On Tuesday, August 12 2014, an American expat couple experienced a home invasion, robbery and the wife was kidnapped and taken from Vilcabamba to Cuenca. It has been covered in both of Cuenca’s local papers: El Tiempo (Police catch alleged kidnapping gang) and El Mercurio (Investigating the kidnapping of an American woman). Earlier this afternoon, the…
In this post, you’ll learn about the 24 Ecuador provinces. We also include the population numbers, physical area, and provincial capitals. Plus an explanation of cantóns, parroquias in Ecuador. Ecuador has a lot of provinces – especially for its relatively small size. Map of Ecuador’s Provinces Ecuador has a total of 24 provinces with a land…
Sun protection is very important while traveling in Ecuador – especially in the Andes. And it is even more important if you are living in Ecuador. The atmosphere is thinner at higher elevations and allows more harmful UV rays to get through. This puts you at higher risk of burns and other skin problems. In this guide,…
Get the latest Ecuador news direct from one of Ecuador’s 32 daily newspapers. In this post, we share all the major daily newspapers in Ecuador. Every one of them is in Spanish. There are no English dailies in Ecuador. Get Local News from these Ecuador Newspapers This set of papers will give you local news…
There are a lot of nice little Ecuadorian towns in the province of Azuay. If you are staying in the city of Cuenca, they make a fun day trip. Or if you live in Cuenca, small towns like Gualaceo make for a great vacation spot. Gualaceo is a pretty little town near a river. It’s…
A great way to see Quito is from above. The TelefériQo (a combination of teleférico and Quito) runs up the foothills of Pichincha Volcano and offers a crazy view of Quito. 5 Fast Facts: Quito TelefériQo It is a gondola lift (also known as a cable car). Travels 2,237 linear meters in just 8 minutes Rises…
We were robbed. By two men with a gun and a knife in front of our house in Cuenca, Ecuador. And this post has taken me two years to write. The day after it happened I knew I would blog about it – I just didn’t realize it would take me so long. We’ve referred to it…
Curious about what type of cell phone will work in Ecuador? In this post, you’ll learn about the best type of cell phone, how to unlock, the best carriers, and plans to use in Ecuador. Cell phones are expensive in Ecuador. As a result, many expats and travelers bring a phone with them. Not only is it…
Birds are so interesting! There is something so captivating about them, their beautiful colors, songs, and not to mention their ability to fly. I mean who has never wished they could spread their arms out and just take off? Something I don’t often think about is what wonderful builders they are. They make their nests out…
Do you like spiders? Now we have some new photos – and a video – of the largest spider we’ve ever seen. This spider had a 4-inch footprint and its body was shaped like a crab shell. It didn’t have the typically extended abdomen like every other spider we’ve seen. Update: After closer examination of…