Is It Really the Best Place to Retire... for You?

The way we see it, each time a person says something good about a place, it helps others gather information about that place and each time a person says something negative about a place it too helps others gather more information in their decision making process about that place. Good or bad we need to know, right?  


So then knowing that, why can’t most people accept certain details about a country that are known to be factual and true? And why do they become defensive when confronted with the negative details? And why is a positive report taken as truth and a negative report taken as a complaint? 



3 Reasons Why
 

1.   They do not want their travel bubble popped
2.   They have vested interests in the place – the vested interests love to call the “tell it like it is” folks “complainers and whiners”. 
3.   They just can’t believe that anything could be negative if RAMM (Retire Abroad Media Magazines) says it is the “best place to live.”


Is it really the best place to live...for you? Let's find out.
 

      Distinguishing between Opinion and Fact
 

In this live and retire abroad sphere, most people tend to confuse opinion and fact. Today we’re going show you how to distinguish between opinion and fact so you can be a wiser gringo when you decide to travel or move abroad.
 

If anyone uses these travel abroad terms in videos, writing and seminars then you know it is merely opinion based because it relates to personal feelings, which means it is personal to them and how they feel.  It doesn’t mean you won’t feel the same way but there is a chance you will not feel the same way, especially if you go there and find that it is not the way it is portrayed.
 

If the majority of people say something good about a place, you still may not feel the same way because each person has their own values and their own degree of comfort levels and their own personal thoughts that let them know that a place is right for them. Besides that, anyone can say anything they want to make a place sound like paradise…RAMM does all the time.


                               10 Examples of Opinions
                               (about no place in particular)


1.   The weather is perfect here
 

2.   This place is paradise
 

3.   This person/company helped me greatly and I recommend him or her
 

4.   Nothing has ever happened to me, it’s safe
 

5.   It’s safe in the tourist areas
 

6.   There’s no crime here
 

7.   There’s more crime in the U.S than in blah-blah country
 

8.   I can’t get all this (referring to housing) in the U.S
 

9.   This country is better than that country
 

10. You can live here on $1,000 a month
 

These are just a few of the examples, but now look at the facts below to negate each one of the above opinions.
 

After understanding the differences then you can decide if a place is right for you even BEFORE you spend all that money and time to travel there.
 

                               10 Examples of FACTS

                           (about no place in particular)


1.   The weather is between 50’s for the low and 70’s for the highs and there are more cloudy days than sunny.
 

2.   Some people think this place is paradise, while others like a totally different climate for their paradise. But when all is said and done…paradise is within our being, not outside of ourselves. 


3.   This person/company provided a great service TO ME, according to MY CIRCUMSTANCES but YOUR SITUATION is different than mine so your experience will be different.
 

4.   Nothing has ever happened to me but that doesn’t mean it is safe.
 

5.   It can be safer in the tourist areas but you still have to be watchful.
 

6.   There is minimal crime here but it does exist
 

7.   To compare crime with another country, make sure you take into account all of the data, such as population and what type of crime, and only compare with similar countries. For example compare S. American cities with other S. American cities of the same size.
 

8.   You can live on the beach in the U.S.A for the same or similar prices as you can in these touted developing countries! Facts are in the figures folks.
 

9.   There is really no country better than another country. We choose where we live according to our own PERSONAL NEEDS and CIRCUMSTANCES and everyone’s situation and needs are different and so it goes without saying that “different places for different people”.



10.  You can live here on whatever your standards of comfort are according to your needs and situation, for some that’s $1,000 per month and for others it’s $3,000 per month.
 

That’s it friends. We hope this helps you to understand the differences between an opinion and a fact.  Opinions apply to a person’s experience while a fact is something that just is and usually can’t be changed, at least for most things.
 

Remember that knowing the negatives about a place is a good thing because it makes you all the more wiser and better equipped to make an appropriate decision for you and your loved ones. You still should go and visit and check it out first though, before moving anywhere abroad.



Want to read more articles like this one?

• 10 Best Places to Retire in the World!!!  


• Is Cuenca Ecuador Still out on Top as Best PLace to Retire! 


• How to Think Clearly about Retiring, Moving and Investing Overseas 

Are you thinking of moving abroad and would like to know more about getting things done? Do you have questions and concerns that are gnawing at you before you can make that final decision?  Talk to us through a personal consultation and QandA session. We're here for you!

BEST PLACE? Cuenca, Quito or Coast?

