You Don't Have to Look Far to Find All Kinds of Bargains in Quito Ecuador!

The old town district of Quito has some of the best priced items on clothes and housewares we've seen in Quito. It is definitely worth exploring if you need clothing, shoes, housewares, appliances, and more!

          

Pase del Nino Christmas Eve Parade (December 2013) in Cuenca Ecuador!

This is the HUGE Pase Del Nino Christmas Parade going on today that we accidentally got caught up in last year. We thought we'd repost since it is that time of year again and everyone likes a good parade and this parade is probably the most lavish of all the parades in Ecuador. Some of the costumes are from the Nativity while others are traditional costumes of Ecuador.

               

Happy Holidays from Cuenca Ecuador - The Cheapest Retirement City in the World?

Supermaxi grocery of Cuenca Ecuador, 14 0Z can of cranberry sauce $3.46

Aldi grocery store North Carolina, 14 OZ can of cranberry sauce, whole berry even, $0.89 cents. Click on image to enlarge.

Two Guitar Players on the Malecon in Manta Beach Ecuador

We didn't invite them over to our table but they just began playing the guitar. This is why it's always a good idea to have some $1 coins in your pocket when living in Ecuador, as you never know...

                       

Small Town Ecuador Coast Shopping with Frugal Frank!

Let's Go Shopping! This video is a short commentary about a couple of food items that we use in the home regularly. Here on the beach, in some of the smaller coastal towns these items are REALLY expensive! 



We recommend shopping around to find the best prices... and for frugal shoppers like us, it does pay to buy the items you love in bulk when going to the major shopping centers in the bigger coastal towns; that is if you live in a small coastal town where some items are waaaay over-priced...or just hard to find. 

                     

Nice ONE LEVEL Home in Challaubamba Rented in 2-Hours for $450

Before we could even send the photos to someone this house rented! 



So let's take a look at the home that rented to foreigners for $450 within 2-hours of its ad placement. 



The main home has 3-bedrooms and 2.1/2 baths, LDK and patio all on one floor. Plus it has a huge paved parking area. Then there is 2 more bedrooms (apartment) and another bath in a daylight basement with its own yard.

 

 

 

Apartment in the daylight basement (BELOW)

Needing to Take a Bus in Cuenca? El Arenal and Terminal Terrestre in Cuenca Ecuador

After three years of living in Cuenca we had the old bus routes down. We knew pretty much which bus number went to what area in Cuenca. In fact taking the bus system had become a familiar standard and routine in our Cuenca lifestyle.


We knew the bus routes were going to change we just didn’t know when…until yesterday when we no longer saw our familiar bus numbers that take us from one end of the city to the other. It was the first day of the new bus routes and even the locals were walking around bewildered and feeling lost. But thankfully there were lots of young people with clip boards helping passengers get to where they needed to go.


Here’s how our day went taking the new buses and routes in Cuenca. Enjoy the ride with us. We also took some video shots of the new El Arenal Terminal.
 

From Av. Las Americas the red buses now go north and south on same road, but with a twist. Now you get off at transfer stations and transfer onto a different red bus to continue either north or south.
So from the Arenal transfer station which is next to Feria Libre Mercado we traveled through El Centro and all the way to the old bus terminal called Terminal Terrestre, which to our surprise also has a transfer area behind the main station where passengers must transfer onto another bus to continue where they may need to go in the city of Cuenca.


So, we disembarked bus number 100 and a pleasant young lady showed us the bus to get on that goes to Ricaurte. We got on a red bus number 101, which took us to the Ricaurte area of Cuenca. From our starting point to the ending point it took around 50-minutes and three different buses…but we made it safe and sound to our destination.

What Are the NEW Transfer Terminals Like?
 

Both new transfer terminals, the Terminal Terrestre and the El Arenal Terminal are clean, safe, and at this time of writing, organized. The assistant has passengers wait in an orderly line to board the bus, which is really nice since before this, people behaved disorderly, pushing and cutting in front of you as if you were an invisible soul to them.
 

The terminals have nice big maps showing the directions in color-coded routes. It is really quite simple and streamlined. However, give yourself about 15 extra minutes to where you need to go in case you have to wait for your transfer bus; sometimes this will happen. You just look for the signs which say which 'direction' north or south, you are intending to go, then get in line, and wait there without having to pay again!


What Are the New Buses Like? 

The new red buses are quieter and smoother. There is a bit more leg room; we guess about 3 to 4 inches, which makes the ride more comfortable. The new red buses have three doors. The front door for boarding, and the middle and end door for getting off. This is nice too, especially when the bus is full and almost everyone is getting off.
 



