 -- Part II Temporary Visas

2017-03-15T21:29:00.000-07:00

The Newly Released Human Mobility Act (Immigration Law 2017) is causing a bit of confusion for some folks, so I'm going to try and clarify a few things.

In the good old days, we entered Ecuador on a T3 visa, which allowed us to stay 90 days. Actually, we arrived with a 12-IX visa which allowed us six months, but we were able to get permanent residency in three weeks! Imagine that? We were either an immigrant or non-immigrant.

Under the new law, you’re either a transient (visitor) just passing through on your way somewhere else; a tourist; a temporary resident or a permanent resident. And, yes, you can become a naturalized citizen, but we’ll save that for part three in the series.

There are some key differences in the new law: First, you will need proof of medical insurance that is valid during your entire stay in Ecuador (it can be private or public); a passport valid for at least six months (that’s not new), and lastly you cannot apply directly for permanent residency (one of the principal differences in the old and new law). You have to apply for a temporary visa first. Did I mention that Ecuador loves paper work! They just added a second step to a three-step process.

Let’s talk about these “temporary” folks:

Transient: These are folks that are just passing through. You’re really on your way to Machu Picchu, but your plane doesn’t leave until the next morning out of Quito, so you’re spending the night at the new Wyndham near the airport.

Tourist: You’re coming here to strictly visit the country (not to work, but to play). These visas are granted upon arriving in Ecuador and are valid for 90 days. And if you love Ecuador as much as we do, you’ll probably want to extend your stay (right?). Yes, absolutely, you can do that! You can apply for an extension for another 90 days, which is a total of 180 days (or six months). However, you can extend this only once in a one-year period! There is also another option by which you can extend your stay for up to a year, but only once in a five-year period.

This is good news for a lot of folks, especially those who really don’t want to apply for a permanent residency visa because they want to live six months in the States and six months in Ecuador. This works out perfectly for them and we know several people who already do that, but you sure don’t want to run over your limit. By the way, I would suggest if you plan to do Ecuador living this way that you first consult with an attorney. The last thing you want to do is overextend your welcome.

Okay, so you’ve stayed in Ecuador and liked it so much that you want to apply for a temporary residency visa.

Temporary Residency: This visa allows you to stay TWO years. And, guess what? You can renew it again for another TWO years! And you can travel in and out of the country (and go see Machu Picchu). However, one thing remains the same; you cannot be gone more than 90 days in the two-year period. In other words, just like in the good old days: 90 days the first year; 90 days the second year (and the same for the next two years if you decide to renew). I just call it the 90-day rule.

And the categories for the temporary residency visa remain the same: work, pensioner, investor, academic, athletic/artist, religious volunteer (missionary or pastor), volunteer for other organizations, student, dependent on the person holding the migratory visa, and technical/professional.

Proof of medical insurance is mandatory; criminal background check; and passport valid for at least six months. And, of course, all of the different categories require their own documentation, which I won’t go into right now as there are approximately 13 categories. Oh, yes, and there are fees for all the paperwork and more fees if you’re going through an immigration attorney.

Permanent Residency: I know I already covered this in my other blog post, so I’m working backwards and going forwards. Bear with me. This visa allows you to stay in Ecuador for an indefinite amount of time (as its name implies – PERMANENT). Here’s the catch! To apply for permanent residency, you have to go through the temporary visa process and have stayed in Ecuador for at least 21 months, be married to an Ecuadorian (it happens a lot), and be related to a permanent resident or citizen.

And, of course, there’s lots of paperwork involved and a definite process for those holding temporary visas to change to permanent visas. The biggest change for permanent residency is the travel restriction, which has been extended to 180 days for the first year, 180 days for the second year, and a whopping five years for the third year before needing to return to Ecuador. Remember under the old law, it was 90 days -90 days -18 months, except if you were going for citizenship (naturalization) and then it was 90 days in three years (30-30-30). But we’ll talk about citizenship the next time (maybe!).

So what if you’ve already applied or you’re in the process of applying and now you’re confused. Don’t be. If you’re going for permanent residency, you just have one extra step; you need to apply for a temporary visa first. After being here for 21 months as a temporary resident, you’ll need to submit the application for permanent residency before your temporary status is up (two years or 24 months).

Once you receive your permanent residency visa, you can then apply for IESS (Social Security Medical System) or other private insurance.

Let’s sum it up. Yes, there are some good things and some bad things with the new law, but the most important thing is to have your travel medical insurance in place before you come to Ecuador. Personally we use World Nomads when we travel out of Ecuador and now that we’re permanent residents, we have IESS (Social Security Medical System).

Other important items: This law does not go into effect until 120 days from February 6, 2017. I guess that makes it around June 6, 2017 (or thereabouts). All visas that were obtained before the enforcement of the new immigration law will remain the same. And all visa applications that were started before the enforcement of the law will be exempt from the new regulations. I can already hear a collective sigh of relief!

Until next time...hasta luego,

Connie & Mark

Mobility Act -- Immigration Law 2017 -- What You Need to Know!

2017-02-15T10:55:00.003-08:00

The one thing you can be sure of in Ecuador is change and now we have new changes in residency visas. To clarify the many questions that I’ve received, I’ve decided to blog about it. There are still some unknowns about the new act, but I’ll clear those up as I receive news.

Back in the day (meaning when we got our permanent residency visas in 2010), we went to the Ecuadorian Consulate in Washington DC and received our 12-IX and three weeks later upon arriving in Ecuador we had our permanent residency visas (pensioner’s visa) good for 12 years instead of 10 – don’t ask (we still don’t know why that happened).

There were some stipulations, however, and they had to do with travel. We couldn’t be out of the country more than 90 days for the first two years and then up to 18 months the third year. I call it the 90-90-18 month rule. Unless, you were going for citizenship and then it was the 30-30-30 day rule; you couldn’t be gone from Ecuador more than 90 days in a three-year period. Now we do know some folks who got their citizenship despite that rule, but it took some "lawyering" to get it done.

Our experience with the pensioner’s visa process was seamless (seven years ago) with the aid of an immigration attorney in Quito. It was textbook perfect.

Forget everything I just told you because those are the old rules and these are the new rules, which have some significant changes.

Under the old law there were two categories non-immigrant and immigrant visas, which have now merged so you can dismiss those two words from your vocabulary and now they’re all lumped into the following: pensioner’s visa (retired); investor’s visa (25K in the bank or equivalent property); religious visa (missionary or pastor); student visa; professional visa; volunteer visa and sportsman visa (I have no idea what that entails), and dependent visas (I’m dependent on my husband’s pensioner’s visa), and lastly international protection visas.

I’m going to begin with the Permanent Residency Visa, since most folks are planning to stay (even though they usually don’t and leave after five years to explore other international destinations or back to the States).

Permanent Residency Visa: Allows foreign citizens to stay in Ecuador for an indefinite period of time. If you obtained a temporary visa (which I will talk about at another time) and decide you want to stay indefinitely you will need the following:

*Apostilled criminal background check (FBI).

*Proof of economic resources. For example for the pensioner’s visa, you must prove that you have $800 per month for life and $100 for each of your dependents.

*All the necessary legal paperwork for the categories listed above.

A temporary resident can be eligible for permanent residency if they married an Ecuadorian citizen (that happens a lot – especially with the teachers we work with); they have stayed in Ecuador for at least 21 months; they’re related to an Ecuadorian citizen (or permanent resident of Ecuador); and minors or disabled person dependent on a permanent resident of Ecuador. If you are going from a temporary visa to permanent residency visa, you’ll need a valid Ecuadorian criminal report or valid criminal background check and proof of economic means to remain in Ecuador.

Here are the big changes (read carefully):

*Proof of foreign medical insurance or enrollment in Ecuador’s health insurance system (IESS) or private Ecuadorian health carriers (Humana, Salud, Confiamed, etc.).

*Travel Restrictions. This is quite a change from the previous rule. A person with a permanent residency visa cannot be out of the country more than 180 days each year (previously it was 90) during the first two years and after that you may leave the country up to five years (previously it was 18 months). Wow, that’s a big change! The penalty for staying out more than 180 days during the first two years is $1,500.