Which is the best place to live? We talk about a few of the differences between Cuenca, Quito and the coast in this video but isn't paradise a personal preference depending on personal circumstances?

                 
 

Hello Friends!
We have posted something new, several times per week for 6 years about crucial insights and every day life experiences that provide the other side of living abroad. From us, you'll get REALITY. We are now making exclusive videos for our devoted followers who are ready for the big move abroad and need a deeper understanding of life in a developing country; to find out more about this other platform, come see us on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/HMFamilyLife

Do we look like tourists in Cuenca Ecuador?

Yes, we're  back in Cuenca for a very important event but isn't it too cold for shorts and flip flops? Only gringo's wear shorts in the Andes. LOL

                 




Hello Friends, we hope you have enjoyed this video or article. We have posted something new several times per week for the past 5 years and there are a lot of crucial insights and every day life experiences to help others on this blog. If you're looking for straight forward answers and honest reporting about life here, you've found it!

We have an ANNOUNCEMENT to make from Cuenca

Hi guys, we have a big announcement to make so watch the video! It's been great to be back in our old stomping grounds of Cuenca. Stay tuned everyone, we have more of Cuenca coming up in the days ahead.

              


Hello Friends, we hope you have enjoyed this video or article. We have posted something new several times per week for the past 5 years and there are a lot of crucial insights and every day life experiences to help others on this blog. If you're looking for straight forward answers and honest reporting about life here, you've found it!

Move Abroad with Hard Cold Cash or Sweat Equity

Yes, you better bring lots of money if you're just going to plug in and play the game living in a Latin American country. But...if you would rather do the work, getting to know the ins and outs of the new land you have embarked upon then by all means, save some of that cold hard cash you've been earning over the years and adapt, experience and enjoy your new life abroad! It's waiting for you to discover!

                        


We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We lived in Cuenca Ecuador for five years and now we are in Salinas Ecuador where our adventure continues.We vlog several times per week where we share crucial insights and every day experiences to help others see what its really like to live in a Latin American country.

EATING $1 GOOD SANDWICH in Cuenca Ecuador!

We're just walking around enjoying our leisurely day in Cuenca when we come across this little cafe promoting $1 sandwiches. This was right after we had a bowl of encebollado soup. Now we do not normally eat like this but we wanted to find out if the sandwich really looked like the photo...and well, the Ecuadorian cafe owner said he'd prepare the sandwich to look like the photo...we couldn't pass up this opportunity.  We have so much fun in Cuenca!

                  


We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!

Reader Writes: Dental Tourism Gone Bad in Cuenca Ecuador!

A reader writes in to let us know all about her experience with dental tourism in Cuenca Ecuador and unfortunately her experience was not a good one.

                          


We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!

Top 10 Most Popular Videos 5 Years Living in Cuenca Ecuador

This is our top ten most popular (viewed) videos since living in Cuenca Ecuador for the past five years. It has been a fun adventure and we're counting on more pleasant adventures in the future. We're living the frugal, healthy, happy life in Cuenca Ecuador!

                 


We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!

Trash-it and Replace It Culture of USA vs. Fix-it and Keep It Culture of Ecuador

Reader asks: I have read that there are no second hand stores or yard sales in Cuenca. What does one do when replacing items? Are they tossed or donated?
 

Frank and Angie's Response: This is a good question and we wondered the very same thing when we first moved here. In general, we north Americans come from a throw-away kind of society where when something breaks or becomes too used up we simply replace it with a new one but here that is not the case at all.
 

The Ecuadorians do one of two things when something needs replaced: 1. They fix it, mend it, restore it, or repair it and then give it to someone else in the family to enjoy, whether it’s a piece of furniture or an appliance…or 2. They fix it, mend it, or repair it and keep it!
 

Ecuador’s culture is a very resourceful one where they find ways to continue using what they have; if something can’t be fixed they will use the parts from it to create or build something else with those parts. We find it rather industrious to say the least.
 

We have thrown out numerous broken items in the last five years from 2 electric heaters, kitchen electric grill, a fan, numerous broken small kitchen gadgets, broken lamps, and three office chairs that just broke in half because they were made of cheap plastic, etc. 

3rd broken office chair in five years! LOL

We put this chair outside by the gate and it was gone within minutes

Be careful buying things in Ecuador, off brands are no good and will break.
 

We put our broken stuff outside the gate for the garbage men to haul away and before you know it someone comes by and takes what he or she wants. This is why there are no thrift stores in Ecuador to speak of. They do have many used clothing and shoe stores however, but you will not find anything else, just clothes.
 

