Quito

I used to hate Quito. When we first visited four years ago it just seemed like another big. dirty, unsafe city. The drive from the airport into downtown went through a seedy area. The historic area was filled with unsavory characters during the day, which gave little incentive to venture out at night. Little kids would rush up to you with shoeshine kits--when you were wearing tennis shoes you wondered if they were a distraction for pickpockets.

All that has changed. The mayor has done an outstanding job of cleaning up downtown, ridding the area of riffraff, installing lighting, closing streets to vehicles and encouraging pedestrian traffic, and keeping graffiti under control. The transformation has been nothing short of astounding.

Plus we had the pleasure of meeting Daphna Amit, a fellow speaker at International Living's conference last August. She and her husband Rami offered to show us around their neighborhood, which was a short walk from the hotel, before we returned to Cuenca. Our afternoon together proved to be a revelation.

We strolled through beautiful streets with lovely homes, shops, and restaurants. We dined al fresco at a cute pizza restaurant. They took us to their 10th floor apartment in an area called Gonzalez Suarez that, sitting high atop a hill overlooking the city, affords magnificent views. As we later boarded our plane Cynthia and I could only say to each other, "Who knew?"

So we were excited when Daphna graciously offered her spare bedroom to us after the most recent conference for a couple of nights before we visited an ecolodge in a cloud forest several hours away (Part 3 of this series). She told us that she was going to take a city tour on Monday with Ecuador Expat Journeys, a company owned by IL speaker Sarah Dettman, and that since we were her guests we'd been invited to tag along.

This wasn't to be a typical city tour focusing on sights and attractions. Since our fellow travelers were attendees of the conference our day would be geared toward seeing different areas of Quito as potential places to live.

Around 40 of us boarded a bus that morning and headed out.



We were fortunate that because Carnaval was in full swing the streets were virtually deserted. Carnaval is the biggest travel weekend in Ecuador all year, and many people leave town and head to the coast or other getaways.

Our bus wound through the city, beginning in Daphna's nearby haunts then climbing to El Panecillo (meaning "little bread loaf" because of its shape), a hill that dominates the southern skyline. This is the home of the Virgin of Quito, a large statue that watches over and protects the city.



The views of Quito from this vantage point are quite impressive.



Next we reentered the city and explored other in town neighborhoods with large parks, malls, and modern architecture quite unlike what we see in Cuenca.





We made the obligatory stop at a mercado downtown and I was thinking, "Oh, boy, another mercado," but even this was a surprise. The building was well-lit and spotlessly clean,



and I was impressed that all the meat and seafood was refrigerated and behind glass, a far cry from our local markets.



Many Quito residents live in "the valleys," a sprawling area south of the city. We drove through Cumbaya, an upscale community that resembles suburbia in the States--gated communities with large homes, strip malls, chain restaurants. For status-seeking Ecuadorians such a lifestyle is a dream come true, but this is the very existence we gladly left behind and have no desire to revisit.

The road we traveled will be the main connection between Quito and the new international airport that opens today until the "real" roads are completed. You might ask, "Why in the world would they open a new airport when the roads aren't finished?" This question would be a dead giveaway that you don't actually live in Ecuador.

The official projections are that the trip between the airport and downtown will take an hour and a half. Given that the existing road is already the main thoroughfare for all the outlying residents commuting into and out of the city, and that "Ecuador time" is often, well, different, I'd suggest this timing is probably overly optimistic, especially during rush hour. We plan to avoid the new airport like the plague for the next year or so unless we can make direct connections without an overnight stay.

Our excursion finished in Sarah's outlying community, where we enjoyed a delicious almuerzo together



before returning to the city. It seemed like we were in the middle of nowhere, but because of the lack of traffic we got back amazingly fast.

Thanks so much to Daphna for putting up with us for two days, and to Sarah for showing us her hometown "up close and personal." Quito certainly deserves a serious look from potential expats seeking big city amenities and cultural activities.

International Living Conference

The last week or so has been incredibly busy for us--so much so that a series of three blogs will be needed to give all that has happened proper description. So here we go-----.

Cynthia and I were honored to be asked to speak again at International Living's Fast Track conference in Quito that took place February 7-9. Over 420 attendees came from all over the US and Canada to learn the in's and out's of relocating to Ecuador. Twenty five speakers shared information about immigration procedures, health care, shipping a container, learning Spanish, starting a business, purchasing or renting property, and of course, in depth presentations of the most interesting areas of the country to live.

Our role was expanded this year to give an overview of Cuenca as well as tell our story about how we came to live there. We took the audience through a day in the city from the time they get off the airplane, showing them hotels they might choose and food they would eat. Then we took them on a "walking tour" of the historic district and New Town, pointed out interesting day trips in the surrounding countryside, and provided some current properties for sale and rent.