There are still some things that need to be clarified. For example, those of us who received our permanent residency and cedula seven years ago – are we grandfathered into the new law? What about the folks who started their paperwork in 2016 and are caught in the middle – do the new rules apply? And what type of health insurance must they show. For example, you’re only eligible for IESS (Social Security System of Ecuador), after you become a resident.

My Thoughts: I think it’s a good thing that foreigners are required to show proof of medical insurance before entering the country. One of the reasons why we came to Ecuador was for the excellent medical care, but we had a private policy for three years before we signed up for IESS. And as far as the extended periods of stay outside of Ecuador, I think it’s also a good thing especially for those of us in the sandwich generation with parents who are still alive, children and grandchildren (oh my!). Our problem is this: We’re 61 years old and aren’t eligible for Medicare (yet), so we have to buy medical insurance when we travel to the States (and it isn’t cheap!). And to add insult to injury, under Obamacare we can’t be gone more than 30 days from Ecuador or we have to pay a fine for exceeding those limits. Now, I know Obamacare is being repealed, but as expats we don’t know what the new restrictions will be (better or worse).

As mentioned, the biggest changes are the proof of health insurance (how much coverage I’m not sure about) and, of course, the travel restrictions. I’m not sure what the new fee schedule will be for each of the permanent residency visas (if any), but I will keep on top of it.

Next time, I’ll tackle the change in temporary visas. I won’t update the book Living and Retiring in Cuenca:101 Questions Answered until I’m clear on the new fee schedules (if any) and any other changes.

Until next time…hasta luego!

Connie and Mark

Seven Years in Review

2017-02-02T14:11:00.001-08:00

It’s hard to believe, but we’re coming up on seven years in Cuenca—almost as much time as we spent in Italy, so naturally it’s a time of reflection (the good and the bad).

The other day a newcomer asked, “What’s changed in the time that you’ve been here?”

At first, I didn’t have an immediate response (my mind went blank) and then it all came to me. Here’s a list (by no means complete), but it will give you some idea of the transformations that have taken place in this beautiful city we call home.

1. More Security. I remember when we first arrived, the only police presence were the officers in their brown uniforms with their fluorescent vests. Now, we have transportation police at intersections with video surveillance; citizen police who patrol the parks and streets on foot, bicycle and sometimes horseback, and Wi-Fi and video surveillance in the major parks and streets. It’s incredible when you stop to think about it compared to seven years ago. Also, we have a major 911 Call Center and you can bring your phone into a local police station and they can program it so they have all your vital information and your address, so in an emergency you just hit a single digit and help is on its way. Sure there’s still petty theft, but no more than you would expect from any large city.

2. High Speed Internet. We now have fiber optics all over Cuenca and in our condo building it was installed free of charge. Our kids in Pennsylvania still don’t have fiber optics and we live in a “developing” country.

3. IESS Medical System. When we first arrived we had to have a private medical policy because IESS was not accepting new patients and you had to take a physical exam. Basically, if you weren’t in perfect health you weren’t accepted. That’s all changed. For $78 per month, Mark and I are both covered for hospitalizations, office visits, labs, medical procedures, surgery (inpatient and outpatient), and prescriptions. It’s one of the most efficient systems we’ve ever been part of. We make our appointments online with the same doctor. We’re usually seen within one to three days. Medical records are electronic and we’re seen on time. We’ve never had to wait more than 10 minutes. If we need to see a specialist, the wait time is longer. But we always have the option of seeing one of our private physicians for $25-$35 per visit. Now that we’re in our 60’s, we appreciate the fact that we are part of a stable, reliable, and efficient medical system.

4. Easy Come, Easy Go. It goes without saying that people come and leave Cuenca just like the restaurants. As soon as you find the best restaurant in town, the next thing you know it’s moved or gone out of business (especially in El Centro). The average for a couple is about three to five years before they move on (either to another part of the world or back to the States). Some of the issues that draw couples back are taking care of elderly parents; grandchildren; and health problems. We are at a high altitude and if you have heart or lung conditions, Cuenca is definitely not the place for you. We receive 20% less oxygen at 8,300 feet and therefore all the vital organs in your body are deprived of oxygen. If you have pulmonary problems or heart issues, look for a place at sea level.

5. Transportation. We have a love/hate relationship with the buses in Cuenca. If we could change anything it would be the pollution from the buses, cars and vans. Emission control is certainly something that they’re working on, but not fast enough. I always cover my face with a scarf when I’m out and about and when I run along the trails. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come back home and found soot all over my face—streaks of pollution! I don’t even want to think of what my lungs look like. The greatest concern is for younger children who are most susceptible to the particles that lodge in their lungs and stay there! The tranvia (electric train) has made progress, but is often stalled because of contract negotiations. For a while it was making great strides, but now it’s stalled again. It’s on again and off again. I suspect that by 2018, it might be done (hopefully). They are looking to buy new eco-friendly buses, but at $120,000 a piece it might be a while before we see the fleet of 350 being replaced. Mark and I usually walk everywhere and find Cuenca one of the most walkable cities we’ve ever lived in.

Photo courtesy of El Tiempo

6. Language Learning. Mark and I learned Italian in our 20’s and Spanish in our 50’s – what a difference a few decades can make. I still read in Italian, but I’m more fluent in Spanish now (obviously) because I speak it every day. If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. We see that with our students all the time. A year after they’ve finished 16 levels of English at CEDEI, they can barely answer a simple question. If you only hang around expats, you’ll have a harder time learning. Our younger teacher friends who have boyfriends/girlfriends are fluent in three months. We’re now at the stage where we can read the newspaper, watch TV in Spanish, and understand basically everything, but we work at it. We write down new words every day and then try to incorporate them into our daily conversations. Just like English, you’re always learning!

7. This is Home. Now when we go back to the States, we refer to Cuenca as home. I still believe after seven years that our family and friends haven’t truly accepted it. I think in part because we didn’t ask their permission to move overseas. But for us it was the best decision we could have ever made. This year we’ll receive our social security, which means we can save that income. Our condo is paid for, so we’ll continue to live on my husband’s UPS pension and continue to save, save, save. We will do more traveling, but we want to build up a nest egg again, which is something we definitely couldn’t do in the States. With property tax of $53 a year and condo fees about $58 a month, it only makes sense to buy if you can. If you own your home, you can easily live off of $1,300 - $1,500 per month. We also don’t own a car (and never plan to), so you can save even more (no gas, no maintenance, no car insurance, and no worries about theft). In fact, almost all our friends who own a car have had some sort of theft problem. We think it’s a luxury not to own a car.

Although many things have changed in Cuenca—including more expats—it’s still the same place we fell in love with. The climate is still the best part (no need for heat or air conditioning). It reminds me a lot of San Francisco – moderate all year long. However, I will say this: I’ve been in some Ecuadorian homes on a sunny day and they’re downright cold! The reason being is they don’t allow the light in because they’re usually surrounded by a cement barricade and the homes are dark. The key to living comfortably in Cuenca is don’t buy more than you need. Our condo is 850 square feet (two bedrooms, two baths that are on separate ends of the house) with windows, windows, and more windows letting in morning and afternoon sun. We have friends who have a five-bedroom home (two levels) and they keep their space heaters running constantly. We love our place and the view that we have (Andes Mountains, view of the city, and the Church of Turi). Best decision we ever made was to buy. And we would never buy a single-dwelling home—only a condo. Almost everyone we know who has bought a single-standing home has had a home invasion and if they leave for a few days or a few weeks, they have to have someone stay at their place. Even our friends with state-of-the art security systems have had break-ins. We enjoy 24-hour security and we can leave any time we want without fear of someone breaking into our place. Peace of mind is worth everything.

Would we do anything differently? Yes, we would have retired at 40 instead of 55, but that simply wasn’t possible. However, we run into young couples all the time in Cuenca who have retired at 40 and when I ask them how they managed that they say, “We didn’t have kids!”

There you go…the secret to retiring early (not having kids), but then we wouldn’t have our precious granddaughter, Clara Joy!

Until next time…Hasta Luego!

Connie & Mark

P.S. Did I mention that you can now get blueberries delivered to your door?! I always told Mark that there was only one thing missing in Cuenca and now our lives our complete. BLUEBERRIES!