As for the expats that come here and then leave, they sell their stuff on the gringo portals to newcomers to Cuenca and that works out great because many folks do come here without anything but their suitcases and they have to buy furniture and appliances and more to setup house. 



When expats leave, for one reason or another sometimes they have a garage sell to get rid of all the stuff they bought. Now-a-days you can find just about everything you need to set up house; most things are only lightly used. It’s much less expensive than buying everything new. 



You will also find that now that there are more gringos needing stuff, the Ecuadorians also sell their things on the gringo portals, if they speak English and if they don’t speak English, they sell their items on Mercado Libre, an online sellers and buyers outlet for Ecuador.



Until we write again, you might like to read these articles.

• Ecuador’s Culture is Very Resourceful

• Culture Shock! South America vs. USA

•  43 Observations about Cuenca’s People

• Giving Up All Your Possessions to Move to Cuenca Ecuador

We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!

Almuerzo $3.50 & Webcam of Rainy Day in El Centro, Cuenca Ecuador

We decided to try this new restaurant by Supermaxi on Las Americas; it was ok but nothing special about this almuerzo; plus we filmed people walking in the rain in El Centro on a perfectly, much needed rainy day!

                   


We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!

Seeking Cheap Rental for Less than 3 Months in Cuenca Ecuador?

A Reader Asks: We’re coming to Cuenca to check it out in January and we’re wondering if it is possible to find a cheap rental for 3 weeks for both of us.
 

Frank and Angie's Response: The million dollar question asked by hundreds of people. The short answer to your question is there are no “cheap” rentals in Cuenca, and especially for less than 6-months.  Less than 3 month short term rentals will be more costly. Understand that you are coming to a popular tourist destination where hundreds of gringos visit each month and prices reflect that.
 

Minimum stays in furnished apartments is usually 6-months, however a few landlords are willing to rent for a minimum of 3 months. Anything less than that is going to be other options. Let’s take a look at some of those options. 



Note: If you have a pet, if the landlord allows small pets in the home the renter will have to pay a pet deposit, in case something gets ruined by pet.
 

Short Term Rentals
 

If you’re only visiting for several weeks to a few months you can check out these websites for short term rentals. And remember to negotiate according to your personal circumstances. The asking price is usually not the set price.
 

Craigslist – This is accommodations that charge per day and weekly rates for apartments and home stays in Cuenca Ecuador.


Airbnb - You can find plenty of short term stays on Airbnb, however be careful and make sure that you know what you are getting...there has been some complaints.


OLX - This is the daily - weekly - monthly ads for short term stays in Cuenca Ecuador



Hostels in Cuenca Ecuador
 

Cuenca Ecuador has some nice comfortable hostels and if you are only one or two people then staying in a hostel is probably your best bet for the budget minded traveler(s). Hostels are less expensive than hotels and will usually have a shared kitchen and common area for guests to use. Kitchens are supplied with utensils, pots and pans and cooking appliances. The only thing you will need is your own dish detergent for doing your own dishes.
 

We list several hostels, according to different budgets in the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide. Below are videos of a couple of these hostels.
 

La Casa Cuencana Hostel – Martha, the owner of this hostel offers the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide readers a discount if staying for a full week. Please show her you bought the book with a printout of the page of her Hostel or the book itself.
 

Note: We list rates for several hostels in the DIY guide; however rates are higher during holidays and festivals. The whole month of February Carnaval is celebrated throughout the country of Ecuador.
 

Hostal Macondo - Here is a video tour of this hostel. 



                               

Cuenca Ecuador Short-Term Rentals – Rooms for rent and home stays in Cuenca Ecuador.
 

Another great option, if you are only one or two people, is staying with an Ecuadorian family. There’s two ways this is done. The Ecuadorian family will rent out a room in their house and you use the shared kitchen; the room may or may not have a private bath. You will find these listed as a "habitacion".
 

The other way we’ve seen it done is with the bigger Ecuadorian homes where they make a separate apartment attached to their home; These "mini departamentos" will usually have a one bedroom with a private bath, kitchen and its own entrance. Renting this way can also be more economical than staying in a hotel, plus you will have the added benefit of interacting with Ecuadorians on a more personal level and learn some Spanish!
 

Until we write again…
 

Related Articles

• Renting in Cuenca Ecuador: Is It Really Negotiable or Bait and Switch?

• Gringo Good Samaritans - For Long-Term Stays -We're on Your Side!

