zero magazine/cuenca - living with latitude premier issue

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ZER°m a g a z i n e CU

ENCA

Living with Latitude

Maité DuránA Portrait in Courage

N°01

When Does Divorce Become a Destination for Expats?

Rose Farming in EcuadorWords of Winston

Cuenca ArtWorld: The Lakomuna CollectiveMischief on the Tomebamba, A mystery by D.B. McNicols

2 Zero Magazine Cuenca, Issue 1

web design & development

the originators of thetwo largest expatwebsites in Ecuador!

gobig.ec

3www.ZeroCuenca.com

Contributors

Staff

Zero Magazine/Cuenca – Living with LatitudeP.O.Box 01-01-2067

Cuenca, Ecuador

Web: www.zerocuenca.comFacebook: zeromagcuenca

Twitter: ZeroCuenca

Writers: Buddy Winston, Carolyn V. Hamilton, Christine Collins, Clay Bodine, Dave

Johnson, D.B. McNicols, Felicia Brings, Frances Augusta Hogg, Glen Birbeck, Grace

Ordoñez, Henry Noel, Kathryn McCullough, Kelly Bennett, Manya Around-Thomas,

Martha Mays, Melina Mora Marks, Michelle Bakeman, Rick Duda, Tom Peddecord

Photographers: Debby Degamo Gala, Jaci Norwood, Jane Brinton, Jeff Schinsky, Linda

Longood, Lynn McCullough Brinegar

Sara Coppler, Publisher - [email protected]

Dave Johnson, Business Development - [email protected]

Bard Gale, Chief Operating Officer - [email protected]

Sheryl Cooper, Editor - [email protected]

Jamil Soliz Rivero, Marketing Director - [email protected]

Andrew Johnson, Intern - [email protected]

Zero Magazine/Cuenca - Living with Latitude, is Cuenca’s only printed English-language publication. It highlights the international lifestyle Cuenca offers a global community, a lifestyle located, specifically, in the environment of zero latitude. Here the equator embraces the entire planet. Here, where the earth’s circle is complete, we are local and global, whole and happy.In serving Cuenca’s international community, Zero Magazine/Cuenca is locally- and community-based. It is a free publication. Our editorial staff intends that the printed version’s hands-on experience will help readers feel tangibly and locally connected, while we, at the same time, honor and sometimes even highlight the larger international communities from which they’ve come. In this regard, the magazine is relevant to everyone who lives or works in Cuenca and anyone traveling or hoping to travel through Ecuador.Zero Magazine/Cuenca is online with a website dedicated to showcasing Cuenca and our surrounding communities. We provide updates on time-sensitive events and offer media, such as video and podcasts, which are beyond the scope of print publication.Zero Magazine/Cuenca is published by Zero Enterprises (Cuenca, Ecuador) in partnership with Positive Community Magazines, a part of Asheboro & More Marketing Incorporated (U.S.).

© Zero Enterprises, 2015

Cover Photo: R. Cawsey - Garden Planet StudiosDesign Layout: Asheboro & More Marketing Incorporated (U.S.)Printer: Imprenta UniGraf

Welcome to the premier issue of Zero Magazine/Cuenca—Living with Latitude!

We’re excited to create a print publication that connects members of the local and international community in and around Cuenca—to focus on the lifestyles and talents each of us contributes to our thriving city.

After more than twenty years in international development, I’m transplanting my passion for global community-building and localizing it in Cuenca, my home for almost two years. Thank you for joining me in this process. Thank you for making me feel welcome.

While Zero Magazine will grow and improve with each issue, I want to share some of the principles that have guided its creation.

Creating this publication is not just a job; it’s our passion. Together, we embrace diversity and self-expression. We treat each other with respect and dignity. And we hold one another to that same standard.

We want Zero Magazine/Cuenca to be a positive resource for those we serve.

We strive to be engaged—to connect with, laugh with, and uplift all of you.

When you, our readers and customers, feel this sense of belonging, we hope our magazine will become your place to feel connected, supported, and valued.

We expect Zero Magazine to be an integral part of the local community. We want to be good neighbors and a force for positive action—bringing together our readers in shared-change and partnered-growth.

We believe we can make a difference, but a greater difference when we work together.

Thank you for being part of Zero Magazine/Cuenca—Living with Latitude. We want to hear from you. Tell us how our growth can better serve you. Please, share with us via email or stop us on the street. Let’s meet, discuss, and support one another.

Thank you especially to Cuenca’s municipal government for making our city a thriving and exciting place to live. We look forward to the support of Mayor Marcelo Cabrera’s office. And we congratulate his administration on continuing the Tranvia Project, while at the same time finding the funds to initiate other civil enterprises to preserve and beautify el Centro.

Enjoy!

SARA“Community is where humility and glory touch." Henri Nouwen


CONTENTS

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER

ZER° PR°- Dental Care

ZER° PR°- Real Estate

REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE

HIST°RY- Ecuador Lore

COVER STORY - Maité Durán

ZER° PR°- Mind, Body & Spirit

HUM°R - Words of Winston

G°LDEN GIRL - When Does Divorce Become A Destination For Expats?

FICTI°N - Mischief on the Tomebamba

DISC°VERY - Rose Farming in Ecuador as Indigenous Opportunity

FEEDING REALITY - A Chef’s Perspective on Living in Cuenca

Successfully Dealing With Change and Transition As An Expat

RESTAURANT REVIEW - Caro Eats Cuenca: Creta

EXPAT TEEN - A Voice Worth Listening To

CUENCA ART W°RLD - Murals, Puppets, Music and Much, Much More

MAKING A DIFFERENCE - Introducing Rahel Ehrsam

FIRE & SUGAR - Cooking with Fire, Sugar, and Soul

You Never Know When You Will Meet Someone That Changes Your Life.

“Act of Kindness” - A Photo by Linda Longood

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ZER° PR° - Dental Care

The anxiety stricken dental patient is known as the dental phobic. The World Health Organization recognizes dental phobia as affecting approximately 15% of the world

population, the second cause of fear in population. Public speaking is the first. But what causes so much anxiety among patients? The most common reasons are: painful experiences at the dentist office during childhood; fear of pain; keeping one’s mouth open for long periods of time; anesthesia; economical worries; and being tethered to the chair. Another reason is the fear of contracting an infection from the dental instruments used.Some of the symptoms of phobia are: palpitations, excessive sweating, and shortness of breath, choking and embarrassment. This phobia may even cause patients to delay or cancel their visits to the dentist, causing small problems that could be easily treated to become problems of greater magnitude.How to avoid this anxiety? There is no treatment to eliminate anxiety yet,

however, there are many technological advances and new products to make the patient feel more relaxed. Dental anesthetics gels and patches used in the gums for the patient to feel more comfortable during cleanings and injections are available. Communication between the dentist and patient is extremely important. It is also highly recommended to start with easy or less complicated treatments first. And it never hurts to remember that behind the white coat there is a human being who cares about your teeth as much as you do.The information provided to patients is essential for their peace of mind and confidence. This is why I take the effort after each medical examination to explain clearly and accurately all dental treatments and all the alternative options. Together with my team, we will choose those treatments that are most appropriate, using the latest technology and materials to ensure the best smile. We have the philosophy of treating our patients as we would like to be treated and want to remove the angst of the dreaded dental chair.

The Dreaded Dental ChairBy Dr. Grace Ordoñez

Dr. Grace Ordoñez was born in the city of Loja and was raised in Cuenca. In 1995 she graduated dental school from the University of Cuenca. In her pursuit to continue with her education, she travelled to the United States, where she worked for Dr. Joel Beamen in the state of Connecticut.

