I guess I haven’t been too literate lately, which is why, up until now, I haven’t made it into Mark’s used books store. I’ve been sitting on Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace for a while. A pretty thick read at over 1000 pages, it’s been used more as a yoga prop than as reading material . I think it is for my Iphone that I haven’t bothered with real books. Now you can download onto your widget-phone and carry them conveniently around with you, electronically flipping the pages while listening to mp3s in between replying to your sms’s. But bookstores continue to occupy an important place on our google maps. It’s the same reason why record shops Read more
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
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
Dixie Davie, an Australian from Perth, and her husband have been in Cuenca for two years now – and loving every minute of it. Her site is Retire – in – Ecuador.
The Gringo and company had an opportunity to join her on her tour this past week – it was a very well spent $75. We learned a lot – both the positive and the negative about moving to Cuenca. It was mostly positive.
From her site, here is her description of her tour:
This tour is designed to show you a little of what it is like to live here and to find out where the best neighborhoods are, and where to do your grocery and other Read more
The Ecuador Gringo is a fan of Happy Gringo Travel, and that’s not just because I’m a happy gringo too. Happy Gringo is dedicated to planning the perfect trip to fit your needs, and they are genuinely happy to do it.
Tours include trips to the Galapagos, into the jungle and the cloudforest, as well as a whole host of day trips. The trips highlight Ecuador and provide tourists with glimpses into the everyday life of Ecuadorians. Tours are designed to have a more real-to-life flair than your traditional mainstream tours, which make them a favorite among travelers who want to experience the real Ecuador, but can’t make the travel plans on their own.
A little water never hurt anyone, right? In fact, if you are looking to destress you may want to try finding ‘salutem per aqua’ which is Latin for ‘health through water’ but more commonly called a SPA.
Ecuador is home to several active volcanos, with make for excellent thermal waters spouting naturally from hot springs, that are high in temperature and rich in minerals. These thermal waters have been channeled by a number of SPAs across the country, compounding their health benefits with other relaxation services.
The Termas de Papallacta are located just about an hour outside of Quito and the Ecuadorian Medical Federation has actually certified these thermal waters as having medicinal properties. Health benefits are guaranteed Read more
La Parrilla del Nato is known for its massive steaks, and the restaurant really does the them right. There are a total of 7 locations in Ecuador, 4 of which are in Guayaquil. The oldest location, which is on Victor Emilio Estrada in Urdesa Central, is hailed as being one of the best of the seven.
The main dining area is fairly large, but there are a lot of little more private dining spaces. The upstairs level is air conditioned, and the grills are downstairs, so the main level is always hotter than the upper one. The hot spot for seating is in the back of the restaurant, on the street level. It is a nice quiet space right near Read more
So when you are through with the black market, La Bahia, and you want to buy some of the finest crafts available in Ecuador, head to the Guayaquil Artisan’s building, located at Baquerizo Moreno, between Loja and Juan Montalvo streets.
The building, which was given over to the artisan’s community by President Leon Febres Cordero, is home to over 260 exhibitions and sale booths that are attended to by the very artists themselves. The Chamber of Tourism supports the building, providing private guards, communication systems, and even music! It is clear they know what the majority of tourists wants when it comes to the arts: a pleasant buying experience with safety and lots of options!
Crazy shopping in Guayaquil can be found in the massive Bahia market. This market, which spans indoor and outdoor shops, is located at the south end of the Malecon. While it is not the safest place to be in Guayaquil, it is home to everything you could ever want or need, from jewelry, to high heeled shoes, a camera, a pair of jeans, and a pirated copy of every movie you could ever want.
Bahia is not designed to be an artisan craft market, so don’t expect to find those kinds of creations here, but you can find pretty much everything else. It is kind of like the Chinatown of Guayaquil. Keep your eye out for fakes at this black Read more
On a hot day of wandering around Guayaquil, my favorite place to stop is Frutabar, which is a small cafe style restaurant with a light menu and tons of fresh juices. Of all the places I have been in Guayaquil, Frutabar has the widest selection by far when it comes to the number of fruit juices to choose from. You can also mix and match… the combinations are endless.
The menu features a number of light sandwiches, my favorite being the Hawaii Sandwich (Sanduche Hawayano) with chicken, pineapple and a delicious light dressing. Entrees cost $3–6.
If you are getting a sandwich then get a juice, but if you are just coming in here for an ice cold drink get Read more
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