• Choosing a Safe Neighborhood in Cuenca Ecuador

We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!

7 Benefits of Speaking Spanish When Moving to South/Central America

No matter where you decide to move to abroad we think it is best to know the language of the country you move to, even knowing the basics of the language is going to keep you from being taken advantage of in many situations.
 

1. Setting up house:  a lot is involved when it comes to setting up house. You may need to go furniture and appliance shopping; you’ll probably have to hire a moving truck; and you will have to have Internet service installed; we know that you will need to go grocery and household shopping, and these are just some of the main ones. You will be richly benefited and rewarded with better household prices if you speak the language.
 

Most folks in South and Central America only speak Spanish. Sure, some speak English but it is very few that do. Just the other day we had two Etapa guys out to check our Internet issue and neither one of them spoke a lick of English.
 

You’re coming to a Spanish speaking country.  Expecting that people will just speak English with you, could result in difficulty for you. Just know that you will be blessed when someone speaks some English. 



We have found that in Ecuador the ones who speak some English have lived in the U.S or work in the real estate business and tourist services. The ones who do not speak English will be the ones you will need to interact with on an everyday level such as when shopping, when hiring a taxi or moving truck.  Sure, you might be blessed and get one that speaks a few words in English, but don’t count on it.



If you do not speak Spanish now, a gadget you will want to bring with you for when you first get here is the English to Spanish electronic pocket translator. We had one and it was very useful and helpful for the first 6 months of living here. See the video below for more helpful ideas on what you might want to bring with you abroad. 

                
2. Interact with your next door neighbors: It is quite common to have landlords and their family living next door.  We have learned quite a bit about Ecuador just from our neighbors who have lived here all their life. It’s nice to be able to stop and chit-chat for a few minutes when you see them out and about in the neighborhood. Life is just better in Ecuador when you feel like you are a part of the community of folks that look out for each other’s back in your neighborhood. Did anyone say, ‘peace of mind’?
 

3. Buying from street vendors: If you already know all the store prices, not just the most expensive one, and understand that local street and Mercado vendor prices should be half of that, then try your Spanish on them.  If you don’t speak the language of the country you moved to, we recommend shopping in a variety of grocery stores where prices are already fixed but seasonal.  
 

4. You'll be able to converse with locals: once you live here as a resident you’re going to notice that at some point locals might just mistake you for an Ecuadorian, i.e. asking you for directions while walking down the street, etc.  At that point when you can answer in Spanish, it is a satisfying experience.
 

5. Get the nitty-gritty about an issue: without knowing the language it is really difficult to get the real skinny on a lot of important issues, like crime. Knowing the language has given us some of the best and most useful information because it comes directly from the locals who have lived here all their life.
 

BTW:  it is best to ask three or four different people the same concern or question and then look for consistency in the answers, and you will be fairly certain to get the real skinny.  No worries though, if you’re not there yet, we do that for you here... and in our DIY Cuenca Ecuador Landing Guide.
 

6. You will appear more traveled and aware: here again, when we speak the language we are much less likely to be taken advantage of in all scopes of being a foreigner in a foreign land.  When we speak the language, even with a gringo accent, it shows we know more about their culture than the gringo who can’t speak the language, and we are much more apt to be taken seriously when we speak. “Uh oh, this guy speaks Spanish, maybe I better quote him the real price”, is a body language you will run into.  And that’s satisfying.
 

7. Speaking the language shows respect: part of showing respect is learning the language; we should at least try to speak the language. It’s far better to TRY and speak the language than NOT at all. You will find that when the local inhabitants see you trying, they will find it endearing and come to your aid quicker and with a smile than if you simply spoke English to them; and that benefits good relations with the people in the new country you have embarked on to live permanently.  Bon Voyage!
 

Until we write again…
 

You might also like these articles.

• Brandon Shares His Self-Taught Spanish Tips & Secrets

• How Anyone Can Speak Basic Spanish in 3 Months and Good Spanish in 3 Years!

•  Do I Need to Know Spanish If I Move Abroad?

We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!

Panama Is NOT (Necessarily) Better Place to Retire than Ecuador, According to Us!

A question we often are asked, for those who know we explored Panama is, “Did you like Panama better than Ecuador?” But you see, our opinion doesn’t matter because we’re us and you’re you.  We’re different people with different requirements and you’re you with your requirements.  It’s ALL VERY relative depending on who you are and your particular lifestyle desires and requirements. However, we can still let you know our opinions but please don’t write them in stone unless it’s an actual fact.