Dr. Grace is a professional who maintains an excellent level of knowledge in dental practice by her continuous training and education. She and her team are highly qualified in all dental needs, such as: oral rehabilitation (bridges and crowns) endodontic, periodontics, and pediatric dentistry.

Work Center, Paucarbamba y Miguel Cordero, CuencaPhone: 07-409-1958 | www.especialidadesdentalescuenca.com | [email protected]

OFFICE HOURS: Monday – Friday: 8:30 am – 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm - 6:00 pm


Maité DuránA Portrait in Courage

Cuenca may be the number one destination for North Americans retiring overseas, but

the one woman responsible for facilitating more of those relocations than any other is Maité Durán. Along with her company, Gringo Visas (formerly Ecuador Movers), Maité has become, in less than half a decade, the most sought-out visa facilitator in Ecuador.

By Kathryn M. McCullough

Photo By: R. CawseyGarden Planet Studios

7www.ZeroCuenca.com

Yet, that’s only part of the story. The real value Maité offers all of us is, not just her service, but also the story behind that success, one that can be instructive to any of us not wanting to stumble in Ecuador. On the surface, a rags-to-riches tale, Durán’s is also a story about family, a portrait in courage. For, yes, Maité triumphed over adversity, but she worked hard for years, earning the bulk of her wealth in the US. And she did this, not so she herself could gain, but so her siblings could be educated and her mother could live more comfortably.

Maité’s father died when she was five-years-old, leaving her to work on the streets of Ecuador’s Santa Isabel by the time she was seven. Her first job was selling water balloons during Carnaval, work that was followed by the peddling of home-made Popsicles, the kind sold in parks and buses everywhere in the country. Durán soon discovered she could also sell coconuts in her school, dividing them into individual servings to maximize profit. She eventually landed work at a Western Union, where she honed the money management skills she’d developed on the streets as a small child—all this by the age of fifteen, when she informed her mother she was going to the US.

She had noticed while working for Western Union that all the money transferred to Ecuador from the US came by way of Danbury, Connecticut. Maité was determined to go there, though it took two more years before her mother would allow that to happen.

In 2000, Durán flew to the US with only the clothes on her back and not even a dollar in her pocket. She may have been a beauty queen in Santa Isabel, but what she found upon landing in Connecticut was less than lovely. She lived in a small room with eight girls, even sharing a bed. One acquaintance loaned her the dollar she needed to take the bus to her initial interview, and another, the funds to purchase the non-slip shoes she wore for her first job at McDonald’s, working the drive-through window and scrubbing floors.

After a year, Maité was earning enough to support herself and attend high school. She went to class during the day, worked afternoons and nights, and studied English during spare moments, anything to minimize her language anxiety. In only two years she graduated with honors, going on to do a myriad of jobs, everything from factory work to bussing tables,

Photo By: Jane Brinton


from bagging groceries to, eventually, managing the other employees in that same super-market checkout.

Maité learned a third language, when renting from a Portuguese landlady. So, when hired by a mortgage company, she was able to translate for both Spanish and Portuguese-speaking clients. Soon she went on to become a loan officer herself, in fact, the most successful in the region. Because of this, Durán was asked to host a Comcast television show, on which she helped Hispanic immigrants understand the US homeowner experience, interviewing insurance companies and real estate attorneys.

Eventually, she met and married a Cuencano, who had also come to Connecticut, and three years later son David was born. By this time, Maité was able to purchase a home for her family in the US and put her siblings through college and graduate school. One has already finished medical school; two more will soon become doctors!

In 2011, Durán and her husband decided to return, with their son, to Ecuador. Maité had earned enough in Connecticut that she no longer needed to work outside the home. Still, her entrepreneurial spirit

would not allow her to spend the rest of her life as a house-wife. So, in Cuenca, a visa-facilitating business hired her to answer emails and schedule appointments, and when the staff didn’t perform efficiently, Durán pitched in, becoming the most popular facilitator in the company. Soon after this, she broke her foot, and while laid up, had potential clients calling and visiting, asking HER to facilitate their visa application process. When this happened, Maité started her own business.

Eventually, Durán renamed her company “Gringo Visas” out of love for her Canadian niece, the first in the family to be born in North America and whom Maité affectionately calls “my little Gringita.” Since son David also identifies as “Gringito,” it seemed fitting the name should honor these “gringo” cousins.

Durán’s company now has a staff of nearly a dozen in Ecuador and the US. When praised for her work, however, Maité won’t accept that accolade for herself, only. Rather, she credits the team of professionals with whom she collaborates. The value she places on family has helped her understand teamwork and appreciate what each of her colleagues contributes to


9www.ZeroCuenca.com

the success of Gringo Visas.

However, the emphasis Maité places on family is even more evident when she talks about her mother, a life-long mentor, who modeled a strong work ethic. When Durán was a child, her mother served roast pig along the side of the street. But this was never as simple as serving up food to hungry “almuerzo” eaters. Rather, it involved finding the animal, buying it at a reasonable price, taking it home, figuring out how, as a young mother, to kill the creature on her own, then transporting it once more, so it could be roasted and sold. It’s from her mother that Maité learned to leverage limited funds, to serve clients efficiently, giving them the most pork for their “gringo” dollar.

Durán’s story is many-sided, an Ecuadorian tale about business success motivated, not by a desire to get, but by a passion to give. Hers is a savvy, not rooted in greed, but in gratitude. Maité’s work may connect continents, but she does more than straddle the cultural divide between North and South America. She transforms an experience of need into a legacy of service. She bridges the larger divide between those of us who take to Cuenca’s streets

with the best in high-tech backpacks, and the aging indigenous women, hunched under massive bundles, and struggling past San Francisco Plaza. In short, Durán offers her clients an invaluable service, but she should earn from all of us is, not only her fee, but also our respect.

Yet this is an American story, as well, a story about courage, the tale of anyone who has overcome adversity. Durán may remember a past when neighbors helped feed her, but she knows now what it means to be rich in insight that is, at once, deeply personal and intensely global. Her tale, because it is rooted in family, is able to transcend location—bringing people and places together. Because she lived this rite of passage, Maité is uniquely equipped to serve the international community, helping clients acquire the visa’s right TO passage, the right to a good life on a new continent. In short, Durán can ground us “gringos” in a country that is rich in its love of family and the value it places on hospitality, its welcoming of strangers, serving them, as Maité’s mother had, plates of pork in a new land.

Kathryn McCullough is a Cuenca-based author and artist who blogs at “Reinventing the Event Horizon” and at the Huffington Post. Originally from Pittsburgh, she is writing a memoir about her childhood called Kids Make the Best Bookies, and in Cuenca, she co-founded idiomART Studio, where she teaches furniture workshops and upcycling as part of the creative process.

