Wow, I can’t believe it’s been over a month already since I last updated. I am currently in Cuenca, Ecuador as I write this, and have been here for the past two weeks.
We decided to move away from Canoa; the major reason being the lack of reliable Internet. There were several times where the entire town of Canoa lost electricity for hours for no apparent reason. During these times, no one seemed to be the least bit affected as they continued about their normal lives knowing that the electricity would come back…eventually.
My online business has been growing more quickly than anticipated and the random electricity outages were putting quite a damper on it. In our three weeks on the coast, we learned that the coast of a third world country in a town of 600 people might not be the best place for me to work on my business.
So, here we are in Cuenca, the third largest city in Ecuador and one of the cheapest cities in the world. If you google Cuenca, you will come across a ton of websites with advice on how to retire here. There are tons of over-65 year old ex-pats roaming the city (and tons of businesses that cater directly to them!)
Just to put things in perspective a bit: we are living in a 1 BR apartment in the center of the city, within walking distance from everything we could possibly need for $350 a month ($175 each).
A typical lunch or “almuerzo” costs about $2 and consists of a small appetizer (typically a bowl of popcorn or roasted maize kernels), a hearty soup, a meal of rice and meat, fruit juice (my favorite!) and sometimes a small dessert. Dinner is not much more expensive. At the market I can buy 18 bananas for $1 (I have become obsessed with plantains), or 4 mangos or avocados for the same price. And did I mention that the market is right across the street? Dan and I have even joined a Cross-fit gym for $35 a month (the same gym would cost $200 a month in the US!)
Luckily, Ecuador uses the US dollar, but nobody ever seems to have change for anything larger than a $10. It’s almost impossible to buy something with a $20 bill that costs less than $18.
The bus costs 25 cents, so collecting change has become a hobby of ours. However, I have noticed that it is common for passengers to pay with 50 cent coins and then stand in the front of the bus awaiting the next passenger who will give their 25 cent coin directly to them. Quite a system.
Luckily, Ecuador uses the US dollar, but nobody ever seems to have change for anything larger than a $10. It’s almost impossible to buy something with a $20 bill that costs less than $18.The bus costs 25 cents, so collecting change has become a hobby of ours. However, I have noticed that it is common for passengers to pay with 50 cent coins and then stand in the front of the bus awaiting the next passenger who will give their 25 cent coin directly to them. Quite a system.
The weather here is the same every day: about 60-65 degrees in the morning, and 65-75 degrees at noon. We came during rainy season so it usually rains for about an hour from 3pm-4pm. Not the best weather for the wardrobe I packed (which consists of bathing suits and sundresses), but I’ve made due. Cuenca is a very colonial-esque town, with cobblestone streets and tons of cathedrals. Apparently there are 52 churches in Cuenca, one for each Sunday of the week. We happen to live directly across from the largest Cathedral in the city, which provides for gorgeous views and terrible 6am Sunday church bell alarm clocks. For some odd reason the church enjoys playing the Titanic theme song, and for some even odder reason, I can never seem to stop humming it.
The city is surrounded on all sides by mountains, which make hiking pretty convenient. El Cajas National Park, a national park in the highlands full of mountains, lagoons and hovering clouds is just 40 minutes away by bus.
Other things I’ve learned:
In Ecuador the soap used as laundry detergent and the soap used for bathing look almost identical. Yep, we’ve been washing ourselves with laundry detergent...
