How has Ecuador been improving?

Ryan Air don't have a particularly good reputation in the Uk, not sure how the are viewed worldwide though

vsimple wrote:

We strayed quite a bit on this thread. A lot of opinionated info, and a lot of BS. I don't even know if this thread is salvageable (considering that the topic is “How has Ecuador been improving). The reality is there have been many improvements that have probably been drowned in this thread including:

cars costing less (much less)
to chocolate tasting better
to beer tasting better
to Internet service improving
to cheaper Internet phone plans
to an exit tax on money being sent outside of Ecuador being phased out

And tonight I add 1 more

More airlines will fly into Ecuador, this means more routes, and hopefully cheaper prices. I know Guayaquil is trying to lure Ryan Air to be a hub in South America, if that happens, then wow!

That is a lot of improvement that impacts expats directly.

As an expat living in Ecuador, these improvements are directly improving my life. That's what I care about most as an expat.

Everything else like the state of the economy is secondary because economies change, and sometimes they do well and at other times they are doing bad.

As an expat, that is not my concern. What's important to me is the direction that the country I chose to retire in is doing. Cheaper cars, better chocolate, better beer, better internet and now more flights is something that I value as an expat.

Ok ... I didn't initiate the use of the term ... for the record. But if we want to talk about "bs" ... then we have well strayed into the realm of the laughable. Economy does not matter to the current and/or future improvement of Ecuador [or ... insert any other nation, here]. Thought that was the direct topic at hand? Please do tell ... how is the evolution of Ecuador's economy not relevant to this thread?

Let's point out some ways Ecuador has not evolved well: 1) Oil revenue dramatically down; 2) Base exports, such as bananas, shrimp, coffee, etc. no longer globally competitive due to the strengthening US$; 3) Tourism revenue way down, due to the earthquake aftermath, but also the inept handling of tourism in the post-Correa era; 4) Taxes rising, making the domestic consumer less capable of contributing to an already moribund economy ... and the list goes on. Note the coy term used ... "opinionated info". Please ... don't ever confuse opinion ... and fact. Unless, of course, someone wants to disprove any of these contentions of mine ... as ... well ... not being factual.

Sorry, charlie ... I am not going to allow the usual fluff that passes for info on these forums, to inaccurately color anyone's view of the real Ecuador, by having sunshine blown up folks' patootie. The reality, as it was quaintly put, is that I lived in Ecuador for 8 years ... have done business there for 28 years ... and it is a wonderful country, with great people and a possibly brilliant future. But unless you define progress strictly as a "new Starbucks" ... then Ecuador has taken just as many steps back, as forward in the recent years. I do hope and expect they will eventually turn the corner, but whether that will be in 10 months ... 10 years ... or a century ... my crystal ball gets fuzzy.

My advice, put a blanket over your crystal ball.

Bigbrad2008 wrote:

My advice, put a blanket over your crystal ball.

Lol. Thanks for the thoughtful tip.

Speaking of cafes. There has been a great improvement in this area too. There are so many good ones now, my personal favorite is Sweet & Coffee, an Ecuadorian company. Try their Moccachino with one of their delicious chocolate cakes or for a light breakfast, the Spinach pie.

What I also like about the cafe scene in the capital is they have extended their hours. The Sweet & Coffee on Plaza Foch opens to 11:00 PM (midnight on weekends). The one at the Inca gas station on av. Amazonas opens 24/7.

The food scene is also much better now. For people in Quito and those visiting, check out Google Street from 2014 and see for yourselves the transformation on and around av. Isabel Católica. This area now has a thriving restaurant scene offering a plethora of cuisines.

Guys, take your lady there if you want to impress her with a little romantic scene. The corner of av. Isabel Católica and Francisco Salazar is particularly lovely and has Osaka (Peruvian Sushi fushion), La Briciola (Italian), and if you just want something simple but delicious try Little Italy pizzeria. Aside from their delicious thin crust pizza, they also make the best lemonade. The Frutos Rojos one in particular which has crushed berries in it.

As a resident of Quito, this is very important to me, and I love these improvements. I enjoy dining out with my lady at a nice restaurant in a lovely area that has a thriving food scene. 

Well ... speaking of cafes ... yum.

JetBlue just started its direct route from FLL to GYE this week. Will save me about $100 each trip compared to American. I hope RyanAir comes. I'd like to see GYE become a regional hub. And for Ecuador to reduce its airport taxes.

