Our plans, decisions, and adventures
At first, finding food can seem a bit challenging in San Alejo. The nearest SuperMaxi (large grocery chain) is a 45-minute bus ride away, there are no mercados in town, and the small tiendas that are here are often not open. Despite the challenges, we have managed quite nicely here--mostly cooking for ourselves, eating out here... Continue Reading →
We arrived in San Alejo, late last Sunday afternoon, by bus from Guayaquil with a ticket to San Clemente ($8.50), as we were advised by our host. The San Clemente stop was an almost-deserted intersection. From there we had no instructions for getting to our accommodation for the next two weeks, The Cottages by the Sea.... Continue Reading →
We hadn't specifically planned to go to the Galapagos Islands during this sojourn. We knew it would be much cheaper if we ever became Ecuador residents, and we were also planning to visit Isla de la Plata (Silver Island), aka the "poor man's Galapagos." On the other hand, here we were in Ecuador, for what... Continue Reading →
Today was our last day in Cuenca. We said goodbye to a very comfortable AirBnB suite, grabbed a cab (caught one of the taxi drivers as he finished eating breakfast from the red pick-up truck that parks across the street every day and serves up breakfast), and headed for the Terminal Terrestre (bus terminal). Cab ride:... Continue Reading →
We walked a couple of blocks to the bus stop to catch either the #12 or #100 for the roughly 9km, 30-minute ride to Baños, a village southwest of Cuenca known for its hot springs. We caught the #12 (25 cents each), which we knew followed a much less direct route, but it was fun... Continue Reading →
We walked the 3km to Museo Pumapungo today. A fixture on top-things-to-see-in-Cuenca lists, Pumapungo comprises a modern museum, Incan archeological ruins, and a botanical garden/aviary. Entry is free and they are open Tuesday to Sunday, but check hours before you go. The big drawing card at the museum (at least the one mentioned in all articles... Continue Reading →
We're spending a lot of time walking around the city of Cuenca. Yesterday was a pretty typical day, and an especially enjoyable one. Our first stop was to drop off laundry at the laundry service recommended by our AirBnB host, Travis (Lavanderia Los Angeles, yellow building at the corner of Gaspar Sangurima and Estéves de Toral). The... Continue Reading →
As we pack up from our first month of Life: Phase Next, a month spent in a condo in Quito, Ecuador, we look back fondly--or, in some cases, not so fondly--on some aspects of this city. Geography Quito is a long, narrow city in a valley. We could walk a fair distance on relatively flat ground, but... Continue Reading →
Parque la Carolina is a large green space in the center of Quito, roughly 1.5km long and 500m wide. It is a landmark, often used to describe locations (e.g., three blocks west of Carolina). Surrounded by tall buildings, and major roadways that are frequently congested with diesel-smoke-spewing buses, it provides a relatively fresh and peaceful respite from the... Continue Reading →
Quito is a long and narrow city, flowing like a river down the valley and splashing up the mountains that surround it. The TelefériQo, a tourist attraction built in 2005, is a wonderful way to get up high and view the city and surroundings. Quito's altitude is 9,350 feet (the highest official capital city in the world). The... Continue Reading →
Just left: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Now: Halfmoon Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Up next: Vancouver area British Columbia, Canada
Life: Phase Next 