Passenger Bus Etiquette 



The new red buses have color-coded seats. The blue seats are for the general public, while the red seats, closer to the doors are RESERVED FOR pregnant women, folks carrying small children, and the disabled. Please take into consideration the red seats are reserved. We have seen many young people take advantage of the front row seats before the new changeover and just recently when we took the new red buses, young folks were sitting in the red seats that are reserved. We will talk more about this in another blog post. Stay Tuned.


So, all in all the new terminals and the new buses and routes will take some getting used to but we think it will make the transportation system run much smoother and be a bit more organized.


Remember to add an extra 15-minutes to your schedule and enjoy the new transportation in Cuenca. Also, the great news is there is far less buses running on the main roads, which means far less diesel fumes spewed out into the atmosphere, which means healthier lungs and body! Now, that is something to celebrate!

The NEW El Arenal Bus Transfer Terminal in Cuenca Ecuador

We were impressed with the organization of the new bus-transfer station of El Arenal. The minute we got off the first bus a young lady with a nice smile asked us where we were going and showed us which bus to take.



What we noticed right off the bat was there are buses going norte (north buses) and buses going sur (south buses). There are placard boards showing the exact areas the bus goes to. The terminal also has excellent maps showing the routes and the number of the bus to take for the routes. There is a security guard on the premise and it was clean and nice. 

  

The best thing about it, there was no cutting up in front of people, no pushing and shoving to be the first on the bus; it was actually organized. They are passing out the new bus schedules at the El Arenal Terminal, so you might want to go check it out and grab a new schedule if you ride the buses in Cuenca. We have more to talk about with the new bus schedules in an article coming soon! Until then, enjoy the video.

                      

We're Having Spaghetti with Ketchup for Almuerzo in Manta Ecuador!

You're probably wondering the cost for this almuerzo delicacy? $3.50! Yep...$3.50. Funny thing is we saw other gringos eating in there and the waiter says it is always busy for lunch! You gotta just laugh because there is nothing else you can do! LOL.  We should add, the soup was pretty good.

                     

Inside Scoop on Best Priced Laundry Service in Quito and Along the Ecuador Coast!

When traveling we invariably have laundry that needs to be cleaned. We like it when we find a laundry service that has the prices listed. When the prices are already listed for something you will not get gringo gouged! This laundry service has the prices listed. Frank and I checked out a lot of the laundry service establishments in some of the coastal towns when we were traveling north up the Ecuador coast, so now we know where to take our laundry and where not to take our laundry.

                    

Frugal Coast Traveler: Look at the BIG Bag of Laundry We Got Done FOR $5 Bucks in Manta Beach Ecuador!

Now this is more like it! At the laundry service in Manta Ecuador we didn't even have to negotiate because the price was already what it is supposed to be. We knew that $6 for a small load of laundry just did not seem right, especially after having that same load done in Salinas for $2. We have never paid more than $2.50 for a load of laundry in Salinas!



So several weeks later when we travel north up the coast and seeing $6 laundry service we already knew it was not the REAL Price! By the time we got to Manta we had a pile of laundry to be done and we were pleasantly surprised when she said, "that is a load" and it will cost $5! Frank was grinning from ear to my ear! :-) 

                     

FRUGAL TRAVELER: Gringo Gouging Laundry Service in Puerto Lopez

To be a frugal traveler you can't really accept gringo gouging...especially if you live here (Ecuador). It doesn't matter if you speak Spanish and dress just like the locals, they size you up for the "new made up price" because they think they can get away with it. That's so funny because with Frank, they never get away with it...very rarely are we ever gringo gouged just because we already know the prices for things. Watch the video and you'll see what I'm talking about.  



We have MUCHO to share with our readers about shopping, where to stay, how to eat frugal, how to be frugal while having the time of your life along the whole Ecuador coastline. We already did it and now we're going to share our secrets and our experiences on how to be a FRUGAL TRAVELER on the Ecuador coast in our new DIY FRUGAL TRAVELER Ecuadorian Coastal Guide Book.

                     

New Pier and the Bay Area of Puerto Lopez Ecuador!

This is the new pier in Puerto Lopez Ecuador. We have a lot more to share with our readers about the coast of Ecuador. The past few weeks we have been sharing some of our videos we have taken along the coast, and we have a lot more to come! But we have so much more detail to share with you about the Ecuador coast in our new Ecuador Coastal Guide book, such as where to stay in 25 different coastal towns along the Ecuador coast with photos and prices, from Salinas to Atacames! This coastal guide is going to have a lot in it that we have already researched for you; And it will help you save money while traveling the coast of Ecuador!
                        