Shop Amazon - Valentine's Day

Happy New Year!

2016-12-30T21:58:00.000-08:00

Right now while I'm writing this blog post, I can hear the fireworks outside in all directions and it's not even New Year's Eve yet! Tomorrow will be spectacular and I hope to capture it in pictures and on video.

Unfortunately, last year I forgot to plug in my camera battery, so you can imagine my disappointment when the red light went on while the fireworks were exploding and I got a snippet here and there.

The New Year's Eve fireworks are the best I've ever witnessed and they start at the stroke of midnight and continue until 2:00 a.m. Last year our house was filled with smoke -- just from leaving the windows open. And I might add, that we can actually see out our windows this year as the condo association gave us an early Christmas gift and cleaned the outside windows free of charge. I have to admit it was a little unnerving to walk into the kitchen and see someone in our window -- three stories up! He was roped in and harnessed in with huge magnets, but I sure wouldn't want his job! Thankfully, we can see clearly now.

This year is our transition year as we're actually going to retire! Mark will be finishing up one more cycle at CEDEI from 2 PM to 8 PM (Monday through Thursday) through May until he receives his Social Security and mine will come in October 2017. I will continue to write for the editors I've established relationships with, but I won't be taking on any new assignments because we plan to do be doing a lot more traveling.

We have trips planned to the San Francisco Bay Are in May to see my parents who are in their 80's; a trip to see our granddaughter in August for her second birthday; and (drum roll...), a trip back to Catania, Sicily in September/October to revisit the place where our older son was born, our old stomping grounds, and to Taormina -- the "pearl of Europe." It was one of our favorite cities while we lived in Italy for six years.

One of the highlights of 2016 was having my sister and her husband visit in March for three weeks. They liked it so much that they're planning another visit next year and plan to come every two years!

This was a big year for birthdays as well: Our older son turned 35, our younger son turned 30, and our granddaughter, Clara, celebrated her first birthday in August, so we flew back to Pennsylvania to enjoy her big birthday party bash with a watermelon theme.

Thankfully, due to FaceTime, we've enjoyed all her firsts: She learned to crawl while we were there, then walk and now she's talking up a storm and we treasure the videos that our daughter-in-law, Kim, sends us and now Clara received a kitchen for Christmas, so she's making us meals (smile!). For those of you contemplating a move to Cuenca and wonder how you're going to keep up with the grandchildren, don't worry...technology has it all figured out for you.

I'm going to leave you with some collage pictures of some of our highlights this year -- especially Christmas Eve, which we spent at Mansion Alcazar (Casa Alonso). It was an amazing dinner and we made a lot of special memories.

Christmas Eve Dinner at Mansion Alcazar

Our granddaughter, Clara, on Christmas Eve!

Christmas Day from Ecuador to the U.S.

2016 in Review including "La Perla" Ferris Wheel in Guayaquil -- a must see!

From La Casa Pombo in Ecuador, we wish you a joyous, healthy, and peaceful 2017. Happy New Year!

Abrazitos (Hugs) from Cuenca,

Connie & Mark

Shop Amazon Beauty - Tis the Season to Discover New Favorites

The Beginning of the End

2016-10-07T16:37:00.000-07:00

It’s been six years since we made the journey to Cuenca and we’re beginning to see the end in sight. No, we’re not leaving Cuenca, but in May of 2017 we’ll be receiving our Social Security and we’re going to be traveling more (lots more!). We have three trips planned and one of them is going to be Italy, where we lived for six years and where we started our family.

Let me back up a little bit and say that retiring at age 55 is one of the greatest gifts we could have ever received and we’re grateful that my husband’s pension allowed us to do that. But now that we’re approaching 62 years of age, we think it might be time to take our Social Security pension! Mark will receive his first check in May 2017, followed by mine in August.

Yes, we still live on $1,317 a month and we’re only able to do that because we own our condo and don’t have to pay rent (and our property taxes are on $67 a year). The beginning of the end part is Mark won’t be teaching six hours a day five days a week and I’ll be cutting down on my freelance writing. We have used both those incomes to finance our traveling back to the States and I’ll be honest with you; it’s not cheap!

If you don’t own your home and in our case—a condo—you need to tack on about $500-$600 a month for rent. Prices are going up on just about everything. If you stick to fruits and vegetables, you can live very economically. Yesterday in Supermaxi (our big grocery store chain), I saw Nature Valley Granola Bars for $10 a box. Imported items are ridiculously expensive. I saw the same thing in the States at Dollar General for $1.50. Imported food items, clothes, shoes, and electronics are definitely more expensive in Ecuador. Restaurant dining is still really cheap for us because we always split a meal; we just can’t eat big portions anymore, so dining out is still very economical for us.

The Blue Domes from Our Apartment

As far as “retiring,” we don’t want to completely give up on the things that we love to do: teaching and writing, but we just want to do less of it so we can travel more and visit a “few” more places on our bucket list. And, of course, make more trips back to the U.S. to see our boys, their wives, and granddaughter in Pennsylvania and visit our family in California.

Our Precious Granddaughter -- Clara Joy! (Photo: Courtesy of Kim Pombo)

We feel grateful that we were able to retire early and do the things we love. Recently, I wrote a story that was accepted into Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Power of Gratitude, which I share about “The Beauty of Age Spots.” The book has received a lot of attention lately because I think most of us forget what a difference having a grateful spirit can have in our lives. I didn’t expect to live to see age spots, so they truly are a gift.

Recently, Deborah Norville, the co-author of the book highlighted some of the stories on Inside Edition and it made me think again how all of us can turn something not so pleasant into something we’re truly grateful for and in doing so we break the cycle and we’re able to bless others. Here’s a clip from Inside Edition.

My Story "The Beauty of Age Spots"

Mark and I are both grateful for early retirement that allowed us to begin a new life in Cuenca, learn another language, buy a home here, and pursue the things we love without financial restraints. There’s absolutely no way we could have the quality of life we have here back in the States and believe me; we don’t take any of it for granted.

We’re both looking forward to the “beginning of the end” and this new stage of our retired life. Mark will probably still teach one class or intensive per cycle and I’m excited to write about our travels and do more e-books.

Cuenca is the best decision we’ve made in our lives and we have absolutely no regrets; we just wish we could have done it sooner!

Until next time...

Connie & Mark

Six Years in Cuenca, Ecuador!

2016-05-13T21:48:00.001-07:00

Mark and I are approaching our six-year anniversary in Cuenca next month. It hardly seems possible, but in that amount of time we have grown to love this country and its people.

April 2016 - The Gardens of Mansion Alcazar

We were young retirees (age 55) when we first arrived and I wondered how we would fit in because everyone was sixty-five or older and now that we’re in our sixties, we feel right at home! Actually, the tide has changed and there are a lot of younger retirees in their 30’s and 40’s. Recently, we met a couple in their early 40’s and asked how they managed to retire so young and they said, “We decided not to have kids!” There you have it – your ticket to early retirement.

In six years we’ve married both our sons, gained two lovely daughter-in-laws, and have a granddaughter who will turn a year old in August. We will be back in the States for that occasion and hope to make more trips to the States as we’re both about a year from receiving our Social Security. The last six years we've been living on Mark’s pension from UPS. Since we own our condo, the extra income from two Social Security checks, will help with traveling expenses back to the States to visit family. We’ll still live on $1,317 a month, but our extra income through writing and teaching ESL will go to traveling as well.

The Pombo Family

In many ways Cuenca has remained the same and in other ways it’s a different city. I’ll try to summarize some of the changes.

*A lot more gringos. We arrived with the “Class of 2010,” and gringo sightings were occasional and spotty. Now—especially in Gringolandia—you can’t help but run into “muchos gringos.” Norte Americanos are just part of the landscape. Depending on where you live in Cuenca, there will be greater concentrations. Probably the largest population of gringos can be found by the Oro Verde Hotel, which is affectionately termed as Gringolandia.