Photo By: R. CawseyGarden Planet Studios



ZER° PR° - Mind, Body & Spirit

The Cuenca Center for Oriental Healing Arts offers a variety of services to address the health and well-being of the Mind, Body and Spirit. Our services compliment and integrate Eastern medical modalities with Western medical proficiencies. We offer Acupuncture, Craniosacral Therapy, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Reiki treatments, Therapeutic Massage and Tui Na

Massage (Chinese Medical Massage), Cosmetic Acupuncture and Fertility Treatments. Our classes include Tai Chi Chuan, Qigong and Yoga. We are located at Ricardo Darque Granda 4 - 38 y Reginaldo Arizaga, Cuenca, Ecuador

Phone: Claro: 0979 357 617 / Movistar: 0987 805 452 | www.ccoha.org | Contact us at: [email protected]

When you read the title what comes to mind? I know that depends on why and within what

perspective the question is being asked (i.e. physical or esoteric), but I am asking it in the context of understanding; the understanding that mind, body, and spirit are three components of self. Now, what in the world does that mean?In ancient cultures mind, body, and spirit were treated by one member of the community (Shaman, Medicine Man, etc.). When you suffered an illness, injury, or tragedy, your mind, body, and spirit were treated together as a whole (holistically). In modern cultures mind, body, and spirit are treated by three different members of the community (Psychiatrist, Doctor, and Priest or Rabbi, etc.). When you suffer an illness, injury, or tragedy your mind, body, and spirit are treated separately, and the whole is never considered, eliminating the holistic concept of healing.If health (well-being) were placed into a mathematical formula, (work with me on this), health would be equal to the sum of mind, body, and spirit. More specifically, it is the health of the mind, plus the health of the body, plus the health of the spirit that equals overall health (well-being.)According to Merriam–Webster:Mind: the element or complex of elements in an individual that feels, perceives, thinks, wills, and especially reasons.Body: a person's or animal's whole physical self.Spirit: the force within a person

that is believed to give the body life, energy, and power or the inner quality or nature of a person.At some point in our lives we all understand what health is because we begin to lose it and become ill. For some of us, that has already happened and we are working on those issues. For some of us, it has just begun and we are searching for the answers of what to do now. For some of us, health issues are what other people have and we‘re not concerned about it. It seems it’s not until we face a health concern of our own that we even think about our health. We all know someone who has suffered a heart attack or has been diagnosed with diabetes. We feel bad for them, but we only begin to change our lifestyle after WE have been given the same diagnosis. We can’t change our past (although we were supposed to have learned from it), but we can deal with the NOW and plan for the future. As it stands, our lifestyle dictates our health. What if we reversed that pattern and allowed our health-style to dictate our life? The result could be that the illnesses we presently suffer from, or will suffer from in the future, might never manifest. There’s a lot of truth in the adage that “we are what we eat.” But we are also what we think, what we believe, and how we react. What I’m trying to do is present the plausibility that if we spent a little time supporting our mind-health, body-health and spirit-health we develop a health-style that just might reduce the illness in us now and perhaps tomorrow’s illnesses.

We also have to understand there is a communication network between mind, body and spirit and how each feels is communicated to the others. For example: If we eat correctly, exercise and nurture our body but we allow the stresses and emotions of life to depress our mind, we still get ill. We are considered healthy so long as mind, body and spirit are healthy. When one element becomes ill, the others are affected regardless of what we are doing to prevent it. In order to keep the whole healthy we must keep each element healthy.So how do we keep our mind, body, and spirit healthy? 1. Stress is the major contributor to illness and fear is the major component in stress. Learning to reduce our fears reduces our stress which supports a healthy mind, body, and spirit.2. Dietary practices contribute to how healthy our mind, body, and spirit are. Eating healthier and bringing healthier attitudes to the table supports a healthy mind, body and spirit.3. Exercise, and the attitude we bring to exercise, contributes to the healthiness of our mind, body, and spirit.4. Relaxation counteracts the effects of fear and stress and generates a healthier environment for mind, body, and spirit.When we decide to get healthier, we must acknowledge it’s not just a part of us we want to get healthy, it’s the whole of us we want to get healthy: Mind, Body, and Spirit.

A subsidiary of:

Mind + Body + Spirit = A Formula For HealthBy the staff of Cuenca Centro de Arte en Curación Oriental

11www.ZeroCuenca.com

Words of WinstonBy Buddy Winston

GALAPAGOSWhere animals watch cruise ship passengers to see if there are signs of evolution

CORNOGRAPHYExpats get excited to learn the different exotic versions

SHIPPING CONTAINERMethod of delivering stress and anxiety from the States

CUENCA RAINY SEASONNo one really knows

EXPAT WEIGHT LOSSAfter seeing what happens to the pigs on the side of the road

ECUADOR ANIMAL RESCUEMany Cuy now dress up as Schnauzers

BUS FUMESHow El Centro hides graffiti

WHY UNESCO APPROVED TRANVIABy the time the train is ready it will be antique

Buddy Winston, a Cuenca resident, is a former film and television writer, including the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He was responsible for writing Jay’s nightly monologue for many years. His book “An Out Of Buddy Experience” is available on Amazon.

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HUM°R


A mix of both desperation and quiet determination

hung over me as I waited on the curb of the Las Vegas airport to be picked up by a stranger. It had been a long twenty hour journey from Cuenca to my arrival in Vegas. I was exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally. I had left Cuenca and my marriage to seek a divorce in Nevada. It was not something I had anticipated would happen when my husband and I moved to Cuenca in 2011. We had been counting on a wonderful life of shared new experiences and adventures. What happened to me? And what has happened to many other expats whose dreams of a new life in a new land have ended in divorce? I am going to return to Cuenca when this divorce ordeal is over. I will be poorer; I will be alone; yet, at least, I know I can return and continue to create a positive expat life for myself in Cuenca. After four years of living there already and being blessed with a strong network on friends, I know I will survive.What is one thing that keeps me going? I know I am not the only expat going through this. Although the government doesn’t keep statistics on how many expat marriages end in divorce, I know from personal acquaintance that other expats in Cuenca divorced after they arrived there. I am not alone in this journey. And I draw comfort and strength from remembering that.Late in 2013, I wrote A Golden Girl’s Guide to Retirement in Cuenca, a self-help/ tour guide book loaded with valuable information and contacts to help other women get settled into their new lives in Cuenca. Since there is an on-going need for expat newcomers to connect in a fun, safe and contact rich environment, I created Golden Girl in Cuenca Networking

Luncheons. They have been wildly successful and helpful to a variety of women newcomers in Cuenca. When I wrote the book, little did I suspect then how useful the contacts from my book and luncheons would become for me.

When I finally realized that divorce was the only option, I tapped into my Golden Girl in Cuenca Networking group and contacted a new friend who then called one of her friends who lives in Vegas. She

asked her friend if she’d be willing to rent a bedroom and bathroom to me for a couple of months. That’s the power of women networking and social contacts.

For Americans, statistics say that between 60 -67% of second marriages end in divorce. For third time marriages, the divorce rate rises to a whopping 70-73%. Although no one is collecting data yet on expat divorce, just imagine how the pressures of living in a foreign culture as a fish out-of-water, combined with the flip-side of living a more affordably glamorous life (for some), may impact the expat divorce rate. So when does divorce become a destination for expats in Cuenca?

I interviewed four other Cuenca expats, plus myself, who have already divorced or are in the process. Are there common threads that run throughout these

stories and what might we learn from them?

• Each of these marriages were either second or third marriages.

• Being together 24/7 as expats in Cuenca was not a

reality that couples dealt with previously in the U.S.

• Although both partners agreed to the move to Cuenca, once established here, only one of the partners made an effort to be social and tap into existing expat social networks.

G°LDENGIRL

When Does Divorce Become A Destination For Expats?

By Christine Collins


• Only one of the partners learned Spanish or seriously attempted to do so.

• In 3 of 4 marriages, the reality of living on a fixed retirement income was a negative, as one spouse continually complained about not having enough money. For example, “how many hats do you have to buy at San Francisco Market when we are living on a fixed income?”

• In four of the five marriages, one spouse was the “dependent” on the retiree visa of the other spouse. The ramifications for this and divorce are huge. I’ll use myself as an example. When we moved to Ecuador in 2011, I was a dependent upon my husband’s retiree visa. I was not old enough to collect Social Security on my own. Since I am initiating the divorce, I will lose my Residency Visa and Cedula. Before I return to Cuenca, as I deal with all of the aspects of this divorce in Nevada, I also have to pay and organize all of the new paperwork necessary for me to get a visa on my own. No visa = no return to Cuenca. It’s a significant stress and expense to an already stressful event.

