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July 31st, 2010 | Ecuador - Best Shopping, Ecuador - Relocation, Ecuador - Travel Tips | 5 Comments »

Shopping in Ecuador is an expensive experience. For the recent arrival seeking to set up shop in Ecuador, you might find yourself in need of the creature comforts you would have enjoyed at home. Correa’s government has levied a whole heap of expensive import duties on many luxury items.

For anyone wanting to expatriate themselves and retire here, the costs can be daunting if you want to start from scratch.

Looking at some popular consumer goods here and in the USA one sees a massive disparity. A new Sony Bravia KDL 40” LCD television in the US goes for about $750 on nextag.com while the same price on compraecuador.com goes for about $1400!! almost 200% more. Read more

Bringing Your Pets to Ecuador

July 26th, 2010 | Ecuador - Relocation, Ecuador - Travel Tips | No Comments »

Domenick Buonamici from EcuadorRealEstate.org had this to say in a recent post about bringing your pet into Ecuador:

For those of us without kids, our pets are our kids. I know, I get it. Leaving one behind would be tragic.

So how can you smoothly bring one down with you to live in Ecuador?

It is actually far easier than you think.

First, you need to get the pet inspected and certified for good health with a vet in the US, then have that certification registered in the Ecuadorian Embassy in your country.

Then, you simply bring it down with you on your plane (it will most likely have to travel below the plane).

Upon arrival, the pet will Read more

Survive South America—Study Spanish in Cuenca and the Galapagos

July 21st, 2010 | Ecuador - Business, Ecuador - Culture, Ecuador - Family Friendly, Ecuador - Gringo Favorite, Ecuador - Places to Stay, Ecuador - Travel Tips, Uncategorized | 7 Comments »

Travel in South America can be exciting frustrating all at the same time. There are amazing sites to see here in Ecuador: Galapagos islands, Cuencan colonial colossuses, snow-capped Cotopaxi. But unless you go on organized tours, you’re gonna have to know a little Spanish to get around. And if you plan on settling here in Ecuador, you better know a lot more than a little Spanish to survive the day-to-day living. Even a trip to the market for bread and butter will result in a lot of pointing and frantic hand gestures if you don’t know the most elementary of Spanish. Compared to places like Asia, where education is held in high esteem and, thus, you can always Read more

Carnaval in Ecador–Tradition and fun under the equatorial Sun

July 13th, 2010 | Ecuador - Adventure, Ecuador - Best Shopping, Ecuador - Culture, Ecuador - Family Friendly, Ecuador - Must See or Do | 3 Comments »

Anyone finding themselves in South America during the month of February should plan on taking in the excesses of the Carnaval season. And what better place to abandon oneself–It is the midst of Summer down here. Hot weather and hot blooded locals stoke a bonfire of a party in these southern climes. Carnaval marks the final festivity of excess before passing into the Lenten season. The word Carnaval stems from the Latin “Carn-aval” which translates: to avail from meat. Catholics are meant to get all the piss and vigor out of them before the 40 days of abstinence of the Lenten season where they remember the crucifixion of Christ by refraining from pleasures of the flesh and flesh Read more

An Alpine Idyl in the hills outside of Otavalo

July 6th, 2010 | Ecuador - Family Friendly, Ecuador - Gringo Favorite, Ecuador - Must See or Do, Ecuador - Places to Stay | No Comments »

I have never been much of an active-adventure traveler. I don’t feel the need to wear myself thin everyday having to take in every market stall, temple, mountain and lake to feel that I’ve made the most of my time on this planet and die a happy man without regrets. I am a surfer and have spent many of the last years seeking out waves in place widespread and exotic from Morocco to Mexico, Indonesia to Ipanema, San Diego to Sri Lanka. And when I arrive I usually plunk my bags down for months at a time and only concern myself with the patch 200m in front of my face. I have been accused of sloth, and while Read more