Bike, walking, jogging trail Panama City, Panama

In many respects Ecuador is more livable (not better) according to our needs and circumstances; however, someone else might find Panama to be just what they need according to their circumstances.  Everyone has their own needs and circumstances that consequently will require different degrees and standards of living conditions, which cannot be found in any one-paradise that happens to be pumped that month!  That’s why taking someone else’s opinions as fact, no matter how popular that travel magazine might be, is a really bad idea.
 

The word “better” is often thrown around loosely with people who like to compare countries but perhaps they aren’t thinking about “better for whom”?  You’ll read on forums where users often say one country is better than another but according to whom? So, just remember that when you get all excited reading about a country being better than another, whether it’s on a forum or in an online travel magazine that they are talking about their own personal subjective opinion, not fact.

La Carolina Parque, Quito Ecuador

If you are serious about putting down roots in a city abroad, go visit first and do NOT believe all the hustlers. As you know, one of the BIG issues we have with travel abroad media is they pipe everyone into the same category.  For instance, just because a writer thinks the weather in Ecuador or Portugal is great, they also think it must be great for everyone else too, which clearly is not so.
 

I absolutely love the tropical weather of Panama. Sure it gets hot there, but I like tropical climates way more than the Andes climate, but that’s just me; it’s my personal opinion. Someone else might not be able to bear under the Equatorial heat and humidity of Panama. So then how can anyone say where the best place to retire is? See? 



So, with all of that out of the way, here is some of our opinions, experiences and observations about Panama compared with living in Ecuador.
 

There are many nice towns, outside of Panama City that one could surely set up roots and live a comfortable lifestyle on less, just about the same as in Cuenca. But living for less usually means going without the standards of living that most folks have become accustomed to in the U.S or Europe.

David, Panama

We’ve said from the beginning and will continue to say, “Don’t move somewhere just because it’s cheap”. It’s not a good enough reason to uproot your whole life and lifestyle that you are so accustom to because in most instances, if you go move somewhere just because it’s cheap, you’ll end up NOT liking it too much.
 

Travel somewhere because you want the adventure” or “move somewhere because you already have roots there” or “you already did the research”, but to simply pick up and move just because you’re being told it’s cheaper than where you are now is not a suitable enough reason for drastically changing your lifestyle. The important thing to remember is, what’s in it for the pumper?  There are many real estate pumpers and seminar pumpers on the internet.

Cuenca Ecuador - Turi view

Do you know how taxing and time-consuming it is just to move your household and family from one neighborhood to another in the same city you live in is?  It’s very stressful and takes adjustments just being in a new area of the city you already live in. Imagine moving clear across the world in a new continent with a totally different way of life!! Now that’s something to think about. 



And remember, a two or three month vacation, living as a tourist is much different than actually residing somewhere and being a resident abroad.

Puerto Armuelles, Panama

There are writers that will tell you what they like about Ecuador and there are writers that will tell you what they like about Panama and that’s great! Take it all in and absorb it all into your mental system, but in the end, you are the one who will need to experience it all for yourself anyway. 



One person’s paradise is Panama, another person’s paradise is Ecuador and another person’s paradise is…staying exactly where they are.  We will continue to give you the facts as we experience them, without the gloss and pump.
 

Until we write again, have a great adventure wherever you decide to move to abroad!



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We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!

Modern Apt. Quito Ecuador AND Furnished House in Santa Isabel, Azuay Available Today!

Modern, clean 3 bed, 2.5 apartment in QUITO ECUADOR! Asking price is $450, includes the condo fees. The apartment comes with two parking spaces in the parking garage under the building.  Centralized gas throughout the apartment. Curtains throughout and phone line installed. All three bedrooms have built-in closets as you see in the photo. Master with ensuite bath. Supermaxi Plaza one block away from this apartment.

Santa Isabel, Azuay Ecuador - 40 miles south of Cuenca!
Big Modern FURNISHED House with BIG Terreno in Santa Isabel. The house is 250M with 3 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. Totally Furnished with unique pieces of furniture. Asking price is $500.  The property boasts 450M of green space for the pet(s). Santa isabel is a bit warmer than Cuenca and is located about 60Kilometers from Cuenca, which is about 40 miles south of Cuenca. 

We're finding some great deals today! Interested in these rentals? Let us know; they are available now. We scout and negotiate, working to find you the best rental deals in Ecuador. 