• Each one of us had to return to the U.S. to obtain a divorce. This involved establishing residency, renting a place to live, living expenses, divorce fees and the cultural shock of living back in the U.S. Often we are alone and without support because we are in a new environment, like Las Vegas.

•Each of the five of us went to an attorney in Cuenca before we decided to divorce. What did we hear?

1. That our marriages had to be registered at the Civil Registry in Cuenca and signed by both parties prior to any divorce proceedings.

2. That we had to be citizens of Ecuador before we could get a divorce.

3. That there is no divorce in Ecuador, only annulment, which may have different legal/financial consequences.

4. The best advice? Go back to the US and deal with it there.

I am coming home to Cuenca sooner rather than later, but with divorce as merely a point of departure, rather than a dream, dead-ended. Divorce will not be this Golden Girl's expat destination.

Christine Collins is the author of A Golden Girl’s Guide to Retirement in Cuenca, available on Amazon Kindle and Nook. To learn more about Christine’s background and the Golden Girl events, please go to www.goldengirlincuenca.com

“I have tried everything, spent thousands; nothing worked. This is my last option!”

“I can’t concentrate or remember anything, not my friends’ names, not even what I did a few minutes

ago.” “I sleep two hours a night if I am lucky.

My life is a shamble.”“I suffered a stroke and cannot function the way I

used to. I’m scared.”“I don’t have a reason to live anymore.

I just want to die.”

“I’m out of control. I frighten and drive away the ones I love most.”

Do you relate to one or more of these statements?

We can now take advantage of the brain’s natural tendency to respond. By listening to the brain, we are able to retrain it, taking its existing electrical

activity, filtering it, and feeding it back to the brain as a suggestion, through sound.

That is the essence of Brainwave Optimization™ (BWO). It is a brief, noninvasive approach to a complex subject. BWO collaborates with the

brain to improve functioning. BWO only takes weeks/months to retrain the brain, where indirect

approaches take months/years, if ever.

Receive a FREE one-hour demonstration of the BWO process. Brain Dynamics will open its doors

in Cuenca in March, 2015. Call or write Dr. Kelly Bennett for an appointment.

BRAIN DYNAMICSDR. KELLY BENNETT

[email protected] | 099 302 0943Primero de Mayo y Fernando de Aragon Esquina

Depar. 3A Cuenca, Azuay, Ecuador


Soon after my wife Laura and I arrived in Cuenca in November of 2013, we began to look for a place to live, a process that took us on a three week walking tour of the El

Centro district. In addition to the beautiful colonial architecture, cobblestoned streets and “tranquilo” vibe, we noticed amazingly accomplished street art scattered everywhere throughout the downtown and surrounding areas. And we had seen a lot of street murals. Several years before we arrived we had done a study of art communities, and especially street art collectives in California and the Eastern United States for the Santa Barbara Foundation. Research took us on a tour from San Francisco to Boston, Providence, Western Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. With muralists like Banksy, Brazilian brothers Os Gêmeos, Shepherd Fairey and countless others, street murals had truly “arrived.” However, what amazed us about our new home in Ecuador, was how good the work was in Cuenca.This shouldn’t have been such a surprise since the city has been home to some of the best artists and craftspeople in South America for hundreds of years, but art here is really something special. We were especially pleased to be in the city during the Bienal when more than 40 major street works were commissioned by the city of Cuenca. When we eventually found our new home in the San Sebastian

parish and began to comb the neighborhood for examples, we noticed two striking pieces at the top of the stairs to the Otorongo Plaza. Both were well executed and interesting murals that were both beautiful and socially conscious. As luck would have it, there were two young artists hard at work on a wrap-around piece on the patio wall of a house half-way down the stairs. Laura walked over to the metal gate below and called out to them, “Do you know who painted the murals at the top of the stairs?” she asked hopefully in English. There was obviously a bit of confusion about how to answer, followed by the universal gesture. Pointing to themselves, they clearly meant “us.” Laura had pioneered a well-known mural project in Santa Barbara and felt she had to know more about these young street painters, so she quickly replied, “muy bonita.” In a few seconds the door opened and Daza Zambrano appeared to open the gate and invite us inside.It turned out that this was the home and studio of the Lakomuna (the community) Art Collective and we were about to meet two of the founders and principle artists of the group. Both of us are also artists, so we have a special fondness for visiting studios and this was a wonderful way to learn more about the art scene in Cuenca. Daza and his colleague Ricky Nuñez hail from the coastal city of Machala and were in

Murals, Puppets, Music and Much, Much More (The Lakomuna Collective)

By Clay Bodine

Photo By Clay Bodine

CUENCAART

W°RLD

Photo By Clay Bodine

Cuenca to study art at the University of Cuenca. Not only are they both talented practitioners in a variety of visual art genres, they play in the Lakomuna band, make beautiful hand puppets and were principal organizers of the Cuarto Aparte Alternative Art conference held during the Cuenca Bienal in March of 2014.

After a tour of the studio and a brief description of recent projects, we mentioned that we had a large wall in our 80 year old colonial house and wondered if they might be interested in creating a mural for the space. Daza, Ricky and fellow Lakomuna resident Josue Atencia, a law student at UC who speaks English, joined us for a drink that night. Our only criteria for the work was that it be inspirational.

After they submitted a sketch we agreed on parameters for a mural and the three, along with several other members, painted the stunning mural below in three consecutive evenings. From these beginnings developed a fruitful collaboration that would continuously evolve over the past 12 months.

As young artists, Lakomuna has adopted a unique way of working that reflects a trend in contemporary art. Instead of focusing on the ego-driven "solitary genius" model, Lakomuna is all about collaboration. Not only do they almost always sign their work with their group signature, they frequently encourage spectators to join in the "co-creation" process. This way of working has led to some stunning recent successes, including a group mural at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Hazlo Voz Mismo, installations and giant puppets for the FDS Halloween event, and, an interactive installation at the Central Bank (Pumapongo) Museum, curated by visiting UC art professor Julio Cesar Abad Vidal, and an upcoming gallery show in Los Angeles. Most of all, the Lakomuna Collective is interested in expanding their list of murals and other works in Cuenca and have lined up several for the near future. For more information about Lakomuna or to discuss potential project commissions, contact Daza, Ricky and company at: [email protected]

An independent affiliate of Santa Barbara, California’s Fishbon collaborative, Fishbon del Sur’s purpose is to provide a forum, education and support for creative collaboration, mentorship and the visceral experience of visual, aural and performance-based art. It is also provides exhibition media (space and residencies) for the artists and their work. Housed in an 80 year old colonial house in Cuenca, Ecuador’s El Centro district, Fishbon del Sur seeks to blend the dynamic creative cultures of Southern California (North America), and the highlands of Ecuador for mutual exploration and collaborative expression. For more information contact us at: [email protected]

Photo By Sara Coppler





In Ecuador disabled persons are often kept out of sight. This can be because of the stigma attached to imperfect

children, but sometimes it’s simply because they don’t have the necessary tools, such as wheelchairs, to live in open society.

This exclusion of the handicapped is why special-needs-education professional Rahel Ehrsam and social worker Petra Schneider came from Switzerland to Otavalo in 2011. There they founded a European-style learning center for intellectually-challenged young people, called Cafécetera. The program provided art, drama and culinary training. The clientele earned wages and learned life skills while serving coffee and selling their breads, cakes and marmalade in the café.