We're Taking a Motor Trike in Puerto Lopez Ecuador!

Need a cheap ride? They're just 25 to 50 cents depending on how long the ride is, but they can sure be a bumpy  ride. Some people call them "motor taxis too.

                            

We're Having a $2.50 Fish Almuerzo in Manta Ecuador

When we are at the coast we usually opt for the fish almuerzo. The fresh tuna soup (encebollado) they serve before the main course is wonderful too. It's almost a meal in itself. The tuna is freshly caught; it is not a can of tuna opened up and made into the soup, no, it is freshly caught tuna with big chunks of tuna in the bowl of soup. What a value!  --- See Below the Video for more videos of MANTA.

 

           



 More Video and Articles from Manta Ecuador!

Welcome to Manta Ecuador!  

This Is The Main Beach in Manta (Murcielago Beach)  

Frugal Traveler: BIG Bag of Laundry in Manta for $5 Bucks!

We're Having Spaghetti and Ketchup Almuerzo in Manta! 

Two Guitar Players on the Malecon in Manta Ecuador

We're Taking a Taxi to the Manta Airport (Eloy Alfaro International)

What Is Manta Ecuador Like - Going Local? 

What It's Like to Take the City Bus in Manta 

We're Taking a Taxi to the Eloy Alfaro Airport in Manta

Man Dresses up Like a Woman to Support Family

Sitting on the Beach Sharing TIPS on How to Negotiate - Manabi Province Ecuador

We're enjoying the beautiful ocean and this secluded beach area in Puerto Lopez, Ecuador.  We're at the most northern end at the point. It is an enjoyable beach walk from the city of Puerto Lopez to the north point.

                          

We're Walking Along the Malecon in Puerto Lopez Ecuador and Dodging the Assertive Salesmen

They are all over, salesmen trying to sell you a tour, trip, and or an excursion to some exotic, tropical island in and around Puerto Lopez. It started the minute we walked off the bus, literally they were all over us!  We barely walked off the bus and got our luggage cart from underneath the bus when salesmen came rushing up to us wanting to take us to a secluded beach called Las Frailes. The cost, $5 for a ten minute ride on a motor trike.



In town, especially on the Malecon the salesmen will rush up to you with their brochure and sales pitch if you even so much as LOOK at them. Remember: always negotiate the price. They will begin with outrageous prices BECAUSE some gringos pay the first price they are told a tour is. You have to let them know you are not that naive to pay that price for such and such tour...and of course, be nice and smile, always. If you don't want to take a tour, don't look at them.

                    

Ecuador Beach! Local Fishermen Safeguarding Their Catch from the Coastal Birds! Puerto Lopez Ecuador

Ecuador Beach and the Coastal Birds...It's a tough job but someone's got to do it. We watched as the fishermen scurried from their fishing boats, carrying heavy crates of fish to the ice trucks. The birds lie in wait for just the opportune moment to swoop down and grab a bite to eat!  Dinner time!

                           

Quito Weather in October AFTER Being on the Ecuador Coast

The sun is shining in Quito Ecuador! You would think that coming from the coast to the Andes the weather would be worse, but the sun came out every day in Quito for hours at a time, which warmed us up and it was great.

Now about the beaches. If you don't mind cloudy and sometimes a little bit chilly along the southern and central Ecuador coastline then go to the beach August through October. We still had a wonderful time adventuring along the Ecuador coast. The weather is still really nice along beach this time of year, even if it is mostly overcast; its not too humid and not too hot.
                       

Misleading Advertising with Hotel Finders: We Thought We Were Getting an Ocean View!

It is really hard not to go through one of these online 'hotel finders" portals because they have literally taken over the Internet! What we do now is use these intermediaries just for finding the name of numerous hotels or hostels in the area we want to go to. Then we "Google" the hotel name and find their website. We wade through tons of 'hotel finders' first, about three pages on Google before we even get the hotel's website. Sometimes you have to type in the name of the hotel, plus the keyword "website" to pull up their website. Do you have a story to share about using a hotel finder? Talk to us in the comments!

                          

Blackout In a Small Coastal Village Somewhere on the Ecuador Coast

The beauty of some of the Ecuador coast is absolutely awe inspiring, however the infrastructure in most areas is not that great, especially in the smaller towns and villages. The power went out for fourteen hours in this small coastal village we visited for a week, and during that week it went out three other times, not as long but for several hours.