Then we related the circumstances that precipitated our move abroad, how we chose Cuenca, and what happened during and after our arrival. It was our goal to provide both "information and inspiration," and our talk seemed to be well-received.

In addition to this full slate of speakers, an exhibition hall was filled with businesses assisting all the guests with their relocation requirements. We manned a table in this area to answer questions about Cuenca during coffee breaks. The evenings offered great networking possibilities with cocktail parties and special dinners. I believe the 3 day program was greatly appreciated and extremely helpful to every participant.

During our presentation I asked for a show of hands of how many people were particularly interested in Cuenca. I was amazed that it seemed almost every hand went up. I told everyone to keep their hands up and look around to see who their future neighbors might be.

If this level of interest was indicative of how many folks all over North America are seriously considering our city for their future homes, Cuenca is going to look quite different several years from now.

A Day in the Life

One of the things many friends and relatives wonder about us expats is, "What do you do all day?" We reside in a faraway foreign country, and it's hard for people back home to put themselves in the picture of what our daily life is like.

One might envision exotic experiences and amazing adventures. Hate to burst your bubble, but our lives aren't all that remarkable. Let me share with you what the world of Edd and Cynthia looks like.

Cynthia goes to yoga practice on Monday and Wednesday mornings: I go to the gym Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings. That's it regarding our weekly "schedule." It seems like we talked about having more structure in our lives a couple of years ago but couldn't really see the point.

Most mornings for me when I'm not at the gym involve writing of some kind. That's when I'm most alert and energetic. The rest of the day and evening are put for grabs.

Afternoons are when we often meet friends for lunch or take care of errands. More and more, evenings are spent at home with meals we prepare (always from scratch--there are very few processed foods here). We go to bed and get up when we feel like it, but generally we're asleep before midnight and up by eight.

Even though we've scaled back our social calendar from the early days we still seem to "go out" three or four times a week. That's still a dramatic increase from the 3-4 times a year in the States. This week Cynthia met a friend for lunch yesterday. I met a friend for lunch today. We're going to dinner with a couple tomorrow night, to the symphony Friday night, and attending a birthday party Saturday night. Oops, that's five things and three evenings--maybe a bad example.

My day today was as "typical" as any, so I'll quickly describe it. I wrote for International Living early, then, noticing what a gorgeous day it was, laid in the sun for awhile. It's summer here and today we enjoyed exceptional weather.

After showering I walked into town and met my friend for lunch. Two hours later (we take our time here) I walked to a leather store for measurements. You see, I fell in love with an awesome jacket in a store at the Miami airport last month but the price of $1095 was WAY outside this retiree's budget. I'm getting it custom made here for $120. Holla!

I then walked to the grocery store, picked up a few items and carried them home. After recovering from all that walking I'm now back upstairs at the computer.

We'll be eating our New Year's day meal of blackeyed peas and cabbage shortly (Hey, it's Ecuador--so what if we're two weeks late----!). Then after cleaning up the kitchen we'll probably read for awhile and hit the sack.

Exotic? Amazing? I don't think so.

But you know what? It's our life, and we love it!

The Bombs Bursting in Air----

As we exited the Guayaquil airport the smell of what seemed like burned gunpowder hit our nostrils. Loud explosions were going off all around. Although it was late at night, riding in our van to the hotel Cynthia and I observed that the streets were filled with people. And everywhere we looked the darkness was illuminated by burning fires. Our driver had to divert his route to avoid several of them.

What was happening? A riot? A revolution?

We laughed as we listened to loud salsa music on the radio and watched a panorama of fireworks across the harbor. It was New Year’s Eve in Ecuador and we had by chance emerged from the airport at the stroke of midnight.

Talk about an exciting welcome home!

Seeing fireworks was certainly not a novel experience. In the US such displays are only enjoyed on New Year’s and the Fourth of July. From our windows in Cuenca there is hardly a week that goes by that we don’t observe fireworks in the night sky somewhere in the city. Another holiday we don’t know about? Perhaps a wedding celebration? We’re never sure.

And those fires? Effigy burning is a major part of celebrating New Year’s here. The idea is that the effigy contains all the bad things from the year just passed, and burning it ensures that they won’t happen again.

You see effigies for sale throughout the cities of Ecuador for days prior to the big night. They are filled with sawdust and newspaper plus a few small fireworks. It is important that they burn completely or the negative mojo will continue to plague you in the coming year.

Many Ecuadorians jump back and forth over the burning effigies 12 times for luck. Others hope to increase their luck by throwing coins (for wealth) or rice (for plenty of food) into the fire.