How much are the airport taxes there GYE? And the RT fare now on Jetblue?  When I left GYE last April there was almost nobody in the airport. When I got to little Panama City Tocumen, it was like Miami......Flights comin in and goin out everywhere.......Panama has already established itself as the regional hub.......and COPA is the best in L.A. even tho Im not crazy about the way the Mottas run things around here.......Gotta admit its a great airline......and punctual.....

Taxes like 80 I think.RT fare can be as low as 250

dumluk wrote:

How much are the airport taxes there GYE? And the RT fare now on Jetblue?  When I left GYE last April there was almost nobody in the airport. When I got to little Panama City Tocumen, it was like Miami......Flights comin in and goin out everywhere.......Panama has already established itself as the regional hub.......and COPA is the best in L.A. even tho Im not crazy about the way the Mottas run things around here.......Gotta admit its a great airline......and punctual.....

I took my first flight on COPA connecting from Panama City to GYE. I had just flown on United the day before and I got more legroom in standard Economy on Copa than I did on United, plus I got a hot meal on Copa too.

Panama City's airport seemed busy, crowded, and chaotic, more so than GYE or Quito/UIO when i was there.  Both those airports are rather spacious. I would guess that they were built to support much more capacity than they currently have.

But Panama totally makes sense as a hub for commerce. It's got all the banks, free trade zones, it is centrally located.

My trip to Panama was business and I was only there for 36 hours, so I didn't get to do much tourism. 

I don't know exactly how much the airport tax is, Spirit  breaks it down-- a one way flight from FLL to GYE runs from $90 to $150. But the other direction, add at least $90

Quito and Guayaquil airports' are often ranked as among the best in South America. I know Quito has won best airport more than once. It's a great airport and in a great location with room to grow.

With regards to previous comments about Ryan Air, what I like about them is that they are a budget airline. Heck, I'd love to fly for a weekend to other South American destinations on the cheap.

And BTW, the current airport is a huge improvement over the old one in Quito. The old one was located inside the city, as in literally located inside the city. The new airport is about 30-40 minutes away and located in Tababela.

Like most "big boy" capital city airports, Quito's airport is usually pretty busy and well used. Smartly laid out airport. Guayaquil's airport is also fairly well used ... enough to warrant consideration of building an expansion airport, because of daily passenger totals. Hate the lay out, personally.

The issue in Ecuador is that all the remaining airports, outside those two, are grossly underutilized, creating a financial drag on the airport authority. I thought for sure the new airport on Salinas would break the trend of underutilized airports, but it well under-performed my expectations. Already limited flights had to be cut back.

Just some headlines from just today, pointing out how unsafe Ecuador is compared to Colombia:

Ecuador denuncia desplazamiento de 150 colombianos hacia su país por violencia en Nariño

Legalizan captura de exsenador Gil y Fiscal de apoyo de la JEP en Clínica de Bogotá

Asesinan a un padre y a su hijo cuando salían de una discoteca en Cartago, Valle

Así operan las bandas que roban al 'Tino' y otros ganaderos del Valle

306 asesinatos por intolerancia en un año: ¿qué nos pasa a los caleños?

Así castigaron a más de 61.000 caleños por violar el Código de Policía

Hombre armado hurtó en heladería Ventolini, oeste de Cali

Recapturan a exalcalde de Buenaventura, Eliécer Arboleda

Rescatan a mujer de 70 años secuestrada el pasado enero en el Cesar

**********************************************

Oh, wait, sorry - these are just today's stories from a COLOMBIAN newspaper mainly about just ONE Colombian city, Santiago de Cali, and other happenings in the Colombian department Valle del Cauca, in the on-line edition of El País...

OsageArcher wrote:

Just some headlines from just today, pointing out how unsafe Ecuador is compared to Colombia:

Ecuador denuncia desplazamiento de 150 colombianos hacia su país por violencia en Nariño

Legalizan captura de exsenador Gil y Fiscal de apoyo de la JEP en Clínica de Bogotá

Asesinan a un padre y a su hijo cuando salían de una discoteca en Cartago, Valle

Así operan las bandas que roban al 'Tino' y otros ganaderos del Valle

306 asesinatos por intolerancia en un año: ¿qué nos pasa a los caleños?