               

Looking to Rent a House in Cuenca Ecuador? How Hot is the Market in Cuenca?

ABOUT THE SHARK INFESTED WATERS OF THE RENTAL MARKET IN CUENCA ECUADOR. 



How hot is the rental market in Cuenca Ecuador?  If a picture is worth a thousand words, then  take a look at both pictures below of a house recently listed for rent.

Quickly:  What's the first thing you see?

This first photo is from a Cuenca Real Estate Company

***

Home on Five Acres in Cuenca for $400

THIS HOME HAS RENTED


If you like beautiful views, peace and quiet and only be 10 minutes from
major shopping then this Mediterranean style home might just be for
you. It has a huge terazza area with built in barbeque. Great for
entertaining.


This remodeled home is at the very top of the hill behind Supermaxi
grocery store. The bus only goes half way up so you will need a car.  

*** 

If you noticed it was the same house you have good photo recognition. 



if you noticed the price in the first photo was 40% higher, then you are brighter than the average duck.



There is no need to belabor any point, we think it speaks for itself. 

Cultural Integration Is More Fulfilling and Less Expensive in Cuenca Ecuador!

Be happy and save money in Cuenca Ecuador! The articles and videos on this website are about the people of Cuenca, the places of Cuenca, and all of the things that make Cuenca what it is. We do not candy coat or glorify Cuenca Ecuador. We just tell it like it is, and show it how it is, and all from a family who live at the local level and have integrated into the local culture. That's what you will find on this website...the REAL Cuenca. 

           

Taking a Motor Trike to the New Mercado in Puerto Lopez

The new Mercado in Pto Lopez is nice and clean, however, they moved it from a centrally located area to a far away area of the town. 



Talk of the town is the locals were upset about this new Mercado being so far away from the center of town. 



We can see why they were upset. Whoever decided to move the Mercado numerous blocks away from everything wasn't really thinking about how much business they might lose.



What do I mean? Well, there is a produce vendor, with a lot of different fruits and vegetables right on the corner as you come into the city center, and it gets a lot of business just because it is more convenient.  It's always packed with people. 

              

Thinking of Moving to Quito? We're Hitting the Pavement in Quito to Make Your Landing Safer, Easier and Less Stressful!

We hope you have subscribed to our Quito website because we probably will not be posting our Quito information and videos on the Cuenca website for too much longer. We have a lot of Ecuador coastal travels to share with our readers on this  Blog.



Anyway, just want to let our readers know for those who are interested...we
are in Quito Ecuador, experiencing,
observing, researching on how to save money, how to stay safe, and how to
truly enjoy the move or visit to Quito with less stress when you first
land in Quito Ecuador. All the wonderful details will be in our new
Book, The DIY Quito Landing Guide. 


           

We're Back in Beautiful Quito Ecuador! First Stop, Desayuno for $1.75

Not only was the breakfast $1.75 but they served real coffee instead of instant. This was a real treat for me since we've been on the road traveling the Ecuador coast for months now. Most restaurants, unless you go to an actual coffee shop, serve instant coffee!  This is very strange in a land that grows coffee!! 



Anyway, we have been pounding the pavement in Quito to bring you the best of this lovely, BIG cosmopolitan city.

                  

Puerto Lopez Ecuador - Reminds Us of the Wild Wild West

There is a little bit of the Wild Wild West in Puerto Lopez. Some of the buildings resemble the square construction back then, and the motor trikes remind us of little carriages. And the dusty/muddy streets are a dead give away for the old western movies.

We have more video of the Mercado, the new pier, the main tourist drag shopping, and the Northern most beach of Puerto Lopez Ecuador.

Puerto Lopez Ecuador - Town and Beach

Here are some short video clips we took in and around the Puerto Lopez town and beach area. Puerto Lopez reminds us of the wild wild west. We have much, much more of Puerto Lopez coming up. Don't go away!

        

Puerto Cayo Beach in Ecuador

This is the beach at the southern end of Puerto Cayo. Puerto Cayo has a big long beach and turquoise waters. The water is warm for swimming, however the waves can get pretty huge here so be careful!



Enjoy more of this beach in our video below.

               

Welcome to Puerto Cayo Ecuador!

Puerto Cayo has turquoise water, huge waves, and a long sandy beach. It is a fairly clean and quiet village/town with not a lot going on during low season. Most of the streets are paved and the sidewalks are walkable. The next video we're going to show you what the beach looks like...stay tuned!