In addition to anonymous effigies you may see the likenesses of political figures, Homer Simpson, or the Smurfs. And some of them are surprisingly well-dressed. One of my fashion-conscious friends bought one last year that had on a snappier outfit than what I was wearing.

I was like, “You’re burning that shirt?? What size is it?”

I relish many things about living in Ecuador. One of them is the unabashed love of life here, and the energy put into New Year’s Eve festivities is a great example. Ecuadorians’ enthusiasm for their many holidays and festivals is a reminder to loosen up, have fun, and be active participants in our lives.

What did you do on New Year’s Eve? Attend an over-priced event at a restaurant or club? Watch “The Ball” drop on TV? Go to bed early?

Sounds like you need more fireworks in your life. Maybe next New Year’s Eve we can jump over your burning Papa Smurf together here in Ecuador.

No, get Homer Simpson instead. The Smurfs didn’t wear shirts.

Please Accept My Apologies

Cynthia and I went to a party recently. We knew a few people there but had never seen, much less met, most of the guests. This isn’t unusual anymore. So many new folks have moved to Cuenca since our arrival over 2 ½ years ago that we just can’t keep up.

Upon introduction several people who are new to the city realized I am Edd of “eddsaid” and shared how much they enjoyed my writing. One even said she had gone back and read every single post I had written.

While such compliments were humbling and deeply appreciated I was also a bit embarrassed because lately I haven’t blogged much. This hasn’t happened due to lack of desire. The truth is I’ve been frustrated that it hasn’t seemed like there’s been anything interesting to write about.

When we hit town one comical episode followed another as we tried to adjust to being strangers in a strange land. After as long as we’ve now been here, you either have sort of figured things out or you’ve gone back home.

So what to write? I bought groceries at the Supermaxi and we watched a movie? I went to the gym and ran some errands? Sometimes our days are no more interesting than that, and I just can’t bring myself to chronicle such mundane “events.”

But reflecting on the comments at the party I realized something. While I’m no longer like a character in a sitcom or reality show, I now have a perspective to share with readers of what expat life looks like after several years.

The initial buzz of energy that accompanies showing up in a foreign country makes for exciting writing, and readers enjoy vicariously stumbling and bumbling along. Expatriation, however, is truly more of a marathon than a sprint. Deciding to move all the way to a place like Ecuador and leave your old world behind isn’t exactly a casual decision. Deep soul searching and extensive preparation precede taking your seat on the plane.

Life happens moment by moment and it’s easy to overlook how things change. When I think about it our physical surroundings are the same but so much is different. We came to Cuenca with no grandchildren; in a few weeks there will be three. The exotic travel we had planned is currently on hold with more trips back to the US to visit family.

We were social monsters for the first year; now our evenings usually end early after a meal prepared at home or a dinner with friends. I planned to retire; I’m currently a partner in a tour company, correspondent and speaker for International Living, and a freelance writer.

And Cuenca itself continues to evolve as well. As opposed to the continued doldrums in the US, this place is absolutely booming. New construction and important infrastructure improvements are evidenced everywhere. So too I observe a different attitude with many of the expats arriving now.

Gosh, there’s a lot more to write about than I realized. I apologize to faithful readers for my woeful lack of production on this blog, and thank you so much for hanging in there with me. I’m not really a New Year’s resolution kind of guy, but I promise to share with you the perspective I now have in 2013.

Something I Hadn't Anticipated

My last post presented what was hopefully some helpful information about navigating the Cajas mountains. And I mentioned that our own upcoming trip wasn't happening at the ideal time.

The good news is none of the factors about the phase of the moon or time of the year adversely affected our journey. But we were still an hour late arriving in Guayaquil.

Flat tire? Engine trouble? Avalanche?

Nope. The police.

As best I can understand, none of the van services are properly licensed for what they do. Why? Faithful readers know by now you don't ask that question in Ecuador because the answer doesn't really matter, but I'm guessing either a) they can't get the correct license or b) it's too expensive.

So they're licensed as tour companies although no actual "tour" occurs. Periodically the bus companies from whom business is being siphoned complain loudly enough that the police temporarily "crack down" and hassle the offenders. We learned they are sometimes stopping the vans en route and making the passengers get out, forcing the van companies to find alternate transportation like taxis to complete the trip.

Not exactly the desired scenario when you've got an international flight awaiting.

We had planned to leave Cuenca at 7 AM and arrive in Guayaquil around 10, allowing plenty of time for our 1 PM departure. After learning at the last minute of these police shenanigans we switched to 6 AM "just to be sure." Plus we figured the police might not be diligent enough to be out hassling illegal vans so early.

Since we rarely arise when it's still dark the 4 AM alarm was in fact alarming, but we got to the van service's office on time and boarded a totally full vehicle. The driver instructed if we got pulled over we were to say we were going to Guayaquil for a city tour.