Unfortunately, in Otavalo people don’t go out for coffee very often.

A move to a more cosmopolitan center was necessary. In September 2014, Rahel and her

partner, music teacher Washo Buendia, established Fundación Tácapad in Cuenca. Clients attend the center three days per week, receiving supplementary education in language, mathematics, art, music, computers and cookery classes. Additionally, the Ministerio de Inclusión Económica y Social requires that that handicapped children be integrated into the school system. Accordingly, Rahel periodically provides Ecuadorian teachers with training

in special-education inclusion techniques.

Tácapad provides its clients with stimulating and fun things to do. The young people bake breads and cakes and make pickles and condiments, which Rahel hopes will eventually provide a means for her special students to make money; however, this must be done in accord with strict laws regarding employment of the handicapped. While some of Tácapad’s clients live with their supportive families, others live in an institution because their families are unable to care for them. But all of them enjoy the opportunity to come out from behind their high walls, and into the light of the world.

For further information about Rahel’s and Washo’s work, visit www.fundaciontacapad.wix.com.

Frances Augusta Hogg is an editor, writer, and volunteer teacher and animal rescue worker. She is the author of What’s Cookin’, Cuenca? A Gringo’s Guide to Buying and Preparing Food in Ecuador.

MAKINGA

DIFFERENCEIntroducing Rahel Ehrsam

By Frances Augusta Hogg

CUENCA! EXPATS! LOVE! - Bringing It All Together

It's very simple, really. We are a group of expats who LOVE CUENCA and want to show it. We love this city's beautiful architecture, its warmth and hospitality to newcomers, its art and creative energy and, of course, its stunning visual beauty. LOVE CUENCA was conceived with the idea of giving something back to our lovely adopted city - and, equally important - to have fun doing it!

LOVE CUENCA does an event - usually the last Saturday of each month - to express our love and appreciation. In the several months we've been operating, we've cleaned up some of the debris

along the Rio Tomebamba, given free car washes to Cuenca's taxis, made sock puppets for several orphanages and visited a shelter for victims of domestic violence, giving the women there a day devoted to pampering them (along with lots of special goodies for their kids.)

No expertise is required to be part of LOVE CUENCA, just a desire to have fun and do something good. We welcome members' ideas for projects as well as their active participation. And we'd love to have you join us!

Check us out on Facebook at LOVE CUENCA. Come feel the love..


Real Estate Interior Design Radio Show Hosts www.ecuadoratyourservice.com Tel: 098 7648030

Ashley & Michel


DISC°VERY

Rose Farming in Ecuador as Indigenous Opportunity

It’s not the aroma of roses that overwhelms us when we visit Blooming Acres. Rather it’s the sheer size of the greenhouses, the hectares upon hectares of huge plants, towering like totems to growing global demand

for this important Ecuadorian export.

Few industries in the country have increased employment options for indigenous populations more than rose farming in the Sierra Highlands. A business at the cutting edge of that upward curve is Ecuaplanet, which runs three farms near Quito, including Blooming Acres, and produces more than 1.5 million stems per month. While husband and wife team Alvaro Muñoz and Marisa Arroyo are helping to generate this new opportunity, these business owners also credit the dedicated labor of their indigenous employees for the success of their company, in particular, and the industry’s growth, in general.

Here are some of the faces and spaces cultivating this agricultural evolution and Ecuador’s own economic harvest.

Story by Kathryn McCullough | Photos by Lynn McCullough Brinegar

According to Marisa Arroyo most rose farm laborers are indigenous women. They wear the rubber boots in the industry.


In a hidden corner of the foothills in the Ecuadorian

Andes, 10 minutes from Cuenca, is a beautiful and modern

hot springs oasis. Piedra de Aqua, a hot spring spa, is

built almost entirely from volcanic limestone. Its modern

architecture design provides a serene and stress-free

environment. Some of the services include: thermal pools,

steam baths, volcanic red and blue mud pools, steam box

baths. Aditional services include massage caves, skin

treatments & volcanic mud treatment.

While visiting Piedra de Agua, you can also enjoy our

Dragonfly Restaurant; whose menu of healthy, organic-

only food is a fusion of international cuisine and local

gastronomy.

Follow us on facebook: Piedra de Agua-Fuente Termal & SpaTwitter: @PiedraDeAgua spa

Tripadvisor : Piedra de Aqua-Fuente Termal & Spainstagram: @piedradeaguaspa


"A gift for the body and the senses"

Parroquia Baños,Paseo de la Guadalupana y Calle S/N

TELF: (593)7 2892496 / [email protected]

BAÑOS

Monday to Saturday from 6 am until 10:00 pmSundays from 6 am until 7:00 pm

www.piedradeagua.com.ec


RESTAURANTREVIEW

Tucked away upstairs in the Mall Del Rio, in that row of back shops that stretch from Coral to the Roman fountain, is a lovely café & restaurant called Creta.

The café is open to the mall and the menu is mostly crepes, donuts, crostinis, and sandwiches, including a Cubano and a BLT. The adjacent restaurant is a formal dining room with an elaborate menu. Even if you prefer to sit in the café, you can ask for the dining room menu and order from that if you prefer.

Besides typical Ecuadorean fare, such as Bolón de Verde, Tamal Cuencano and Locro De Papas, you can also enjoy crepes, soups, salads and creative pollo, carne and pescado dishes.

Appetizers include Calamari Roman Style, Shrimp in Garlic Sauce and a Crab Tartare With Guacamole & Shrimp. Besides Locros de Papas, you can delight in a Crème of Squash and Mussel soup and a delicious Lobster Bisque. Salads include a Classic Caesar, Grilled Pear & Blue Cheese, Grilled Vegetables with Mozzarella, and greens with Shrimp Covered With Bacon & Honey.

A nice selection of five pollo dishes include Chicken Supreme with Mango Chutney, Dried Tomato & Ginger; Chicken Stuffed With Mozzarella, Prosciutto & Bell Peppers; or Grilled Chicken with Tarragon Sauce. There are six pasta dishes including Spaghetti With Four Cheeses, Spinach Raviolis in Pomodoro Sauce, and Black Fettuccini with Seafood Sauce & Tomato.

Pescado dishes include Trout in Sweet Corn Sauce with Tomatoes & Shrimp, Corvina in Pomodoro & Basil Sauce, and a pricey ($20.50) Salmon with Crab Crust & Artichokes & Hollandaise Sauce.

The five Carnes include Chateaubriand With Pink Pepper Sauce, a Filet Stuffed With Roquefort Cheese & Port Sauce or a Grilled Loin Steak With Apple & Cinnamon Sauce that range in price from $10 to $13.

Postres are equally creative and delicious. In addition to Tiramisu, you’ll find Chocolate & Hazelnut Mousse, Nougat Almond and Macadamia Ice Cream with Frangelico, and more.

There’s a wide variety of juices, cappuccinos and specialty coffees. Beers and cocktails are a bit pricey, ranging from $3.45 for a Club Verde to $12.49 for an Old Fashioned.

The good news is that prices include taxes and servicio.

On the café menu, I love the mushroom crepe for $4.87. That and a glass of house white wine (usually Chilean) make an elegant and satisfying lunch.

Sometimes we’ve seen Ecuadorean families in the afternoon in the dining room celebrating birthdays and confirmations. It’s fun to see the children dressed in little suits and fluffy dresses.

Caro Eats CuencaCreta

By Carolyn V. Hamilton


Use Creta’s bathrooms instead of the mall’s public bathrooms. Creta’s bathrooms are clean, elegant, and

less populated.