Gringolandia

Yanuncay River and Walking Trails

*More high rise condo buildings. We were fortunate to buy our condo when prices were low and in a great section of the city (Primero de Mayo), which is close to the Yanuncay River and walking trails; three blocks to Mall del Sol, and a 35-minute walk to El Centro. We still don’t have a car and believe it or not, we consider it one of the best things about living in Cuenca. We walk, take a bus or taxi to wherever we need to go. We average about five to six miles of walking every day, which is how we stay in shape.

*Tranvia (electric train). Personally, I think the city would have been better served with a fleet of 400 new buses that were energy efficient and handicapped accessible rather than investing the time and money in the electric train that only serves a portion of the city, but it’s a little late for that. The train should be finished sometime in 2017 and we’ll probably ride it as a novelty, but that’s about it. Primero de Mayo and Avenida Solano where we live aren’t serviced by the tranvia.

*More International Restaurants. It seems like there’s a new restaurant opening every week and just as many close. In El Centro (the historic part of the city), it’s a struggle to compete with so many restaurants and to maintain a profitable business with the rents continuing to rise. I’m happy to report we have some amazing new Italian restaurants, which make us happy little campers! Along with the movement of Italian restaurants has come cheese – glorious cheese! We lack for nothing in the cheese department now and with it comes olives and Italian bread.

Cheese -- Glorious Cheese!

*Food Prices Have Gone Up. If you eat like an Ecuadorian, you can keep your food bill to $30 a week. That’s because we eat just fresh fruits and vegetables along with lentils, rice, and pasta. We don’t drink alcohol, so our grocery bill hasn’t changed. But with the economic down turn, imported items have gone up, along with alcohol and liquor, which is now being sold on Sundays. For the first time since 2010—when we arrived—alcohol will be available in stores and in restaurants on Sunday and will be reviewed every six months. All this is in an effort to increase sales and tourism. The fruits and vegetables in Ecuador are just short of amazing and the variety is astounding. We think it’s the best part of living here, except for the weather. We have cherimoyas, guanabanas, uvillas, mangoes, pineapples, and dragon fruit in our fruit bowl right now. Probably the only one I could buy in the States might be a pineapple, but I’m sure it wouldn’t be ripe. We’re so spoiled in Ecuador!

*Transportation police. In 2010, the presence of police in their brown uniforms with fluorescent vests was about all we saw. Now, we have the transportation police on their bikes, on foot, on horseback, and at intersections directing traffic. We have traffic lanes and bike trails that are constantly monitored by police and we enjoy riding our bikes, which is something we wouldn’t have done six years ago.

La Policia

*Four Points Sheraton. For the first time, we’ll have a chain hotel in Cuenca. The ten-story hotel by Mall del Rio should be completed in a few months and will have a 120 rooms, conference center, pool, restaurant, and gym, so we’ll be like the other big cities—Quito and Guayaquil. Personally, we prefer the boutique hotels like Mansion Alcazar, but I’m sure it will be good for the tourism industry as travelers love to use their “points” and now Cuenca will be able to offer something for everyone.

Four Points Sheraton from Our Condo

*Visitors from the States. I can still hardly believe it, but my sister and her husband came to visit us in March. Besides our older son who came to visit in 2010, this is the first family we’ve had in Ecuador. They stayed for three weeks and we had so much fun showing them around Cuenca.

Family Visitors!

Thankfully, they left before the April 16^th earthquake, but since they’re from California I’m sure it wouldn’t have rattled them too much. They said they’ll be back!

In the future (2017), Mark will probably just teach one or two classes and I’ll still be writing because that’s what I do, so I guess you can say we’ll be “retired.” It will just be nice not to have our life run in cycles like it does now.

One of the greatest perks of living in Cuenca is the health care. We've been 100% pleased with our care here and how wonderful to make an appointment online and show up at the doctor's office the next day – even specialists.

We use a combination of IESS (the Social Security Hospital) and private doctors. We pay a total of $71 for both of us, which includes office visits, medication, hospitalization, surgery, labs, etc. The IESS system is much like Kaiser in the States in that you have to go through a primary care physician first before seeing a specialist.

We always have the option of seeing a private physician for $25-$40 per visit and the follow-up is always free. I remember in the States having to wait five months just to see a dermatologist! We're spoiled with the health care in Cuenca.

And I will have to mention the earthquake as that has also changed Ecuador. The last big one we felt was shortly after our arrival in 2010 and it was a 7.1 and six years later, the Pedernales earthquake that was 7.8. It’s been a month and it will take years for any sense of normalcy on the coast, so continue to keep our wonderful country in your prayers. When people ask how they can help, I always mention the Ecuadorian Red Cross or Samaritan’s Purse Ministry.

Until next time…hasta luego,

Connie & Mark

The 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake in Ecuador

2016-04-21T22:30:00.003-07:00

Last Saturday, April 16, 2016, at 6:58 PM, Mark and I were sitting in our living room when we felt a "trembler"; we get them occasionally and never think twice about them. As California natives, we don't consider them noteworthy. But this one was different -- a lot different! The trembler got more intense and then shook hard as we watched the pictures fall from the shelves and the lamps swing back and forth. The shaking continued for a good minute. We heard children crying in our building and watched as neighbors ran out of their condo complex. The swaying of our building was a "little" unnerving as we watched other buildings do the same thing with windows bulging.

For quite some time afterward, I still felt like I was on a roller coaster and then I turned to Mark and said, "Wherever the epicenter is; it's going to be horrific." The "trember" turned out to be a 7.8 magnitude earthquake with the epicenter in Pedernales.

7.8 Magnitude Earthquake -- April 16, 2016

Mark and I have always lived in earthquake-prone areas (California, Italy and now Ecuador). We knew about Ecuador's history of earthquakes, but we figured it came with the territory. We've actually been in two big earthquakes since we've been here (2010 and 2016).

Ecuador is in the "Ring of Fire" which is a horseshoe-shaped ring stretching from Japan and moving around to Alaska, down the coast of Washington, Oregon, California, Mexico, Central American, and South America.

Ring of Fire

The April 16th earthquake was the strongest to hit Ecuador since 1979. For the complete list of the earthquakes in Ecuador, click here.

There was only minor damage experienced in Cuenca from Saturday's earthquake, but on the coast it was a different story and we're only beginning to understand the true devastation as many of the roads along the coast have been damaged, making access to some areas further inland more difficult.

To date there are 577 dead with the most casualties felt in Manta and Pedernales; 5,733 injured and 163 missing. We have friends who have been to the hardest hit areas and they can only describe it as utter devastation. Pedernales doesn't even exist any longer.

There are three zones in Ecuador:"The coast is Zone I for earthquakes; Zone II is the Quito area in the northern Andes, which has many semi-active volcanoes; Cuenca, in the southern Andes, is in Zone III, and has not had a major earthquake in 500 years; and the Amazonias (Oriente), in eastern Ecuador is the least susceptible area to earthquakes." No one can predict natural disasters, but if you live in Zone I and II, then you have to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. You have to decide if the view of the Pacific Ocean every day is going to make your life more stressful or more enjoyable.

Ecuadorian Coastline

We love the Ecuadorian Coast and vacation there every chance we get and we've often talked about buying a place on the coast -- like Salinas, but Saturday's earthquake pretty much sealed the deal for us. We're staying in Cuenca until God calls us home.

After Saturday's earthquake many have asked us if we're moving back to the States and I understand their concern, but we don't scare that easily and most of our lives have been spent in earthquake-prone areas. Ecuador's earthquake has destroyed the coast and it will be years before it will be rebuilt, but the Ecuadorian people are resourceful and resilient and I know that with proper planning the new coastline will be safer and stronger. Even as recovery efforts are still ongoing, engineers are planning the next phase. We know that the structures that withstood the earthquake were made from bamboo and wood--not stone or cement. We've seen some of the plans suggested and it makes perfect sense that in the future the structures should be flexible--not rigid.

The outpouring of support for Ecuador has been so heartwarming and the relief efforts have been nothing short of miraculous. It hasn't even been a week since the quake hit and the outpouring of support from around the world has been so encouraging. There are donation drop-off stations all over town and caravans of trucks and airplanes bring in supplies daily to the hardest hit areas, but so much more needs to be done as we're only beginning to understand the long road ahead of us.