Así castigaron a más de 61.000 caleños por violar el Código de Policía

Hombre armado hurtó en heladería Ventolini, oeste de Cali

Recapturan a exalcalde de Buenaventura, Eliécer Arboleda

Rescatan a mujer de 70 años secuestrada el pasado enero en el Cesar

**********************************************

Oh, wait, sorry - these are just today's stories from a COLOMBIAN newspaper mainly about just ONE Colombian city, Santiago de Cali, and other happenings in the Colombian department Valle del Cauca, in the on-line edition of El País...

Cali is a violent city of 2.4 million people and on our avoid list. Ecuador ranks low in homicide rates. It was already stated that it is the ONLY major reported crime category in which it bests Colombia. This does support what I already stated. I could post a week's worth of crime in Guayaquil. It would also not look pleasant. Point remains ... telling people that crime is low in Ecuador, other than homicide, is a disservice to the factual truth. And while admittedly conjecture ... Ecuador has a quietly disproportionate per capita number of "missing". It does beg the question ... doesn't it?

Conjecture acceptance is based upon the reputation of those that supply the conjecture.

Bigbrad2008 wrote:

Conjecture acceptance is based upon the reputation of those that supply the conjecture.

Conjecture should never be accepted for anything other than that ... an opinion yet to be substantiated by fact. If someone wants to turn that into a sliding scale, based on their own conjecture of others ... well ... have at it. I will stack up my reputation against anyone's. That's 35 years in the biz -- one of the most lawsuit happy on the planet. Zero lawsuits filed. Thousands of happy global clients. Still going strong. Pretty much says it all. But ... ahem ... conjecture away. Lol.

ps. Question the sources that lie and make Ecuador seem like Nirvana.

You are funny, and have good co-workers.

Bigbrad2008 wrote:

You are funny, and have good co-workers.

My team that has remained loyal throughout are not just good ... they are truly exceptional. And, yes, I owe much of my success to their valiant efforts in uncovering dynamic off-market opportunities globally and servicing our clients to standards seldom seen in any industry.

I must have missed something here.......Just exactly what is it that you do HGQ?

Yeah :.. when commenting specifically on real estate topics, I have always, by way of full disclosure, mentioned that I am a global real estate investment consultant.

If your thinking of moving to Ecuador I cannot stress in my 7 yrs living here how
many come and go! I am an American and I had no idea the culture is so different
from mine wow.  Please try and come with Spanish it will help you a lot or you will
be stranded a lot 80% do not speak English and that makes it very difficult.

Bring all your papers Originals and stamped by the state you were born in or paper
claimed in that state.  Do not get papers too early because they stamp dates on them
and Ecuador will figure on it old after 5 months or so.
Marriage license to.  They are paper oriented love paperwork everything will
need to be changed into Spanish here only.  Even bring doc papers if you're divorced.
Not like America, where they want to see it Criminal, Reports stuff I never thought of.
Everyone cares Cedulas like SS cards and you need pictures and no glass no earings
plain you.  Also, bring your insurance card so if they ask do you have insurance you
can say here is my card.  They keep changing the law on this but if you have it with
your safe.  If they ask me for any paper I have it in my file for each family member.

1.  Paperwork, passport updated.
2.  Make sure your license if up to date just in case.
3.  Spanish
4.  Rent for at least 2 yrs.
5.  With a family, if your having a car then rent just outside of Cuenca boarder cheaper
rent.  Mary Wingo assist people buy/renting.  She will know lots of answers to questions.
If you don't have a car and won't don't rent without a bus stop near you where ever you're at.  I prefer being close to Tram.  I don't like dirt roads end up in the house.  Rent
is $300.00 3 bedrooms to $800.00 and they are completely different than USA. When
you rent you must pay or have your own appliances some have them but not many.
6.  Open an account with Schwab why they don't charge for transfers of money.
see we keep our money in America and transfer free when we want some.  I left my
brother as my mail person and his address.  Mail cannot be forwarded to Ecuador and
be sure you will get you have to send things like Credit Cards DHL and we will get it.
Bring your telephone  from America with our Magic Jack with American telephone number this way they can reach you cheaper and they think you're in
America.  Other advantages too.  You buy magic jack in America and pick the location
of the number of the state you want where more of your relatives are from.  I am tired now have to go hope i have helped with info to discuss.  Our # is Penn. because our relatives most live there. You should call Mary and ask her info about cost of renting
and number of rooms and school areas.