Take a look at our Assistance Packages and choose the one that fits your needs; and we'll provide the priceless protection for your smooth transition abroad from Gringo Good Samaritans. http://www.gringogoodsamaritans.com

20 Fun Things to Do and See in Cuenca Ecuador - This is Chapter 25 from the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide

This chapter of the DIY Cuenca Ecuador Landing Guide is devoted to enjoying some of what Cuenca and the surrounding area has to offer. Cuenca is a great place to be if you enjoy sight-seeing, museums, hiking, walking, and the big outdoors...and the milder weather is great for doing all of those things. Click on the links to see the videos of our excursions to these places.
 

1. Paraiso Parque – Paradise Park is the biggest park in Cuenca; it has walking trails, several playgrounds, river walk, and paddle boat rides on the small lake. The park is located off of Avenida Paraiso. 
 

2. Walk Downtown or Uptown along the River – The walk starts on Tres de Noviembre on either end, from downtown or uptown; your starting point depends on where you’re already located. If downtown, start in the downtown area off of Calle Larga by the steps on Av. Tres de Noviembre. If you’re uptown, start off on Avenida de Las Americas on Tres de Noviembre. Enjoyable walk along the Tomebamba River at about 2-miles!  Most of it is paved with walking trail or sidewalk. It is a good way to see more areas of Cuenca. If you keep going you'll run into the Paraiso Park as both the Yanuncay and the Tomebamba converge into this huge, wonderful park.




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3. Mall Del Rio Yanuncay River Walk – This is another wonderful 2-mile walk along the river, starting from Avenida de las Americas, along Av. Primero de Mayo and ending at Mall Del Rio where you can then check out the many restaurants in the food court for lunch. Bring your map, not sure which street we finally cut off onto and then walked two more blocks to the mall.  This walk continues all the way to Paraiso Parque if you are up to it!
 

4. Tutto Freddo’s Ice cream – Ecuador has some of the best tasting ice cream we have ever eaten!  Tutto Freddo’s has continental desserts at Ecuadorian prices.  
 

5. Caja National Parque – This huge park is outside of Cuenca about 45 minutes. We have recently taken the very strenuous hike up into the mountains from this park.  There is a lake, camping, hiking, walking, beautiful scenery, restaurants nearby, etc; there is a wooden walkway going around the whole lake area. Taking the Alto Pista through San Joaquin gets you there; watch for the signs.



6. Banos Mineral Springs and Spa – On the outskirts of Cuenca, about a 15 minute bus ride from Coral Centro that's located on Las Americas, is a quaint little town called Banos. Banos is right below a mountain where natural warm mineral water flows into the valley. They say that natural mineral spring water is very good for your health and bathing in these natural pools are good for joint pain, arthritis, and other physical ailments.



7. Day Trip to Chordeleg – Chordeleg is a quaint, clean, neat little town about 45 minutes outside of Cuenca. There is a good Cuenca bus system that takes you there for about $0.65 cents. What I liked most about Chordeleg…it was about 5 degrees warmer than Cuenca and it was sunny the whole day! There are a lot of silver shops in Chordeleg where they make a lot of their own silver craft items called “pedigree” silver and there are some artisan’s shops as well.
 

8. Tour of 180 Year Old Ecuadorian Casa – All I can say is this tour was amazing! You will definitely enjoy this tour if you like old things and history. And, its only $1 per person. Simply exquisite. 




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9. "Traditional” Festival – We believe that to experience Ecuador at its fullest you must try out new things, such as go to one of the many traditional festivals and see and hear all of the traditional music, dances, costumes, and foods of Ecuador.  



10. Cuenca Carnival – Children love rides and cotton candy. Carnivals are fun for the whole family.  It was fun to walk around and see all the booths displaying their crafts and arts, trying out an Ecuadorian coconut milk drink and watching other people ride on the rides! Located off of Avenida Las Americas and Mexico Calle. The carnival comes to Cuenca in the month of November and this year (2015) it was there in April, but I don't recall seeing it there before in April. Uh?
 

11. Celebrate Carnaval – “Canaval” is totally different than “Carnival”.  Carnaval is celebrated in Cuenca with water balloons, squirt guns, and buckets of water…It’s during the month of February, but mostly on the days of the 18th through the 21st. Everyone does it, even the older Ecuadorians. Frank got bombed with water balloons by an elderly Ecuadorian woman. No one is immune, not even expats! Be prepared and have your balloons ready to throw at people for self defense! We mean it—its serious business here in Ecuador; it’s water war!
 