 PUERTO CAYO

Welcome to Puerto Cayo

Beautiful Puerto Cayo Beach

                   

Enjoying a Cappuccino while Frank Haggles with a Souvenir Vendor in Montanita Ecuador

We're enjoying some relaxation in a neat cafe in Montanita. The coffee is great by the way. Can you tell Frank is really enjoying himself as he negotiates with the vendor?

                        

Would You Pay $20 for a 20-Minute Car Ride on the Ecuadorian Coast? That's What Some Drivers Are Gouging Gringos For!

Would you pay $20 for a 20-minute car ride? All it takes is one gringo to pay it and it starts the gouging for the rest of the folks. Wow! Gringo gouging is worse along the coast, especially some of these smaller coastal towns and villages. I'm wondering why someone would pay that instead of taking the bus the same distance for $1.

                      

This Beautiful, Spacious 4-Bedroom Home is Back on the Market AND with a Lower Rent Price!!

The beautiful open-floor plan home (rare in Cuenca) with the master bedroom downstairs (also rare in Cuenca) is available!! And guess what? We finally got the rent down from $450 then to $420, and now $400!!



Click here to view the home tour of this lovely home and then contact us if you are ready to rent. Oh yeah, almost forgot, it also has a cute manicured, fenced green area for the doggie. 

We're visiting a Small Pacific Coast Village in Ecuador Called Ayampe

Ecuador has many beautiful and pristine beaches and this area is one of them. There is nothing out here however but a few hostels at tourist pricing. If you need to do any kind of major shopping you'll have to go further North to Manta or back track back South to Salinas where both have Paseo Malls and Supermaxi. The electricity went out twice during our week long visit here, once for 11 hours and another time for about four hours.



It has huge waves for the surfer and it is very pristine but it was a little chilly. Stay tuned for more from Coastal Ecuador!



ARTICLES about Ayampe



Blackout in Ayampe

Misleading Advertising: Thought We Were Getting an Ocean Front

Would You Pay $20 for a 20 Minute Car Ride?

                 

Gringo Gouging on the Ecuador Coastal Buses

Sadly we have been gringoed on several occasions (about half the time) while riding the buses along the Ecuador Coast. So how do you know if you are paying more than the locals on the buses? Generally speaking you should only pay a dollar per hour of travel time. However along the Ecuador coast we have noticed it is a bit higher at $1.50 per hour of travel time. If the bus attendant thinks you don't know the price he will gouge the gringo for a higher bus fare.


                         

Montanita Ecuador Cafes and Restaurants

In Montanita we figured there was enough restaurants and cafes for tourist to eat out in every day for a month without having to go to the same restaurant twice. And this video is only showing one or two streets in the touristy sections of the town. In the cafe we are in (photo) we had two cappuccinos and a plate of nachos and it cost $10.50.

                              

Cuenca Rental - 4 Bedroom 4 Bath Plus Fireplace, BBQ Area and More for $350!

THIS HOME HAS RENTED. Wow, what a deal...that's all we can say about this one! When we saw this home we couldn't wait to share it with our reasders. This is a great rental waiting for the family that enjoys space. Located in the north side of Cuenca, situated in a quiet culdesac so it is far enough way from the traffic and noise of the main streets. It has small green space for the dog(s) and a barbeque area. The home also boasts a maids quarters...this situation might be great for an inlaw or adult child, or? We don't think this one is going to last long...Contact us about this rental here.

                     

Montanita Ecuador Beach and Crafts

In this video we are walking down just one of the streets in the touristy part of Montanita and as you can see it is filled with beach clothing and handmade crafts, from seashell necklaces to clay masks. Many of the streets in the tourist section are just like this one. More Montanita coming up!

                

More from Montanita Ecuador (Part 3 of 3)

We enjoyed our time in Montanita and sitting down in this cozy restaurant with a cappuccino and nachos, both of which were pretty tasty by the way. Our next video about Montanita will be of the beaches and some of the craft stalls that line the streets here. And then we still have more to share with you from this neat little touristy beach town...so hang in there and don't go too far away!

                       

Frank and Angie talk more about Montanita Ecuador (Part 2 of 3)

It is low season at the Ecuador beaches right now but there are still plenty of people enjoying Montanita Ecuador.  Montanita has lots of restaurants and cafe's for the choosing and to fit all budgets. The beach was nice too and we'll have a video coming soon showing the Montanita coastline. Stay tuned for part 3 coming up next!