Carolyn V. Hamilton is Editor of the Adventuress- Travel-Magazine.com for women over 50 doing fun things. She has also published several books, her latest is a Las Vegas memoir, “Coming to Las Vegas: A true tale of sex, drugs & Sin City in the 70s”.

Stacey L. Jaudon, LCSWCultivating courage,

compassion, & connection through mind-body

psychotherapy

098 [email protected]

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk

it took to blossom." - Anais Nin

Many of us walk through our lives asleep – we are asleep to the way we protect ourselves from pain, to the way we are stuck in our patterns, and to the process of cultivating our inner resources. There is nothing more isolating than

feeling frustrated or frightened and not having a safe place to reach out for empathy and understanding.

I provide a warm and supportive therapeutic space where we collaborate to wake your Self up to the life you want to live. I companion individuals, couples, and groups as they recognize and change patterns, developing compassion for

themselves and others.

My primary therapeutic approaches are Internal Family Systems (IFS), Eye Movement Desensitization and

Reprocessing (EMDR), and the Enneagram Personality Transformational Model. We will work together to move

you from being asleep to increasing mindfulness, resiliency, and well-being.

I am passionate about helping people realize their own inherent worth and value -- it is never to late to begin

living life the way you were created to live it! Discovering inner strengths and struggles allows for the cultivation

of empathy and compassion for our selves and our relationships. Resiliency and authenticity become the

foundation in which to meet life's ups and downs, twists and turns.

I look forward to working with you!

Providing Medical Help, Hope & Healing to Children in Need

Helping Kids in Ecuador partners with the renowned Fundacion Cinterandes, founded by Dr. Edgar Rodas, delivering surgical care to the needy, especially in remote regions of Ecuador.

Our goal is to provide life saving, life enhancing surgeries to impoverished children in Ecuador.

We CAN make a difference saving one child at a time. But we need your help.

HKIE is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization

Please donate:helpingkidsinecuador.orgcinterandes.org

DONATE

THE DISCOVERY

The day started so innocently, a leisurely stroll along the Tomebamba accompanied by my

partner and our Golden Retriever, Mister, who was busy sniffing each and every bush as he ran along the riverbank ahead of us. The sun was out, the azure sky was cloudless and the mountains around our adopted home watched over us. After the heavy flooding of previous weeks, the river was almost back to normal. I could still see a lot of downed trees with debris hanging from their dying limbs. But all in all, it was a postcard perfect day.

Our walk was interrupted when Mister unceremoniously dropped a water-logged red shoe in front of me. As I picked it up, intending to drop it in the next trash receptacle we passed, he ran back to the river. Turning to Chas, jogging in place beside me, I felt, rather than saw, Mister depositing his next treasure on my foot. Looking down I saw a battered old flat cap or driving cap, as my dad always called them. I handed Chas the shoe, picked up the hat and examined it with interest. Constructed from wool, the tweedy pattern was faded and the label inside was undecipherable. The weathering appeared to be more from years of wear than the time spent in the river. I wondered what the story was behind the cap, wondered who might be missing it.

“What the?” Chas chuckled. “When did Mister decide to actually become a retriever?”

Mister obviously took offense at the slur against his heritage and decided this was the right time to shake the excess water off his body and onto Chas. Before Chas could hand me the shoe and grab Mister's collar, Mister was running back to the riverbank.

“He's just sharing his finds with us. Looks like a lot of stuff got washed along from the flooding.” I held the shoe in one hand and the cap in the other. “Wonder who lost these?”

Chas began jogging in place again, “Who cares, lots of junk in the-” His mouth continue opening and closing like a fish out of water but no sound came out.

“What's wrong?”

He pointed to Mister coming towards us with something odd in his mouth. His voice returned, “Oh my God, what does he have now? It looks like...like...” He paused then shrieked, “It's a hand! A HUMAN hand!”

My heart rate sky rocketed as I shouted, “Drop it, Mister! Drop it right now!”, then promptly sank to the ground opposite Mister, who was wagging his tail as he sat proudly in front of his treasure.

THE POLICE

“Get off the phone, Chas. You know my Spanish sucks,” I hissed in desperation.

Chas held up one finger and continued talking.

“They're getting out of the car. Hang up now.” I wasn't too proud to beg. “PLEASE!” My limited Spanish inconveniently fled my brain at the sight of the police

officers heading our way.

“Just one more minute,” Chas whispered and returned to his conversation.

I sighed, put on my most charming smile and greeted the scowling officers. “Buenas tardes, Señor Officers.” Okay, I was using Manglish (mangling the Spanish) but I hoped my smile would break the ice.

They greeted me and within a few sentences the conversation dissolved into machine gun Spanish. I was lost. Fortunately, Chas had ended his phone conversation and was explaining Mister's findings to the officers. I hear more sirens and see two motorcycle police arriving, as well as three more police cars. So much for our quiet afternoon walk.

The officers formed a circle around the hat, sneaker and hand. I hear a few words that I recognize. Sombrero, mano, perro, gringo...wait, are they talking about the hand or us? I tried to whisper discretely to Chas who was busy listening to the officers. “What are they saying? Are they talking about us?”

He shook his head, motioning for me to be quiet as he moved closer to the officers.

The group conversation grew louder and more heated. The men jostled for position around the objects in question. Radio calls interrupted the discussion and within minutes both the motorcycle cops and one patrol car departed, leaving five officers present. The tallest one took charge, seeming to be the senior

FICTI°N

Zero Magazine Cuenca, Issue 124

Mischief on the Tomebamba

by D.B. McNicol

officer. As he approached us, I stiffened in terror. We were going to be arrested, I was sure of it. I grabbed Chad's hand and squeezed.

“They're going to arrest us, aren't they.” My voice cracked as I tried to whisper low enough the officer wouldn't hear.

“Shhh, let me do the talking.” Chas squared his shoulders, regal in all his six-foot, two-inch height and I tried to shrink into the ground beside him.

I struggled to understand what is being said but all I heard was, “Blah, blah, blah, mano, blah, blah, Tomebamba, blah...” All conversation halted as the two officers who had gone down to the river's edge shouted loudly. We followed the other officers to see what was up with all the commotion.

Stopping short on the top of the bank, I gasped, “Chas, I'm going to faint.”

“No you're not. You've seen dead bodies before. You were an ER tech.”

“Yeah, and I left it because I hated seeing dead bodies.”

The officers struggled but finally pulled a body up onto the riverbank. A body missing one hand.

THE GOSSIP

Overheard the next day at the favorite gringo watering holes:

“They found a dead body in the river yesterday.”

“You're kidding!”

“No honest, I read it in the Gringo Bulletin”

“Who believes that old rag, buncha trash.”

“No really, it's true. I know the guys who found it.”

“Was it a local or an expat?”

“Pretty sure it was an expat but no one has any idea who.”

“Wow, we need to go into the expats groups online and post this. Maybe someone will know who it was. Was there any description given?”

{More people join in the conversations.}

“You guys talking about the body they dragged outta the river? I heard a dog attacked the guy and chewed off his hand.”

“Really? I missed that. What kind of dog?”

“Dunno, belongs to a couple of expats.”

“I would more think a street dog would do that. They're always hungry and looking for something to eat.”

“Naw, they're usually pretty gentle. But I've seen a couple of expats dogs I wouldn't mess with. Shepherds and Rotties.”

“Hey Joe, c'mere.”

“Whatsup?”

“A dog killed an expat and then dragged him into the river. Know anyone who's missing?”

“Nope. I'll call Anita, she might have an idea. She knows everyone.”