12. Try a Humita – Tasting a humita for the first time is fun in the sense that it is something new. It leaves a strange, but not bad flavor in your mouth. You’re not sure if you’re eating something sweet or not. Humitas, a traditional and very old timey food has been around since the first Ecuadorian civilization. Ya gotta try it, at least once, and well, if you like it, you can always have it again, and if you don’t like it, well, at least you can say you tried it. 
 

13. Cuenca City Tour – this tour is four hours and takes you all over the city of Cuenca. During the tour you’ll learn about the culture, history and architecture of Ecuador. It makes several stops at highlight areas such as the Inca ruins and the Old and New Cathedrals, and Flowers Park. Price is $20 per person for the full tour or $5.00 for half tours.
 

14. Casa de la Mujer – this craft casa has over 100 crafts stalls and makes for several hours of great shopping. So, if you like to shop this is the place to go. Products include knit sweaters from Otavalo, traditional Andean musical instruments, Panama hats, jewelry, ceramics and weavings. Located on General Torres 7-33 and Presidente Cordova.
 

15. Feria Libre Mercado - This market is now called El Arenal – When we first stepped foot in this huge market we couldn’t believe our eyes. The abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables is amazing! This is a must visit Mercado, which doesn’t even come close to any of the other Mercados in size.  Wednesdays are the busiest because on this day they also have many more stalls with vendors selling their crafts, clothing, toys, linens, and house wares. Located off of Avenida las Americas and Remigio Crespo.  But remember, only take the smallest bills, $5 and one dollar coins.  Please read our safety guidelines for entering this Mercado.
 

16. Free Cuenca Symphony – There is always something going on at the concert hall in old town Cuenca; whether it’s a musical, band, orchestra or symphony and they are all FREE concerts. Be sure to get there at least 45-minutes early or you might not get a seat. The free concerts get packed quickly. Many of the Ecuadorians dress in their formals to these concerts. You can watch the video here.
 

17. Plaza Rotary Artisans Market - Plaza rotary is located on one square block in downtown Cuenca, not too far from the hostels on Calle Larga. It’s on Mariscal Lamar & Hermano Miguel. Here you will find all kinds of custom made arts and crafts from the local people of Cuenca. There are beautifully designed rugs, pottery, beaded jewelry, furniture, leather goods, and more. 
 




18. San Francisco Market – This market also has local artisan’s crafts such as handmade scarves, hats, sweaters, blankets made from llama, etc. This market is located one block west and one block south of the Main Cathedral in El Centro.  A gringo had her iPad snatched here during the daylight hours. Don’t bring your valuable electronics.
 

19. Giron (El Chorro Falls) – Giron is about 50 minutes from Cuenca; you can take a bus to Giron and then flag down a taxi to take you up the mountain to the falls. It is gorgeous there.  Watch the Video
 

20. Cuenca (big) Zoo - The Cuenca zoo is about 5 miles north on the PanAm (autopisto) Highway from El Centro. Most taxis should know how to get to the Cuenca zoo. It is a lovely zoo with lots of neat animals, however, the zoo is a continual walk up the hillside; we just want to let people know this ahead of time. If you have trouble walking or climbing stairs this zoo might not be for you. If that's the case, you can view the zoo in both of our videos right here.
 

We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the Discover Cuenca Ecuador blog!

About the '10 Best Places to Retire in the World'

Here's an article we found recently that sort of resonated with us because it goes outside the usual paradise (retire abroad) commercials. Let us know what you think?



Note: the link in the article is no longer active on the original article, however we all pretty much know the countries that are on the list of "10 best places to retire in the world", give or take a country every couple of years. Also, Discover Cuenca Ecuador writers did NOT write this article, we are merely reposting it from another blog. "Please see the source".



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Source: imup2.com  First Published Feb 3, 2014

 They obviously haven’t been to any of these places recently. After extensive travel over the past two years, much of which to these locations to check out the affordability, I am finding that my home in Florida is cheaper and better.  I guess this depends on the quality of life and lifestyle you can afford.  For me, a young retiree on a fixed income trying to make it stretch, I can not see the value in many of the places on the list.  The target budget in these articles always seems to be about $1000 per month or just about the average Social Security retirement amount.  I make a little more than that but still do not see how these places could work.