Expact in Ecuador wrote:

If your thinking of moving to Ecuador I cannot stress in my 7 yrs living here how
many come and go! I am an American and I had no idea the culture is so different
from mine wow.  Please try and come with Spanish it will help you a lot or you will
be stranded a lot 80% do not speak English and that makes it very difficult.

Bring all your papers Originals and stamped by the state you were born in or paper
claimed in that state.  Do not get papers too early because they stamp dates on them
and Ecuador will figure on it old after 5 months or so.
Marriage license to.  They are paper oriented love paperwork everything will
need to be changed into Spanish here only.  Even bring doc papers if you're divorced.
Not like America, where they want to see it Criminal, Reports stuff I never thought of.
Everyone cares Cedulas like SS cards and you need pictures and no glass no earings
plain you.  Also, bring your insurance card so if they ask do you have insurance you
can say here is my card.  They keep changing the law on this but if you have it with
your safe.  If they ask me for any paper I have it in my file for each family member.

1.  Paperwork, passport updated.
2.  Make sure your license if up to date just in case.
3.  Spanish
4.  Rent for at least 2 yrs.
5.  With a family, if your having a car then rent just outside of Cuenca boarder cheaper
rent.  Mary Wingo assist people buy/renting.  She will know lots of answers to questions.
If you don't have a car and won't don't rent without a bus stop near you where ever you're at.  I prefer being close to Tram.  I don't like dirt roads end up in the house.  Rent
is $300.00 3 bedrooms to $800.00 and they are completely different than USA. When
you rent you must pay or have your own appliances some have them but not many.
6.  Open an account with Schwab why they don't charge for transfers of money.
see we keep our money in America and transfer free when we want some.  I left my
brother as my mail person and his address.  Mail cannot be forwarded to Ecuador and
be sure you will get you have to send things like Credit Cards DHL and we will get it.
Bring your telephone  from America with our Magic Jack with American telephone number this way they can reach you cheaper and they think you're in
America.  Other advantages too.  You buy magic jack in America and pick the location
of the number of the state you want where more of your relatives are from.  I am tired now have to go hope i have helped with info to discuss.  Our # is Penn. because our relatives most live there. You should call Mary and ask her info about cost of renting
and number of rooms and school areas.

Generally, good ... sage advice ... based on a realistic assessment.

Ahem ... just sayin'.

U.S. citizen from Washington State Murdered in Ecuador
Posted on March 5, 2019

http://latinamericacurrentevents.com/u- … H-GEifiZxc

Where are more of your real estate listings, Ecudoar or Colombia?

OsageArcher wrote:

Just some headlines from just today, pointing out how unsafe Ecuador is compared to Colombia:

Ecuador denuncia desplazamiento de 150 colombianos hacia su país por violencia en Nariño

Yeah, I read about the in the local news. 150 Colombian families were displaced from Colombia to Ecuador because of armed violence. The gun violence that plagues Colombia is one of the main reasons why it's much more violent than Ecuador.

Experts estimate there are more than 2.5 million firearms in Colombia. That's a staggering number of guns on the streets of Colombia. (Source)

HGQ2112 wrote:

Ahem ... just sayin'.

U.S. citizen from Washington State Murdered in Ecuador
Posted on March 5, 2019

http://latinamericacurrentevents.com/u- … H-GEifiZxc

Murdered by a Venezuelan citizen. This is why local authorities are demanding police/judicial certificates from Venezuelan citizens in order to enter the country.

Bigbrad2008 wrote:

Where are more of your real estate listings, Ecuador or Colombia?

Listings, as defined as properties for sale ... as of today ... about even. Now a smart person would just leave it there, at a very honest response, especially since it is obvious the game you are playing. Maybe you should try straight up ... direct ... honest ... less passive/aggressive. But I am going to expand upon my answer in favor of a more complete candor and full disclosure.

Both inventories are lower than ideal at present. They ARE about equal. However, we arrive at this reality for VERY different reasons. In Ecuador, we have low inventory, because we issued a HOLD rating on the country in January 2015 ... and an out-right SELL rating in January 2016. Ecuador remains rated a SELL in 2019. As such, most of our clients took profits late 2014 ... throughout 2015 and by no later than mid-2016. They were handsomely rewarded, since our most recent original BUY for Ecuador was issued January 2007. So, our low listing inventory in Ecuador is centered around the reality that most of our remaining clients still in the market are finalizing the sale of only a handful of assets. With the exception of very unique "special opportunity" listings, we are not taking on new listings in Ecuador, because we don't like the current market.