By midday the online groups were rife with speculation as to the Who, What, When and, well, they already knew the Where.

“I bet it was that new realtor guy, the one selling all the upscale stuff. You know, penthouses and country fincas.”

“I think it's drugs. It's always drugs. They come down here from the states and think it's an easy way to make money. Idiots, they're all



idiots.”

“Stop comparing everything to the States. You're in Ecuador now.”

“I bet he was a terrorist, they're everywhere now... Probably a Muslim.”

“You're being racist. Stop generalizing about people.”

“Why can't we all just get along? We're all God's children.”

“NO RELIGION! It's against the rules.”

“This conversation is getting out of hand. Where are the admins?”

“Say, anyone know where to buy chocolate chips? I need to bake some cookies?”

“Didn't you ever hear of Google? Get a life!”

“I don't think it was the real estate guy. More apt to be a lawyer. We all know what scumbags they are. Those are the jerks that deserve to be murdered.”

“Was it murder? I heard it was suicide.”

“Did anyone ever think it might have been an accident? Maybe he drowned in the flooding.”

“Damn pitbulls, terrorizing everyone. Oughta be shot.”

“You live in the States, keep your opinions to yourself. This group is about Ecuador.”

“I heard it was a jealous husband. Guy messed around with the wrong señorita. Some folks are pretty partial about taking the law into their own hands.”

“You could be right. The women think all us single gringos are rich!”

“Who said he was single? We don't even know who he is!”

“I wanna know what's up with the red sneaker? Bet he was gay.”

“So what if he was? That's no reason to kill him.”

“Who said it was murder? There are so many other explanations, quit jumping to conclusions.”

“Hey, remember that big guy from Texas who lost his dog in the Tomebamba? Haven't seen him in a while. Maybe he slipped into the river searching for his pup.”

“I think it's a conspiracy to get rid of ugly gringos. Who knows, any one of us could be the next victim.”

“I think it's really strange that no one has reported him missing.

“No wallet, no ID. Easy! He was robbed, knocked over the head and dumped in the river. Too much crime for me, I'm moving back to the states next month.”

“Hey guys, it's all speculation. We may never find out who he was. I

just hope he didn't suffer.”

The day ended with no answers, many questions and even more theories in most expats' minds.

THE CULPRITS

The police officers listened quietly as the two young men presented their sad story. It seemed they were hired to transport a body from the Vicente Corral Moscoso hospital to the Medical University. A gentleman from Britain had died from a heart attack and his lawyer had presented them with the fact

of no family and a will donating his body to science. The regular transport crew was overloaded and offered them the job.

They thought it would be an easy ten dollars. Pick up the body and take it to the university. What they hadn't counted on was the size of the body. They were 5'4” and 5'4.5” respectively. The body was over 6' and 250 pounds.

But they did their best. Well, until their truck ran out of gas. They weren't far from their destination so they decided to carry it the rest of the way.

Unfortunately, walking along the river, they dropped the body. It was just too heavy. So they started to drag the body onto the grass. Well, then it started to rain and the body slid down the bank. They dragged it back up. It rained harder. It was dark. They couldn't see. They were cold and wet. The body slid back down again. This time it was trapped between two big rocks.

They tugged and pulled to free the body and almost got it. But after having been deceased for a while, the body wasn't in the best of shape. They pulled off his hand as the body slipped into the river and floated away.

They looked at each other and shrugged, tossed the hand into the river and left. After all, they'd already been paid.

Photo ByJaci Norwood

Donna is a retired IT professional who traded in suits for motorcycle clothes and non-fiction freelance writing for romance/mystery fiction. She and her husband lived and traveled in a 60' RV before moving to Cuenca for their next grand adventure.Her works include several novels (romance & mystery), compilations of flash fiction, short stories as well as her inclusion in several anthologies. You can find them all at Amazon: http://amzn.to/X319ZmFor monthly updates, you can subscribe to her free newsletter for updates at http://bit.ly/DBM-news


HIST°RY

February 27, 1829 recalls the Battle of Tarqui,

located just to the south of Cuenca. This

major battle was fought between The

Viceroyalty of Peru, commanded by Field

Marshall José de La Mar, originally from Cuenca, and

Gran Colombia, commanded by Marshall Antonio

Jose de Sucre.

Back history: After winning

independence from Spain

in 1822, the territory

encompassing parts of what

is now Venezuela, Colombia,

Peru and Ecuador, which

was called

“Grand Colombia,” the brainchild of Simón Bolívar.

To the south lay the Viceroyalty of Peru. The lengthy

border of these neighboring territories had long been

in dispute.

José de La Mar wanted the south portion of Gran

Colombia, where the disputed port of Guayaquil was

located. He marched his troops north through Loja

and Saraguro, with plans to turn west towards the

coast. He was cut off, however, by an awaiting army,

commanded by Marshall Sucre, who was aware of

La Mar’s advancing army. Sucre divided his 45,000

troops into several battalions, and occupied various

advantageous positions above and north of the

narrow passage to the plains of Tarqui. This home

team advantage would prove critical in dividing the

Viceroyalty’s 4,200 strong troops. The two-day battle

would end in victory for Gran Colombia. La Mar would

retreat back to Peru.

This would be the first of many border disputes

between today’s Ecuador and Peru.

History buffs will enjoy a trip to neighboring

Girón where there is a museum dedicated to the

Battle of Tarqui. You can see uniforms, flags

and firearms from the battle, along with some

wonderful painted portraits.

A hat of Los Granaderos de Tarqui

Martha Mays has lived in Cuenca almost four years and owns the Level II Classroom in el Centro. She teaches Spanish and English, as well as Ecuador History and Culture. Other classroom events include Art, Writing and exercise classes. Martha also will also be offering day tours to different locations in Azuay Province. You can contact her via email: [email protected]

Ecuador LoreBy Martha Mays

Zero Magazine Cuenca, Issue 128

When I think about the teenager I am now and the one I was before I moved to Ecuador, I see two entirely different kids. I used to think of myself as open

minded, until my mom announced we were to up-root ourselves and move to Cuenca. This idea scared me and caused me to resent my family for making me leave the only home I had ever known. I had just started high school, where I made friends in an instant. As I had pulled myself away from my mother and my home life, my friends had become my family.

The final days in my home town of Norfolk, Virginia were filled with tears and long goodbyes. I spent my last summer living with my family in Arkansas, while my parents made the move. I feared I would not please my mom; I feared disappointing her in this new place she wanted me to embrace. I loathed her, at the same time, and for the same reasons; I simply didn’t want to leave my cocoon. These feelings for my mom, however, began to change as the day to leave my birth country approached. The feeling of animosity toward myself changed, as well. So when the day came, to get on the plane to Miami, I was ready to discover my new home. I was ready to begin my journey.

I have lived in Cuenca now for one year, four months, and 12 days. Life couldn’t be any more different. I used to get up every morning and go to the high school close to my house. I used to walk the prison-like halls of that 4 story building with my friends and sit in a grey lunch room surrounded my security guards, there to prevent fights. I went to a school that was segregated according to the color of our skin and the level of our intelligence, though those facts would never be admitted.

Between who I am now and who I was, I have become more open. I am not scared of travel or of further exploration. I, like my mother, long to

see as many places on this marble planet as possible, even with all of the beauty and ugliness the world holds. My consistent back drop these days is a mural of the Andes Mountains. Instead of waking up for school to the buzz of cars on the city streets, I now awake to the occasional sound of horse hooves on pavement or the beeping of the propane man. Instead of walking to school alongside cars in perfect lines, I take a 10 minute taxi ride, weaving around other insane drivers of cars, busses and motorbikes, drivers who follow no rules of the road.