The poorest of the poor are giving what they have to help their neighbors on the coast and this earthquake has already stretched this country that has already been knocked down by the lowering of oil prices -- Ecuador's major export. But we're like a reed bending to the force of the wind and soon we will stand tall and stronger than before.

If you would like to help with the relief efforts, there are so many organizations that are available -- from the Samaritan's Purse Ministry by Franklin Graham to Cruz Roja (Red Cross) of Ecuador --where you can make a donation. No gift is too small.

In the meantime, if you're planning a trip to Ecuador, don't cancel it. The coast was ravaged by this earthquake, but there are still the southern beach towns like Salinas (the little Miami of Ecuador) that was kept out of harm's way; Quito is open and ready for business; Cuenca was spared any damage; and, of course, the Galapagos Islands were completely spared. One of Ecuador's greatest sources of income is the tourism industry and want you to experience this beautiful country and its warmhearted people they way we have.

We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your love, care and concern for Ecuador and for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.

Until next time...hasta luego,

Connie and Mark

What to See While You're in Cuenca!

2016-04-10T18:55:00.000-07:00

My sister and her husband visited us for three weeks and I thought it would be a great time to introduce Question #27 from the book, Living and Retiring in Cuenca: 101 Questions Answered -- Second Edition

We also spent three days in Guayaquil, where we visited the Botanical Gardens, Parque Historico, Malecon 2000, Samborondon, and Plaza Lagos, which was my personal favorite.

I'll save our time in Guayaquil for another post as the majority of our time was spent in Cuenca. Stay tuned...

Question: Can you suggest some things to do while we’re in Cuenca?

Answer: El Centro is a great place to start your visit. Parque Calderon, in the heart of the historic district, is where you can enjoy a splendid view of the New Cathedral (Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception) with its pink marble pillars. On certain holidays, you can even go up to the lookout towers. Across the park from the Nueva Catedral (New Cathedral), you will find the Iglesia del Sagrario (Old Cathedral). It was built in 1557 and currently serves as a museum, housing works from colonial and contemporary artists. Occasionally, the Cuenca Symphony performs there. It is a favorite music venue because of the excellent acoustics.

Nueva Catedral

For $2.00 you can go up to the terrace of the Nueva Catedral for the best view of the city.

The staircase winds up many flights, which reminded me of the

Vatican.

For $2.00 you can visit the Old Cathedral, which is more like a museum filled
with artifacts and murals, including life-sized sculptures of the disciples.

Now you can make your way over to the flower market, which is located at Sucre and Padre Aguirre next to the New Cathedral and the Carmen de la Asunción Monastery (founded in 1682). The flower market is still one of my favorite places in El Centro. And the church, Iglesia Carmen de la Asunción (Santuario Mariano) is one of the most impressive churches in Cuenca and features Baroque and Renaissance architecture.

Since it was the week of Palm Sunday, there were lots of palms
to choose from that were woven by hand with flowers mixed in.

Palm weaving near the Nueva Catedral

We celebrated Easter and my sister's birthday at Mansion Alcazar on
Simon Bolivar.

La Pergola -- Mansion Alcazar

Take a stroll down Calle Larga (the longest street in the city) and enjoy some of the best restaurants and hotels in Cuenca. Off the main street, you will find the Barranco district—the cliff overlooking the River Tomebamba where 120 of the oldest structures in the city are located. At night, the lights and bridges make it a spectacular photo spot.

Calle Larga

Other areas to visit are:

Mirador de Turi. The double-decker tour buses leave from Parque Calderon next to the Old Cathedral and take you through the city up to Turi where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city. Day and night tours are available.

The church of Turi (which means brother in Quichua) was built in 1930. You can approach the viewpoint via the Turi steps, which are always an option to bring you to the top; plan on a few stops, though, as the steps are steep. While in Turi, you can visit the lovely restaurant and souvenir shop.

Turi is also the home of Eduardo Vega, the world-renowned ceramicist, who not only has residence there, but also his work studio. Cost to visit the studio is free (minus the souvenirs you'll want to buy).

It's more fun to take the yellow or red tour bus up to Turi, but if you want to save $5.00
you can take one of the blue buses for 25-cents that says "Turi" or "Tres Puentes."

My sister and her hubby at the Mirador de Turi.

Iglesia de Turi

Eduardo Vega's Studio on the road to the Mirador. It's a great place to buy souvenirs.

Eduardo Vega was kind enough to pose for a picture with us.

Pumapungo Museum: Pumapungo is an archaeological museum located in Cuenca’s historic district at Calle Larga and Huayna Capac Streets, next to the Banco Central. The museum is spectacular and even has a collection of shrunken heads. The Temple of the Sun and the Convent of the Sun Virgins, which were all part of one of the most important and beautiful cities of the ancient Incan Empire, are located just outside the museum.

Entrance to the Pumapungo Museum

Pumapungo Runins

Pumapungo Ruins and Garden

Following a trail down a flight of stairs, you’ll reach a bird sanctuary and park where you can enjoy some of Ecuador’s most exotic birds.

Look-out Tower

Some of the exotic birds at the Pumapungo Park

The Belgium Waffle Guys were closed the day we went. They are open Thursday - Sunday.

By now, you might need a break and a snack. Enjoy a waffle from the Belgian Waffle Guys, who have a restaurant in the park.

Other notable museums are the Aboriginal Cultural Museum (Calle Larga and Mariano Cueva), the Monasterio de las Conceptas (Juan Jaramillo and Presidente Cordova), and the Museum of Modern Art (Mariscal Sucre and Colonel Talbot). When visiting the art museum, take time for lunch at San Sebas Café in the plaza.

Aguas Termales de Baños (the town with the thermal baths). No trip to Cuenca is complete without a trip to Baños and the thermal baths. Hostels and spas offer volcanic mud and vaporized massage services. Located fifteen minutes outside of Cuenca, these hot springs rise from a geological fault named Loma de los Hervideros. Our favorite is Piedra de Agua, which has a lovely restaurant, three pools, mud baths, underground caves, and spa services in a tranquil setting. On Tuesdays, Piedra de Agua features an international visitor’s special—two-for-one—which includes all the spa amenities, including the mud baths, underground pools, and saunas. With the special, the price is only $16 per person.

Other notable favorites are NovaAqua (the newest “pool” on the block) and Hosteria Duran, which has turco baths, a hostel, and a restaurant.

Amaru Zoo. If you’re traveling with children, you have to visit Amaru, which is on the Cuenca-Azogues Highway (Km 10). It’s a bio park built along the mountainside and has cultural activities for kids, along with flower and amphibian reserves. Allow at least two hours.

Chordeleg, Gualaceo, and Paute. For day trips, you have to visit Gualaceo where leather goods are made: shoes, purses, and jackets. On the way into Gualaceo, there’s also the Orchid Factory (as I call it)— Ecuagenera, where you can see hundreds of different varieties of orchids in all stages of development. Also, if you would like to spend the night in Gualaceo, we highly recommend Hosteria Santa Barbara, which is a palm-tree lined oasis and resort facility.

Chordeleg is known for its silver and gold jewelry, which you pay for by the ounce. If you’re looking for souvenirs to take home, this is the place to pick them up.

Paute is a great place to have a picnic lunch along the river. The weather there is warmer than in Cuenca, and the view is amazing. In fact, many expats relocate from Cuenca to Paute to live in the country and escape city life.

Longer day trips include. Ingapirca, Cajas National Park (up to 15,000 feet) with lunch at the Dos Chorreras Lodge (awesome fresh trout), Giron Waterfalls, and Yunguilla Valley. One of our favorite places to stay is Jardin del Valle in Yunguilla, which is relaxing and exotic; the lovely Bambu Restaurant is nearby.

My sister and her husband loved Cuenca so much -- they'll be back!

Waterfalls going over the Cajas

Dos Chorreras (Two Waterfalls)

Roadside company!

Dos Chorreras Lodge

Until next time...hasta luego,

Connie & Mark

Getting Your Stuff to Ecuador

2016-03-07T22:17:00.000-08:00

Coming out next month is the book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Joy of Less. In it is my story "Fire Drills" about how we whittled down thirty-five years of marriage into six suitcases. It wasn't easy and it wasn't fun. In fact, I'd rather forget about that part of the journey because it also coincided with selling our house, marrying our younger son, and doing "fire drills."