In Colombia, our inventory is low, because we can't keep anything on the shelf, without a buyer stepping in to acquire it. The market is a red hot BUY right now, as we see it, and our clients are responding by making acquisitions fast and furious.

There ... does that better "square peg, round hole" fit into your preferred scenario? Of course, let's leave out other relevant realities. Just as quick examples, the population of Colombia dwarfs Ecuador, so it stands to reason that at any snapshot in time, I SHOULD have more inventory to sell in Colombia than Ecuador. That we are at about par right now, speaks volumes as to how quickly Colombia is selling. Also, we are commercial real estate consultants, first ... residential second. Bogotá alone way outstrips the entire combined commercial market of Ecuador. So ... again ... stands to reason that our inventory and transaction volume would favor Colombia. I could go on ... but I feel like a blathering moron .... pointing out what should be so readily obvious.

So ... I answered your question ... candidly. Answer mine? What's your point?

vsimple wrote:

HGQ2112 wrote:

Ahem ... just sayin'.

U.S. citizen from Washington State Murdered in Ecuador
Posted on March 5, 2019

http://latinamericacurrentevents.com/u- … H-GEifiZxc

Murdered by a Venezuelan citizen. This is why local authorities are demanding police/judicial certificates from Venezuelan citizens in order to enter the country.

Favorably noted. Now ... why wasn't that same distinction made about the recent uptick in violent crime in Colombia? Because all data suggests that the driving factor is displaced Venezuelans. Goose .. gander ... what's best for both type thing.

bigBrad2008 makes a good point, and considering HGQ2112 represents a company, his/her username HGQ should be open to criticism. However, HGQ is more than just biased, the posts by that so-called “professional” are also quite desperate to paint Ecuador in a negative way. 

Some examples of HGQ desperate arguments:

1. Quito is constructing an underground Metro. HGQ reponse … yeah but it's going to fail.

2. Quito and Guayaquil airports are high ranking. HGQ response.. Yeah but the small ones are bla bla bla.

3. Venezuelan citizen murders resident in Quito, HGQ response … we have Venezuelan criminals in Colombia too, how come you're not mentioning them.

Aside from being desperate, HGQ is also a dishonest consultant who tried to compare a horrible Colombian conflict that afflicted millions of Colombians and continues to afflict many to bloodless coups in Ecuador.

All of this because of an agenda to portray Ecuador in a negative light and minimize the tragic consequences of the Colombian conflict to make it seem like all things even out in the end. Truly twisted and dishonest and not a consultant to be trusted.

vsimple wrote:

bigBrad2008 makes a good point, and considering HGQ2112 represents a company, his/her username HGQ should be open to criticism. However, HGQ is more than just biased, the posts by that so-called “professional” are also quite desperate to paint Ecuador in a negative way. 

Some examples of HGQ desperate arguments:

1. Quito is constructing an underground Metro. HGQ reponse … yeah but it's going to fail.

2. Quito and Guayaquil airports are high ranking. HGQ response.. Yeah but the small ones are bla bla bla.

3. Venezuelan citizen murders resident in Quito, HGQ response … we have Venezuelan criminals in Colombia too, how come you're not mentioning them.

Aside from being desperate, HGQ is also a dishonest consultant who tried to compare a horrible Colombian conflict that afflicted millions of Colombians and continues to afflict many to bloodless coups in Ecuador.

All of this because of an agenda to portray Ecuador in a negative light and minimize the tragic consequences of the Colombian conflict to make it seem like all things even out in the end. Truly twisted and dishonest and not a consultant to be trusted.

Setting up what is commonly known as "strawman arguments" is a common way those without facts debate topics. The facts:

1. I am very open to criticism, regardless of how it is presented. I will, however, reserve the right to respond accordingly. So, when the best criticism one can offer is to refer to me as an "idiot", sans counter-argument, counter-facts and without a minuscule fraction of my experience in the industry, I stand by the assertion that this person is behaving little like an adult and needs to "grow up.

2. I did not say the Quito metro would be a failure as a conceptual model. I said it was ALREADY a failure based on an economic model. This has been admitted even by city of Quito officials. There have been delays and MASSIVE cost overruns on this project. Failing to mention this ... worse ... denying this factual reality ... is what truly leads to the question: "What is someone trying to hide, in their misrepresentation of Quito realities?"

