Thinking of visiting Cuenca in March or April of 2011

I have read about some hotels with kitchens.  A lot of people come and stay in one of the local hotels and then try to find a rental apt.  BTW, short term leases will be more expensive.  There is one, I read on a blog, on Calle Largo.  Also, don't arrive during Holy Week.  Everything is closed and it may be more difficult to get a room.  If I were you, I would plan on a few days in a hotel and then go looking for a place.  I think you are right about the two months.  It will give you a lot of time to feel things out and see if it is for you.

Thank you for your reply.  I have been to Belize, Panama, Mexico, Cayman Islands, Argentina and actually bought a lot in Punta del Este Uruguay but had to sell it in 2008.  So I have thought about this for about 30 years now.  Scary to think about everything.  The thing that scares me the most is my lack of Spanish.  I have the Rosetta Stone Program for learning Spanish but my life is in turmoil right now.  Long story.  I wanted to get to Ecuador in early February but it is not going to be possible.  I thank you for your advice about NOT booking anything until I get there.  What week is that bad week you mentioned where everything will be closed?  So I know not to arrive during that time.  Transportation is another concern.  I do not know if I should fly into Quito or Guayaquil?  Which is easier to get to Cuenca from?  Too many questions.  Sorry about that.  My name is Paul Salminen. Can I ask your name?  I am a 60 year old single white male and I REALLY want to make this move this year if at all possible.  I am hoping to sell my home here.  I am afraid if I do not get out this year, it will take another 5 years in Florida for the housing market to get back to where it sits today.  We have a lot of foreclosures coming this year.  Things are really looking bad in the county I live in, ie. Citrus County Florida.  Also want to look at Salinas.  Enough for now. Do not want to scare you away.  I really need some help!  Paul

Hi Paul, I'm Mike.  I'll try to answer a some of your questions and give you a few of my thoughts.

Also want to look at Salinas.  Can't really help you there.  My knowledge of the coast is limited to a few quick trips.  If my time in Quito is any indication, during Holy Weekk (around 20 April) the city seemed to empty out and the roads clogged with cars going to the coast.  Might be hard to find a place to rent.

I do not know if I should fly into Quito or Guayaquil?  Which is easier to get to Cuenca from? Most international flights arrive late in the evening and you will have to spend the night in either Quito or Guayaquil.  The rest depends on how you are coming. If you were to fly, it wouldn't make much difference.  By bus Guayaquil is closer to Cuenca.  I would not advise a night in either case.  Obviously a bus will be cheaper.

learning Spanish.  For your initial visit I'm not sure it will make a lot of difference.  Living here Spanish is important.

I am a 60 year old single white male.  Not sure how much difference that will make.  I'm married.  A friend of mine is single.  He has told me that it is much different - and harder - to be single than  married in Cuenca. 

What week is that bad week you mentioned where everything will be closed?  Holy Week, especially Thursday and Friday, are holidays.  It is a long weekend and people tend to travel, making gtetting reservations much harder.

VISA  You might want to start looking up the type of visa that you will need and can qualify for.  I qualified for the retired visa (had to show that I get $800 a month and $100 for my wife).  That's $900 a month.  My SS took care of that. 

BLOGS  One thing you don't want to do is take what I say as the last word on anything.  Here are some other sites that I have used:  Ecuador_expats forum on yahoo. This forum also has a page on Facebook. Also, http://www.watsontravels.blogspot.com/.  They also have on the left hand side links to other blogs.  I like edd said--come to cuenca.  These blogs frequently link to other blogs.  While each one is an individual take on life as an expat, they give you an over all impression.

Meeting people in Cuenca  There are two expat nights here in Cuenca, Tuesday and  Friday nights.  They are a good place to meet people and directly ask questions.

Hope this helps, Mike

Mike, thanks for all your info.  Could not sleep last night with all the questions floating in my brain. So you got my email from all that anxiety.  Thankfully, you were a good sport and answered me.  I am normally a pretty wound up indidvidual.  I need to be able to relax more.  Honestly, it will be hard for me to leave my son and my grandson behind.  My daughter too.  But she is 16 and fast developing her own identity.  She is taking Spanish II and she is phenomonal at Spanish.  Her spoken Spanish is very good, very clear, and very understandable.  She said she wants to come visit me on summer break.  I worry abuot her traveling alone though.  I would of course have to meet her in Panama City or Guayaquil when she comes depending on where she lands first.  Hope I have time to write later in the week.  Paul

Hi Paul, I'm Lee, my wife's Peggy. I do agree it's very tough getting flights arriving early in the day, but we found one arriving at 5:35 am in Guayaquil. (LAN Ecuador airline, on the 16th of April) If you fly from Guayaquil to Cuenca, the price is $102.00, if you take the (daytime) bus, the price is $$8 to $10. We're planning on staying at the Apart Hotel in Cuenca, a suite set up like a studio apartment. The price is $400.00 plus taxes for one month. We are applying for a pensioner visa and have been quoted a price of $950 for the attorney fee and $350 for the government fee. The attorney's email is: [email protected] and he is located in Cuenca. He will also help with the censo and cedula at no extra charge. (Biggest bang for the buck I've found so far, but I've only been at this research for a year now.) We have no commercial interest in any of the information given here. We're just trying to help.
Good luck.
Lee & Peggy

Lee and Peggy.  Thanks for the helpful info.  I used to have a commercial fishing boat in Kasilof Alaska.  For four years.  About 6 years after the spill.  We could not even make expenses our last year there and as it apperead each year was getting worse we sold out at a huge loss.  Not sure yet when I can come to Cuenca?  Things are a real mess for me.  Got a meeting with an attorney tomorrow morning to try to get a direction.  No luck yet on selling my house or my Harley.  Those two will have to happen in order for me to make the move.  Housing market in this part of Florida gets worse every day so waiting for a better market is not an option.  A record number of foreclosures are ready to hit our market this year.  And we thought it was bad the last two years?  Take care folks.  I hope that we will meet someday.  Read that the move to Ecuador is hardest on Non-Spanish speaking persons (me) amd single people (me) so I am realistic about this from the get go.  But I am determined to get out of the USA.  If not Ecuador maybe Belize or Panama.  Though I did visit both of the those countries and was not impressed in the past.  Have a friend who is a realtor in Panama City and she still wants me to come there.  But I do not think I have enough money to go there?  Paul