To be honest, going through photo albums was the most difficult part because I was a Creative Memories person and I recorded every moment of our boys' lives. I'm not going to share the entire story as the book comes out on April 19th , but I will say that getting rid of our stuff gave us a new lease on life and I wouldn't do it any differently.

We've made many trips back to the States to visit family, but I've resisted the urge of going down to the basement of our younger son's home and flipping through the photo albums because I know I'll be tempted to put a few in my suitcase.

Getting your stuff to Ecuador is different for everyone. We know folks who have come with a whole container of stuff and then end up selling everything once they get here because they've decided to update their apartment with a new look. Some bring a pallet with treasured possessions that they're not able to part with quite yet. Others make several trips to Ecuador through the years and each time drop off suitcases with friends until they're ready to make the big move for good. And then there's us and many others who come with suitcases in varying numbers.

Here's an excerpt out of the book Living and Retiring in Cuenca: 101 Questions Answered (Second Edition) about suitcases and the friends/neighbors way to go:

*Suitcases. This is when you swing in the direction of selling, storing, and giving away everything and arrive with your “four” suitcases (depending on the airline). We flew American Airlines, and we were allowed four suitcases, not weighing more than 50 pounds, and two carry-ons. If you fly business or first class, you will receive a larger luggage allowance. However, depending on the time of year you fly, there may be restrictions on how many carry-ons you can bring on the plane. Personally, I go on the lighter side with carry-ons in case of a full flight, as those may be relegated to the cargo hold.

If you go over the weight limit on your checked luggage, the airline will assess an additional fee. This varies by carrier. To avoid these fees, we used every usable space. You can’t believe how much stuff you can fit into a size 11 shoe (my husband’s size). Some couples even practice packing and repacking.

*Friends and neighbors. This option is becoming more and more popular. If you’re planning a visit to Cuenca before your actual move, consider dropping off a suitcase (or two) with friends to keep for you until your return. Some folks use their frequent flyer miles and invite family and friends down. In exchange, these visitors bring some of their hosts’ belongings in a spare suitcase. There is no tax or duty on luggage, so it’s probably the cheapest way to get things to Cuenca.

On a personal note, we did the container thing when we moved to Italy and vowed never to do that again because if you ever decide to return to the States you have to ship the container back. Not that it's stopped anyone because we know a lot of expats who ship a container down to Ecuador and ship it back when they leave. We had already been through that whole ordeal and decided not to repeat history.

In the end, it's a personal decision; there is no right or wrong way of getting rid of your stuff or "bringing it with you." Whatever you decide, it will always make a good story!

Until next time,

Connie and Mark

Best Time to Book Tickets to Ecuador

2016-02-28T20:32:00.000-08:00

Question: What is the best time to book tickets to Ecuador?

Answer: According to recent studies, the best time to book a flight is 50 to 100 days before your scheduled flight. The best day to purchase tickets is on a Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. EST. If you can book your flight on a Tuesday or Wednesday, returning the following Tuesday or Wednesday, you also can save some money. If you use all three methods, you can save hundreds of dollars.

There are some exceptions, but flying Tuesday to Tuesday or Wednesday to Wednesday are the best days of the week for a good deal on airfare. If you have less time, Thursday to Sunday will also get you good rates.

Keep your dates flexible when booking; most airlines let you see the cheapest days of the week on a calendar grid. You can also get emails alerts notifying you when the rates go down; many times you’ll notice the dates fluctuating within a month. The websites www.bestfares.com and www.airfarewatchdog.com are two that will alert you to changes in fare prices.

If you want to compare rates of different airlines or want to travel to your destination all in one day, check out www.skyscanner.net. It searches hundreds of sites in seconds and also gives you a calendar grid where you can check out the cheapest fares for each day of the month.

If you don’t book your flight on your first visit to a website, be sure to clear your “cookies” from your computer or use another computer when you return to the site to book your flight. Believe it or not, it makes a difference, as these travel websites use tracking software and record your searches. The best rates usually appear on your first search and go up with each subsequent visit. For more tips on saving money on flights, check out the tips on FareCompare.

We have a special preference for Avianca Airlines and normally our round trip tickets are $500 per person from Guayaquil to New York. They have excellent staff, comfortable leather seats, wonderful food and beverage service, and warming towels -- even in economy. It's the little things that keep us coming back.

TAME, the national airline of Ecuador, has flights from Guayaquil to New York (non-stop), but they are more expensive and have limited dates.

We usually book with CheapTickets or CheapOAir, but this coming August we booked with Avianca through Vayama. They were offering the cheapest rates at the time, so we'll let you know if there are any glitches.

Feel free to comment on any ways you have used to save on airfare to and from Ecuador.

Until next time...hasta luego!

Connie & Mark

Why Cuenca?

2015-12-09T22:19:00.000-08:00

Tres Cupolas

Every week, I'll post a question from the second edition of the book 101 Questions Answered. After five years of living here, some of the questions are vastly different and others are amazingly the same, like Question #1.

Question #1: Why retire in Cuenca and not one of the other top retirement destinations in the world?

Answer: Cuenca was not really our top retirement destination; Italy was our first choice. But on $1,317 a month with my husband’s pension from UPS, we knew that our quality of life wouldn’t be that great. We had lived in Italy for six years in the 1980s. It was expensive back then, and the health care system wasn’t anything to write home about.

When we looked at other countries in the running, like Panama, Mexico, Malaysia, Costa Rica, Spain, Malta, Colombia, Portugal, Thailand, and Uruguay, we realized they were too far, too hot, too cold, or too expensive. Cuenca kept rising to the top and still remains in first place.

The things that drew us to Cuenca are the same things that keep us here:

*Cost of living. Although items have gone up in price over the past five years, you can still find a $1.50 almuerzo (but $2.50 is about average). The things that will cause you to go bankrupt in the States aren’t even a possibility here, namely health care. Utilities are ridiculously low—almost a joke—and there’s no need for heating or air conditioning. Public transportation is great (a 25-cent bus ride or a $2.00 taxi fare will get you where you need to go). Fruits and vegetables are inexpensive. All this allows us to live comfortably without the fear of a medical crisis using up the rest of our hard-earned savings.

*Spring-like temperatures. As mentioned, Cuenca enjoys a mild climate—there’s no need for air conditioning, and heating costs are minimal. The only place I know in the U.S. that has pleasant temperatures all year long is San Luis Obispo, California (hovering around 68˚F to 70˚F). Cuenca enjoys what is called a subtropical highlands climate, which basically means that lush green tropical plants flourish without the heat and humidity of the coast. Because of Cuenca’s altitude—8,300 feet—and its proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the Amazon, with the equator in the middle, the climate remains relatively temperate with highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s. Yes, we have rain and hail sometimes, but no snow or ice, and no oppressive heat or humidity.

Parque Calderon where Humming Birds are Everywhere

We have two “seasons”: dry (June through December) and rainy (January through May). Our coldest month is August, and our warmest months are November, December, and January. My least favorite month is April, which is called aguas mil (a thousand waters), when we average 4.29 inches of rain during the month. If you’re looking for tropical and hot, Cuenca will disappoint you!

*Affordable health care. This has been the greatest part of living in Cuenca. As a cancer survivor, I’ve experienced how devastating a medical crisis can be and how it can wipe out your savings. We pay $145 per month for IESS, Ecuador’s medical Social Security system, which covers everything (no co-pays). We also have our private doctors—out of the system—with visits ranging from $25 to $40 and follow-up visits are free.

Laboratory Clinic

Dental care is highly affordable as well. A dental cleaning and x-rays are $45, and fillings run about $35. My husband has had four root canals with implants and crowns, and they’ve never cost more than $500. Cosmetic surgery is also affordable. I can’t comment on the price tag as I haven’t gone under the knife, but many of the doctors who practice here have received their training in the States. Medical care is highly personal in Cuenca; you’re not just a number. It’s normal for physicians to spend forty-five minutes to an hour with you.