3. I have no idea what the criticism is with regard to Ecuador airports. Quito airport is VERY high ranking. I not only concurred with that, but expressed my personal favorable perception of that airport. Guayaquil's airport is not quite as high ranking, but ranks very well for convenience of location. Keep in mind the reality that the site, already selected, for the future Guayaquil airport will lose that favorable location position. Beyond that I merely added the equally accurate and realistic comment that all other Ecuador airports are under-performing and a drag on the financial health of the airport system. All this can be verified by public sources, as ... fact. I can only surmise that the concern here is that I am reporting facts and not, like some slovenly lap dog, promoting the "company line" that Ecuador is "perfect".

4. Venezuelans in Colombia ... I did mention them. Who else did? Lol. It was me. See thread. They are in Colombia ... Ecuador ... Miami ... not all are bad people ... MOST are NOT bad people. But the migration away from Venezuela has brought with it some criminal element. It has spiked up crime statistics in Colombia, Ecuador and Miami, as examples. I did not highlight it, if that is what you mean, because it does not represent the primary criminal element in country, which is domestic criminals, whether discussing Ecuador or Colombia.

5. The history of violence in Ecuador ... HISTORY, not a convenient 30 year time span, is violent. Colombia's is violent.  I pointed out the reality of BOTH ... not conveniently forgetting Ecuador's past. Again ... it is in factual black and white in history books. Ecuador ranks second only to Thailand in military coups. I love the counter --- but they were bloodless. First, not always. Second ... so ... we are handing out gold stars now for the military's intervention in a civil political process, simply because the violation of civil and human rights did not come complete with heads rolling in the streets? That's the criteria? I think most of the readership, when they read the newsletter fables about life in Ecuador imagine something a tad ... well ... better.

6. You fail to highlight what my grand, Dr. Evil-like master plan might be in devaluing Ecuador, when my clients have business interests there? Lol. I mean seriously ... this is your argument. I am a consultant, paid to objectively and honestly analyze a broad series of factors, in order to determine the real estate investment viability of a country ... city ... specific sub-market. Ecuador, remains a SELL, as it has been since January 2016. Sorry my analysis does not meet whatever hidden agenda might drive your criticisms, but I stand by my factual observations and well-researched opinions.

You got anything else you'd like to add?

VSIMPLE I think you have me mixed up with someone else.  I am not a consultant.  I am retired.  In the three years I have lived here I have never felt unsafe and feel Ecuador is a very safe place.  I have yet to visit or spend time in Columbia so I would not even pretend to make that comparison.
I will grant you that a view from the window is not a very scientific analysis of traffic, but I do get to see it every day, and if I were to drive it IS the traffic I would have to deal with.  And I provided input on the traffic in that context.
It seems all the rage these days to rage at each other online.  Unfortunately I guess it is on its way to Ecuador.

vsimple wrote:

Experts estimate there are more than 2.5 million firearms in Colombia. That's a staggering number of guns on the streets of Colombia.

I would just point out that 2.5 million firearms in a country of about 50 million is not that much - that's just one firearm for every 20 people - the USA by comparison has more firearms than people!

https://www.google.com/search?q=us+numb … p;ie=UTF-8

Clearly, the number of firearms per se is not what makes a culture violent or non-violent - the USA with almost 400 million firearms just in civilian hands, is generally safer than Colombia (although there are US cities that are just about as bad, or even worse!).

JadeRiver wrote:

VSIMPLE I think you have me mixed up with someone else.  I am not a consultant.  I am retired.  In the three years I have lived here I have never felt unsafe and feel Ecuador is a very safe place.  I have yet to visit or spend time in Columbia so I would not even pretend to make that comparison.
I will grant you that a view from the window is not a very scientific analysis of traffic, but I do get to see it every day, and if I were to drive it IS the traffic I would have to deal with.  And I provided input on the traffic in that context.
It seems all the rage these days to rage at each other online.  Unfortunately I guess it is on its way to Ecuador.

Well stated, JadeRIver. Sadly, your closing line is notably factual. Some folks feel the Internet is their personal bullhorn for disinformation, which will, of course, go unchallenged. When challenged in a public or semi-public forum, they can only resort to distortion, name-calling and generally boorish behavior. Who benefits from that? The people coming here looking for a cross-section of real world experience observations? I think not. Smh.

ps. Btw ... I think your real world "look out the window" experience is precisely what folks considering Ecuador should adhere to, as that is precisely why they come to forums such as this. Not to hear the opinion of some guy, sitting in Cleveland, looking at Google maps.