Fist, and most important, let me address safety.  Over the past few years Central and South America have become increasingly more dangerous.  I’m not sure if it is because the drug trade or poverty but violent crimes have been on the rise.  I just returned from a month long trip to Roatan Honduras and many places in Ecuador on 1/24/2014 so this info is pretty recent. 



In Roatan I considered taking a ferry to the mainland and busing to the capital city of Tegucigalpa.  While researching the route, I was advised by all of the many people not to attempt this.  They explained that the route was not safe.  This was an eye-opener to me since I have driven and taken buses throughout many countries in Central America.  I took their advice and flew to Miami to catch a flight to Quito Ecuador.  After later research, I found that San Pedro Sula Honduras is THE #1 most dangerous city in the world!  Ecuador was not safe either.  On my first day in the country, my tablet was pick pocketed getting off the train at rush hour.

Noticing signs like these in the historic district in Quito were not comforting either.  I understand that Quito is a big city and with any big city there is crime but it seems to be everywhere.  Visits to Guayaquil and Esmeralda were cut from the itinerary due to advice and safety concerns.  Every Western person I talked to had negative personal experiences to share.  I met another retiree who, like me was exploring the list.  He had been to many of the places too and shared his knowledge of the theft, robberies, rapes and murders he was informed about by other ex-pats in all of the Latin American countries.  



Even the luxury retirement areas are not sheltered from the problems.  I visited the island of Boca De Briceno just south of Canoa Ecuador.  This place is connected to the mainland by a long bridge and has many high-rise condos for the affluent.  While there, I noticed a local restaurant with many Western patrons.  I talked to the 8 people at one table and found it astonishing that each had been robbed.  One man had his Harley stolen from underneath him while he was at a light.  Another, was duct taped to his bed while he was sleeping and robbed at knifepoint.  He was not an easy target either.  His house was a compound with 10 foot walls, dogs and security cameras.  The robbers poisoned the dogs, cut the power and scaled the walls to rob him.  Another lady had lived in Ecuador her whole life and shared a story where her family were victims of an armed invasion on a rural farm North of Quito.  The police seem to be either part of the problem or not willing to be part of the solution.  No one dares file a report for fear of future retaliation.  These problems are not isolated to Ecuador.  The entire Latin American region is experiencing the same.

Next, I will share my experience on prices.  I live in Central Florida so I often compare goods and services to what I would expect to pay there.  I am not affluent nor do I travel that way so all of my examples are on the low-budget side.  Meals seem to cost about the same in many of these countries.  Grocery stores may have better prices on fruit but meat costs more and rice and beans are cheap everywhere.  Lodging can be found for as low as $200 per month in many Latin countries but a room rental with all utilities included in Florida can be found for $400 per month.  



There is no comparison to the quality of US homes vs. the rest of the world when it comes to building standards and utility service so I think the numbers are a bit misleading.  To find anything close to what most people are accustomed to I think the budget would have to be much more than $200.  Building costs are not cheaper either.  I met a person who was building a new home in Ecuador and he had spent $75k already and was only about 1/2 finished with construction.  The same or better home could be bought or built in Florida with $150k budget.  I do not have personal experience with utility costs around the world but understand that electric is very expensive.  Many of these countries do not have air conditioning for this reason.  If you do find a place with ac, I understand that running it will cost you quite a bit.

Last, these are third-world countries.  They do not have the infrastructure of the first-world but are all trying to keep up with prices.  I think the Internet is mostly to blame.  Everyone can see what a burger costs anywhere around the world and no one wants to sell it for less.  For the moment, Asia seems to provide the best deal.  I visited Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia for 7 weeks from August – September of 2013 and enjoyed the trip.  The prices and people seemed good then but a reporter was just shot in Thailand the other day during their protests.  During that trip, there were border conflicts between Cambodia and Vietnam too.  



Third-world countries will always have volatility.  Their government corruption and wage inequality will always create friction between locals and ex-pats.  I was told once by a couple who owned property in Costa Rica that the best way to become a millionaire there was to bring two million.  They had experienced the government laws that were created to tax them and erode their home value.  Even the best countries today might be the hot-spots and war-zones of tomorrow.

In summary, I would advise anyone looking at this list to visit but never buy in these countries.  I too was looking for a cheaper alternative for retirement and have been chasing this list.  The more I see and experience third-world countries around the world, the more I appreciate the value of the US.  I will still travel the world in search of these bargain countries and keep you posted.  However, I have no plans to sell my home in Florida.



Source: imup2.com  First Published Feb 3, 2014

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We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the Discover Cuenca Ecuador blog!