*Even more reasons. Another thing that keeps us here is Cuenca’s colonial charm. El Centro (the historic center) occupies approximately 12 blocks by 20 blocks and contains a variety of restaurants, Spanish colonial buildings, and adobe houses alongside elegant hotels, cafes, and bakeries. I still marvel at the cobblestone streets, terracotta rooftops, and colonial period architecture, including the churches and cathedrals. From our condo, we enjoy a view of the Cuenca skyline with the blue domes of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (New Cathedral)—absolutely breathtaking at sunrise or sunset. I never tire of our city view and the Andes Mountains.

Cuenca is the cultural capital of Ecuador, so tourists from around the world descend upon Cuenca every year. In addition, because of the many Spanish-language schools, there are people who come just to study the language—usually you’ll see them wearing flip-flops and shorts and carrying backpacks. Many events like concerts and symphonies are free. And the restaurants continue to grow in size and diversity. Outdoor cafes are also becoming more popular and you can find them throughout the city. My favorite place is still Parque Calderon—the center of the city—with the Nueva Catedral (New Cathedral) on one side with its pink

marble columns and the Catedral Vieja-Iglesia del Sagrario (Old Cathedral) on the other side (where the tour buses line up).

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there’s always something going on and buildings being preserved and transformed. But the diversity of the culture is what makes living in Cuenca so interesting. Alongside the indigenous women with their colorful velvet skirts, you’ll see conservatively dressed Cuencanos wearing European-styled suits. The contrast is fascinating. The Spaniards ruled Cuenca for 500 years, and we can thank them for the colonial period architecture, which is so prevalent in the city.

Santo Domingo Iglesia

Cuenca Symphony

Lastly, the expat community is one of the largest and most well established anywhere in the world. When we first arrived, there were only a handful of expats. Today, we can’t walk around the block without seeing a Norte Americano. When we moved into our condo building, we were the only Americans. Now, we’re one of three in our building. With the expat population booming, there are a variety of volunteer opportunities, support groups, art and language groups, and two English-language magazines for expats.

Personally, we love the diversity—not only culturally—but in the land with the Galapagos, the coastal regions, and the Amazon. We find our way to the coast (four hours away) by bus at least three times a year, and the Galapagos is only one and a half hours from Guayaquil by plane. We have yet to get to the Amazon, but it’s on our bucket list. In five years, we’ve grown to love this unique city and its people. And we have just as many Ecuadorian friends as we do American, which we count as one of our greatest blessings. This means we have finally integrated and have been accepted. We also volunteer and give back as much as we can.

We live comfortably on $1,317 a month because we own our condo, so rent is not a consideration. One of our greatest luxuries is not having a car; we use public transportation, walk, or take a taxi. We also wanted to live somewhere where plane tickets to fly back to the States weren’t outrageously expensive. We fly to JFK on Avianca Airlines from Guayaquil (round trip) for $500 per person, which is less expensive than flying East Coast to West Coast in the States.

Independence Day Celebrations Nov. 3-5, 2015

Until next time...hasta luego,

Connie & Mark

101 Questions Answered -- Second Edition is Available!

2015-11-30T10:58:00.001-08:00

Finally, it's finished! After many delays and setbacks, Living and Retiring in Cuenca Second Edition is available on Amazon.com.

When I wrote the first edition in 2011, it was the first English book on Cuenca with the nitty-gritty nuts and bolts on just about everything you would need to know to get your life started in this lovely city. Since that time, many more have jumped on the bandwagon and wrote their own version, either on Cuenca or Ecuador. So do we really need another book on Cuenca? Probably not. But I was committed to updating and revising the first book and it was helpful for to me to see exactly what's changed and what's stayed the same. The infrastructure, of course, has changed considerably, but the people and culture are the same and that's what drew us here.

In the five years that we've been here, we've seen friends come and go (usually back to the States after the grandchildren were born). It seems that the happiest couples in Cuenca are the ones with no kids or grandkids. Or maybe that's because they don't know what they're missing! In five years, we've married both our sons and recently became grandparents to Clara Joy in August. I spent a month with her in Pennsylvania and I wouldn't have traded it for anything (720 hours of pure joy). It's certainly something I couldn't have done if I was working a full-time job until I was 72 years of age, while living in the States. We plan to go back for her first birthday and in the meantime, we keep in touch with FaceTime and every Monday I send a video of me reading to her.

Yes, we plan to stay in Cuenca and in 1-1/2 years we'll receive our Social Security (if there's anything left), and we'll be able to travel more.

Prices have definitely gone up in Cuenca and my friend who lives in Mexico recently brought that to my attention. Food, clothing and electronics have increased (definitely), but the tariffs that were imposed a year ago seem to be lifting because I've been seeing more imports in the grocery stores, like: Campbell Soup, Mint Milano Cookies and Pam Cooking Spray (all for a price, of course).

The cost of paradise: Nature Valley Almond Milk ($5.35). Last month it was $3.25. Some things go up and down monthly. If you see something you like, buy it because it may not be there tomorrow or it just may cost you more!

Cost of Paradise: $5.35

Oh, there's a retraction in the book "no visitors" yet! I stand corrected because my sister and her husband are coming for a visit in March for two weeks. They're still working on their passports, so I won't hold my breath, but that's HUGE!

Hope your Thanksgiving was a blessed one and I hope your Cyber Monday is full of great deals!

Until next time...hasta luego!

Connie and Mark

What's New?

2015-09-23T11:05:00.001-07:00

We have some great news!

On August 17, 2015, we became grandparents for the first time. What a game changer it's been. Our hearts are bursting with joy--the first girl in our family in a very long line of boys. We're thrilled. It also marks a transition in our expat life as we know grandchildren are one of the reasons why expats return to the States for good.

We definitely plan on staying in Cuenca and making more frequent trips back to the States. I look at it this way. If I lived in the States, I would be working full-time until I was 72 and what job would allow me to spend an entire month with my granddaughter? So I feel fortunate that we have this lifestyle and the ability to come and go as we please. Well, at least I do anyway. I have the portable income as a writer, so my job goes where I go. Mark is not that fortunate in that he works at an international school and is lead teacher.

On October 3rd, our older son will be getting married in St. Michael's, Maryland and we get to enjoy quality time at the destination wedding with family and friends. We're so much looking forward to it. A new baby in the family, a new daughter-in-law, and I just turned 60! When we arrived in Cuenca, five years ago, I thought folks in their 60's were old. Well, it seems that I've joined the "old" folks club and I couldn't be happier. Two more years and we receive our Social Security and we can stop working and do more traveling.We're thankful that we were able to retire at 55, but it's been semi-retirement with my writing and Mark's teaching. I think at 62, we'll be ready to hang it all up!

More good news: I finished the second edition of Living and Retiring in Ecuador: 101 Questions Answered and it will be available on Amazon in November. It's with the editor right now and should be back to me for my final thoughts this week. When I wrote the first edition in 2011, it was the only English resource on Cuenca and now it seems like just about everyone has a book on Cuenca or Ecuador. But I think it's good thing that there's so much information as it's important to get as many perspectives as possible. I plan on keeping the second edition updated once a month because I certainly don't want to do that much work ever again! The rose-colored glasses came off and I think it's a much better portrayal of our life in Cuenca (five years later).

I also wrote an e-book on Secrets to Writing a Winning Chicken Soup Story as I've had quite a bit of success writing for them, so I thought it was time to help others get published. There's a formula and I share my "souper" secrets in the book. If you've ever wanted to write a story for the world's largest compilation series, now is your opportunity to do it. My newest story is in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Volunteering and Giving Back titled "Making a Difference" that came out on August 18, 2015. Unfortunately, I won't be doing any book signings while in the States this time because I'm in Mimi mode!

Visitors from the States: We've also had some company visiting us and more to come; it's only taken five years! Good friends from our hometown in Pennsylvania stayed for a week, a good friend in Pennsylvania who now lives in Quito came for a day, and my sister will be paying us a visit in March 2016. It's been so much fun playing tourist in Cuenca!

Cuenca is not the same city we came to five years ago--a lot has changed. The tranvia will be ready in 2016; we have a new Four Points Sheraton being built around the corner from us near Mall Del Rio, a new wing opened up in the mall with more shops, and we have a brand new Supermaxi grocery store right down the street from us, which is a blend of Safeway meets Whole Foods. It's supposed to be the biggest and the best Supermaxi in Ecuador.