HGQ2112 wrote:

You got anything else you'd like to add?

Nope, I will just restate what I posted earlier for the sake of members who read this board. HGQ2112 posts are biased and quite desperate in an attempt to portray Ecuador negatively. More importantly, HGQ dishonest argument in trying to equate Colombia's conflict that afflicted millions of people to bloodless coups is rather lowly.

JadeRiver wrote:

VSIMPLE I think you have me mixed up with someone else.  I am not a consultant.  I am retired.  In the three years I have lived here I have never felt unsafe and feel Ecuador is a very safe place.  I have yet to visit or spend time in Columbia so I would not even pretend to make that comparison.
I will grant you that a view from the window is not a very scientific analysis of traffic, but I do get to see it every day, and if I were to drive it IS the traffic I would have to deal with.  And I provided input on the traffic in that context.
It seems all the rage these days to rage at each other online.  Unfortunately I guess it is on its way to Ecuador.

The beauty with technology is that it is more objective than people. And that was my point with regards to Google Traffic. Any member, at anytime can see for themselves that state of traffic in real-time or view hourly historical data of traffic in Quito.

OsageArcher wrote:

vsimple wrote:

Experts estimate there are more than 2.5 million firearms in Colombia. That's a staggering number of guns on the streets of Colombia.

I would just point out that 2.5 million firearms in a country of about 50 million is not that much - that's just one firearm for every 20 people - the USA by comparison has more firearms than people!

https://www.google.com/search?q=us+numb … p;ie=UTF-8

Clearly, the number of firearms per se is not what makes a culture violent or non-violent - the USA with almost 400 million firearms just in civilian hands, is generally safer than Colombia (although there are US cities that are just about as bad, or even worse!).

I get what you're saying OsageArcher. But, this thread has become more or less Ecuador vs Colombia.

So, with this in mind. Let's look at some of the gun violence statistics in Colombia.

According to the International Red Cross, 301,900 Colombian victims attributed to armed groups from 2013-2017. Most of these victims (97%) were displaced others were either abused sexually or physically, robbed or threatened. And as you already know, this kind of violence still exists today as 150 Colombian families, just this week, fled Colombia to Ecuador because of armed violence between two groups. 

There is no parallel to this level of armed violence in Ecuador.

About the phone, I have republic wireless as my carrier, small company, no contract and cheap. It is a hybrid plan, combo of a voice over intenrt protocol (I think 5/month) and a normal cell tower plan (I think they use Sprint towers 15 bucks a month).  I have 2 phones that I got from them, an older Moto G that is locked and a new moyo x4 that is not locked. I am thinking to keep the VoIP plan only on the Moto g with my us number and it will work on any internet service. Then take me unlocked phone and get a Sim card locally that gives me calling, texting and some data access. Two questions, who should I use locally for the carrier and is it a good idea. 2 phones, one stays at home usually and is VOIP and the other fancier smart phone with an Ecudorian carrier

Bigbrad2008 wrote:

About the phone, I have republic wireless as my carrier, small company, no contract and cheap. It is a hybrid plan, combo of a voice over intenrt protocol (I think 5/month) and a normal cell tower plan (I think they use Sprint towers 15 bucks a month).  I have 2 phones that I got from them, an older Moto G that is locked and a new moyo x4 that is not locked. I am thinking to keep the VoIP plan only on the Moto g with my us number and it will work on any internet service. Then take me unlocked phone and get a Sim card locally that gives me calling, texting and some data access. Two questions, who should I use locally for the carrier and is it a good idea. 2 phones, one stays at home usually and is VOIP and the other fancier smart phone with an Ecudorian carrier

You're lucky as you'll be moving to Ecuador at a time of much improved internet phone connectivity even on the coast. Prices have also improved considerably, compared to a few years ago.

If you are a casual Internet user. The CNT, todos conectados, plan for $7.84 a month is a good option. CNT has good national coverage, and fellow forum member, Lebowski posted about using it on the coast for videoconferencing with no issues. With this plan, you'll get 2 GB of data, and also some minutes. The exact details are on this thread dedicated to mobile phone plans. If you have additional questions relating to wireless calling plans, it's perhaps best to post them on that thread that I linked as more members will be to see your questions relating to calling and internet phone plans.

Thanks, I put it here as there was one post in this thread about phone. Plus I dearly wanted the expert opinion of number boy.