As we hoped the drive through the Cajas was uneventful and we figured we were in the clear. Nope. Our driver got a call from his counterpart coming from the opposite direction that the cops had a roadblock set up ahead.

Immediately we were off on a side road through the countryside. The guy sitting next to me got on his phone, pulled up some app that plotted our course, and became the navigator. Cynthia and I were having a great time enjoying our impromptu "country tour." We had plenty of time and were fascinated to be in a portion of what I like to call the "real Ecuador" that we knew we'd never see again.

Somehow we eluded the cops and emerged on a highway that took us into Guayaquil from a different direction than usual. This too was a revelation. I knew there was a lot of money in this city, but the vans from Cuenca drive through miles of slums to get to the airport. You thus get the erroneous impression Guayaquil is a huge dump that you want no part of.

I still want no part of it as far as a permanent residence because it's quite hot and humid, and traffic there is LA-like horrible. But we drove past gorgeously landscaped gated neighborhood after neighborhood with huge attractive homes. Beautiful malls. The Guayaquil Tennis Club. Tony Roma's, Goodyear, Chili's.

Who knew?

Although an hour "late," we arrived at the airport when we had originally planned and checked in. Being 6'3", exit row is a blessing for me that rarely occurs in the States (plus the SOB's charge extra for the privilege of sitting there). Since Latin Americans are small they could care less about extra legroom and I always score.

Such was the case on our nonstop LAN flight, perhaps the best flight we've ever taken. We had a ton of room in our 2-seat area next to the window plus the plane wasn't full at all, so I was able to stretch out on the empty 3-seat row next to us for a couple of naps.

For airplane food our lunch was quite tasty and complimentary wine was liberally poured. The flight attendants were pleasant and there was a wide choice of entertainment options on individual screens. The 6 1/2 hours, pardon the pun, flew by and we felt refreshed when we landed in JFK that evening.

We're now in Hoboken with our daughter and enjoying our newest granddaughter for several more days before moving on to our son's home in North Carolina until the end of the year.

Sure hope the police have found someone else to hassle by the time we return to Ecuador.

Tips for Traveling through the Cajas

Many of us Cuenca residents have traveled through the Cajas mountains to and from Guayaquil, home to one of the two international airports in Ecuador. This 3 hour van ride (cost $12 per person) can offer spectacular views on a clear day that help you appreciate what a crazy-gorgeous country we live in.

But weather in the Cajas is highly unpredictable, and sometimes you get stuck in rain plus fog so thick you (and more importantly the driver) can barely see past the front of the vehicle. Rain or shine large rocks fall from the mountains onto the road, causing unexpected swerving when they suddenly appear right in the van's path. Also rain or shine your driver often seems intent on maintaining the same schedule, barreling into and blindly passing slower vehicles on the many sharp curves along the route.

We have made this journey so many times that we've gone from outright fear to the understanding that these guys drive this road every single day and really do know what they're doing. Still, many folks who have endured one harrowing ride vow to never repeat the experience, opting instead to take a $150 round trip flight between Cuenca and Guayaquil.

I've recently learned some valuable tips about the best and safest times to go through the Cajas from Juan Munoz, a lifelong Cuenca resident, good friend, and guide with TerraDiversa. I'd like to pass on to you the info he shared.

Time of the year

The period from December through May is known as the "rainy season" in Ecuador. This is somewhat of a misnomer since there are rarely extended periods of rain or drought, so the dry season of June through November really means "less wet." Still, Juan says that from now until June you are much more likely to encounter inclement weather going through the mountains.

Time of the month

We are all aware the phases of the moon affect tides (witness the damage from tide surge in New Jersey when the recent hurricane hit that area during a full moon). Who knew the moon also impacts the cloud cover in the Cajas? Juan advised me that during the period from a half moon to full moon the skies in the mountains are much more likely to be clear.

So the absolute best time to go through the Cajas is during the dry season when the moon is half full to full, and worst is in the wet season from a new moon to half full.

None of this information is foolproof, of course. But I can verify from a recent trip the validity of Juan's advice. In early July Cynthia and I were returning to Cuenca from Guayaquil on the very last van that leaves at 7 PM, and quite frankly we dreaded what was ahead. It's bad enough running into fog during the day. At night you're looking at the possibility of three hours of white-knuckle terror.

To our delight during the entire ride the sky was crystal clear with, yes, a full moon beaming down from above. The views of the mountains were absolutely magical.

We're heading back to the States this Thursday. I just checked the calendar. There's a new moon that night, and it's the beginning of the rainy season. Oof.

At least we'll be on the 7 AM van instead the 7 PM one. Fingers crossed.