Jardin del Valle

Last week, we had a mini vacay before our trip to the States and stayed at Jardin del Valle in the Yunguilla Valley. We've been going there for years, but hadn't stayed there after their big expansion. It's only about an hour from Cuenca or two hours by bus and it's so peaceful and relaxing. Alfredo and his wife, Sonya, are the consummate hosts. We only stayed three days and two nights, but our body felt like we had a two-week vacation. I highly recommend this "new" place!

View from Our Balcony

One of Three Heated Pools

Butterfly Shrimp

Gorgeous Views from Every Angle

Family Pool

Until next time...hasta luego!

Connie & Mark

Five Reasons to Love Salinas

2015-03-28T21:14:00.004-07:00

For years we've been hearing from our friends, the kids that we teach and from our Ecuadorian neighbors how wonderful Salinas is and the old refrain, "You're going to love it there." Well, I was skeptical because I also heard how it's not so great six months out of the year. There are so many conflicting stories, so we decided to check it out for ourselves. Surprise, surprise, surprise...I loved it.
Here's why:

Reason #1: It's sunny. I guess that's not a big surprise. We're heading into the rainy season in Cuenca and after five days of rain, I'm ready for a change. Salinas showed us its sunny side all five days, so much so that I forgot all about Cuenca and that four letter word R-A-I-N. Blue skies, white fluffy clouds, warm ocean waters, and a beach umbrella and I'm one happy camper.

Salinas Yacht Club

Reason #2: It's modern. I already pictured the high-rise condo buildings because I had seen pictures on the Internet, but what I wasn't expecting was a modern mall, new and modern bus station, a beautiful new airport, and a Mi Comisariato that makes MegaMaxi pale in comparison.

Reason #3: People walk around in shorts, flip-flops, and bathing suits -- even in the grocery store. Can you imagine if you did that in Cuenca? It reminded me a lot of Miami; there's no dress code. You roll out of bed and onto the seashore.

Reason #4: Restaurants. I thought we had a lot of restaurants in Cuenca. Oh my goodness, we dined at the Italian Gourmet on pizza night (Wednesdays) -- all you can eat -- for $5.00. Yep, you heard me right...on the terrace with a gentle breeze and great conversation. It was perfect. Right next door was the Common Grounds Waffle House. In fact, there were so many restaurants, I simply stopped counting.

Reason #5: Sunsets. I guess it's no surprise that I love sunsets (I'm a California girl) and we saw plenty of those during our stay. In fact, we stayed at El Faro Hosteria and the owner, Gabriel, took us on a tour of Chocolatera at sunset and I was almost ready to sell our condo in Cuenca and set up house in the lighthouse. It was simply breathtaking with the ocean waves crashing against the rocks, the pinkish red skies and the blow holes spraying water like a geiser. Gabriel was kind enough to show us all around Salinas, including the yacht club where he's a member and I decided Salinas wouldn't be a bad life!

La Chocolatera

Blow Hole at La Chocolatera

Sunset at Chocolatera

Sunset at El Mirador

La Puntilla

We stayed at El Faro (The Lighthouse) in a tropical paradise with exotic flora and fauna, so it was easy to fall in love with Salinas. Who wouldn't enjoy a private beach and garden filled with every type of bird imaginable and listening to wind chimes? As soon as my head hit the pillow every night, I was out for the count. After the second day, I decided I wanted to apply for the job of groundskeeper, so I could hang around a little longer and pay for my room and board. By the way, if you want a great place to stay -- away from the crowds and noise of the Malecon -- then El Faro is the way to go.

El Faro Private Beach

The Lighthouse

Dining Area

Tortuguita

Pathway to the Ocean

As much as I loved our stay in Salinas, I don't think I could live in an air-conditioned society full-time. We had that life in Miami, Florida and after three years, I wasn't so fond of it. It's a nice place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there. And, unfortunately, mosquitoes adore me. They lick off the Off Spray, call their friends for a mosquito party, and I'm the honored guest. I came home with welts the size of sand dollars and now I'm recuperating with Calamine Lotion all over my body. I look like a pink leopard. I'm not sure what it was because I've never been devoured like that before and we go to Puerto Lopez every year.

I understand the attraction to Salinas -- the resort city of Ecuador. I would like to go back (as soon as I heal from my bites). But I think my pictures of the sun, the surf, and the ocean will have to sustain me through April and May.

In the end, I'm so thankful for Cuenca's weather without the need for air-conditioning and bug spray. I love Salinas, but only for a visit!

Until next time...hasta luego,

Weather in Cuenca

2015-03-20T15:33:00.000-07:00

If you wonder where I've been, I've been writing--just not blogging!

I'm revising the book, 101 Questions Answered on Cuenca. I've uncovered so much material that it really can't be considered a revised edition any longer, but rather a second edition. And my commitment is to keep it updated every month because I never want to go through this much work ever again.

Also, since it's been raining all day in Cuenca, it's perfect writing weather (for me anyway). I gain a lot of inspiration when it's pouring outside because I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. When the sun is brilliant with blue skies and fluffy white clouds, who wants to stay indoors and write?

Not me!

Anyway, next week we're taking off for Salinas (we've never been there before) and it's supposed to be beautiful and sunny all week, while it rains its little heart out in Cuenca.

That leads me to the question of weather in Cuenca, which is one of my favorite subjects. Cuenca is very forgiving in that regard. You forget about the rainy weather when the sun is shining; it's like Cuenca casts this spell of amnesia over us.

Rain?

What rain?

Ha!

Before I get into specifics about the weather, I'm going to share with you the truth. I don't know anywhere else you can live in the world with an average temperature of 68.5 degrees for a high and an average of 48.6 as a low. You can tell I'm working on the weather question in the book, can't you?

All these years when everyone has been saying Cuenca's highs are in the 70's and lows in the 50's; they really mean to say that the average yearly high is 68.5 degrees and the average low is 48.6 degrees with an average yearly rainfall of 34.57 inches. The city that compares to that perfectly is Camanche, Iowa (34.57 inches of rainfall). The average number of rainy days in Cuenca is 179.

Why am I going into such detail?

Well, mainly because there seems to be so much controversy about the weather. Highs in the 70's and lows in the 50's have been thrown around for so long, I think we've come to believe it.

Today I'm setting the record straight: it's an average high of 68.5 degrees and 48.6 degrees for an average low. From now on, I will refer to the weather in Cuenca as high 60's and high 40's. That has a slightly different ring to it -- doesn't it?

This is what Cuenca's weather looks like this week: You can check it out for yourself at www.wunderground.com. For rain it's 90-100% likely through Tuesday, March 24th and only 60% chance of rain through Sunday, the 29th (Palm Sunday). That's why we're leaving town (sunny days in Salinas all next week).

I was going to write out the entire year of highs, lows, sunshine and rain, but I thought it might be better if you took a look. Click here and scroll down to the bottom of the page. I realize that nothing is 100 percent accurate, but I've been recording daytime highs and lows in my calendar for the past five years and I've gotta say it's pretty spot on.

So what's the big deal? It's only a couple of degrees here and there. Well, it is a big deal to me. I've been throwing out average temps of 70's and low 50's since we moved here because that's what I've been reading since we checked out Cuenca in 2009.

I realize that we live in the subtropical highlands near the equator, so our temperatures would be downright hot and humid if it weren't for the elevation of Cuenca (approx. 8,300 feet and 8,200 feet in some areas), but I intend to be more accurate in my weather reporting. In fact, I just might blog about the weather forecast every day (how boring would that be?). Then again, I would have a year of accurately reported weather from a boots on the ground source.

Today weather looks like this from Wunderground.com; the most accurate place I've found for the weather in Cuenca.

Until next time...your Cuenca weather correspondent is taking a break!

Light Rain

13.7 °C

Feels Like 13.7 °C

3.2

Wind from SE
Gusts 0.0 km/h

Today is forecast to be MUCH COOLER than yesterday.

Today

High 13 | Low 10 °C

60% Chance of Precip.

Yesterday

High 12.9 | Low 12.9 °C

Precip. 189 mm