Here in Cuenca I get to enjoy beauty. The rivers are rapid and furious; the mountains don’t seem to be real at times; and double rainbows are often seen out my kitchen window. There are things that I do miss about the states, however. I miss the freedom I enjoyed when all I worried about was school. I miss the smells of fall and winter. I miss my friends and being closer to my extended family. On the other hand, what this new life has given me are things I would never give back: the smell of eucalyptus by the rivers, the sweet taste of local honey, the precious gifts of adventure, hope, and curiosity.

I am not a retired foreigner living in this little country. I am a teenager; I am almost 17. I still have a very long life ahead, and I plan to begin my journey here. I want to be a writer, a wife, a mother, a traveler—

--and someone whose voice is worth listening to.

Melina Marks is a high school student, working at her mother’s and stepfather’s café and pasteleria, Popacuchu, located at Edificio Cuatro Rios, Primero de Mayo y Ave. de las Americas in Cuenca, Ecuador. You can read more on her blog: http://melinamoramarks.blogspot.com/

EXPATTEEN A Voice Worth Listening To

By Melina Mora Marks


BUSINESS SOLUTIONSGRAPHIC DESIGNWEB DESIGNVIDEO

www.expatmarketinggroup.comEd LindquistJane Brinton [email protected]

T 095 981 9747

Jane BrintonEd Lindquist

[email protected]

T 095 981 9741

BUSINESS SOLUTIONSGRAPHIC DESIGNWEB DESIGNVIDEO

www.expatmarketinggroup.comEd LindquistJane Brinton [email protected]

T 095 981 9747

Las Palmas Del MarBed & BreakfastPunta Carnero

Quiet relaxing atmosphereIdeal couples getaway

“I love this place so much and John & Heather make you feel like you are family.”

“The most comfortable beds in Ecuador -

and I have traveled all over Ecuador!”

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ask for more?”

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Manya Arond-Thomas, M.D.Consultant • Coach

Facilitator

Meeting/Event Design & Facilitation

Organization & Leadership

Effectiveness

Guiding Change & Transition

[email protected]


I have to be honest with you! Way back in 2010, when my wife and I first entered the “fact finding”

stage of our Ecuadorean investigations, the idea of being able to eat a filling, flavorful, and nutritious lunch for less than the price of a gallon of gas was quite appealing.

We convinced ourselves that eating the Ecuadorean way was a good thing. Eating rice AND potatoes every day at lunch was just fine. Diabetes be damned! Pathetic portions of protein? The American Medical Association has recommended such a dietary restriction for decades! Dessert portions designed to satisfy the sweet tooth of a dwarf? Again, the AMA can’t be wrong!

As we winded our way down the well-trodden path of fact finding to decision-making to physical relocation to Ecuador to settling into a new life-style, things began to change. Once the novelty of finding a restaurant that served a $1.50 or $2.00 or $2.50 or (perish the thought) a $3.00 almuerzo had worn off, we were left with a few choices. We could continue patronizing the same establishments and hope that things changed (i.e. larger portions of meat, fewer carbohydrates, more fresh vegetables). We could expand our culinary horizons by discovering new venues and deciding that the price of a meal should not be the sole criteria used to determine the location of our next dinner. We could eat lunch at home. According to USDA statistics, fully 57% of the US population reports eating at least one meal a week at a fast-food restaurant.

Now, after having lived in Cuenca for two and a half years, and, realizing that HOPE and CHANGE work better as a political slogan than as a culinary truism, we have embraced new food guidelines:

Rule #1 - Is the meal in question priced lower than a Hershey bar from Super Maxi? If so, we will NOT be dining at the restaurant in question.

Rule #2 - Has the restaurant under discussion received any positive reviews from the Gringo community, either in person or on social media? If so, and if we have never eaten there, we will give it a try.

Rule #3 - Have we prepared a meal at home in the last two days? If not, we will be dining at home.

It seems that there are restaurants opening (and closing) on almost a daily basis in Cuenca. A variety of cuisines are available throughout the city—Colombian, Cuban, Ecuadorean, Chinese, Venezuelan, Mexican, American, and Swiss to name just a few. Prices at these restaurants vary almost as much as the cuisine itself.

We moved to Cuenca from the United States for a variety of reasons. One of those rationales was “At this stage of our life we were looking for an adventure”. It makes perfect sense to adopt that same thrill in our search for good, wholesome, and well-priced culinary fare. THE QUEST CONTINUES!

FEEDINGREALITY

A Chef’s Perspective on Living in Cuenca

By Tom Peddecord

The author has had many iterations over the past few years. Most recently Chef Tom (and his wife, Linda) owned and operated PANACHE!, a fine-dining restaurant, located in Newport on the central Oregon coast. He is a 1998 graduate of the Cordon Bleu - Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon. He interned at One Devonshire Gardens (a Michelin starred restaurant) in Glasgow, Scotland before returning to the US and embarking on his journey through the culinary world.


CALLE LARGA 8-81 Y BENIGNO MALO | CuENCA [email protected] | 2850407 | 0984360280

“Fabulous food at a fair price”


Change can be hard but transition is actually more challenging. Why? Because transition is filled with uncertainty, bringing with it a myriad of often conflicting emotions, stops and starts,

potential pitfalls and fear of failure.

Most people aren’t afraid of change; in fact, we all want and need significant change, which research has shown (depending on your particular temperament) can range from once a year to once every 20 years. However, what we all fear—once we’ve embarked on change—is failure. Change management is actually a learning problem. Eighteen months into the process of expatriating, I can say with confidence that the experience is nothing if not a learning curve in navigating transition.

William Bridges, organizational consultant, describes transition as consisting of three phases: letting go of the past; the "neutral zone" where the past is gone but the new isn't fully present; and making the new beginning. The neutral zone is the most difficult as it’s an in-between state so “full of uncertainty and confusion that simply coping with it takes most of our energy.” I remind folks of this reality when four, five or six months into their relocation they still find themselves feeling unexpectedly tired.

Sadly, I see too many people get stuck in fear, dissatisfaction, wishful thinking, or a state of mildly to severely depressed resignation. Yet there are clearly defined steps that, if you follow them, will take you from here to there, although “there” may look different than what you initially thought. Remember, it’s not a life transition if you know exactly who, how, what, why, and where you’ll be at the end!

This process of creating a new life is like baking a cake in which there are four core ingredients that will greatly enhance the likelihood of a successful, fulfilling, and appealing outcome:

1. A Willingness to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone—by definition the essence of transition.

2. Problem-solving skills—successful transitions require that you consciously design a strategy and exercise your problem-solving skills.

3. A Willingness and Readiness to Experiment—Your transition will be unique to you. It’s not about keeping up with the Joneses, or following exactly in others’ footsteps though you can certainly learn from them. It’s about exploring, discovering, and clarifying what’s right for YOU, and with any luck at all, you will make mistakes and learn from them!

4. A Healthy Dose of Surrender and Acceptance—

Successfully Dealing With Change and Transition As An Expat

By Manya Arond-Thomas, M.D.


Typically our greatest challenge, for our egos resist change, resist the fear that we might fail, and resist uncertainty. And yet, change and transition cannot occur without these. Period.

Typically all change also requires catalysts (remember your chemistry experiments!). All of the following are necessary catalysts at different points in the expat transition process. 1. Research: The key to getting unstuck is knowing

you have options. Exploring options will bring into focus what you do and don’t want.

2. Envisioning Something New: Then ground your vision in reality in terms of what’s required to make it happen.

3. Finding the Necessary Resources and Support: Mental, emotional, material and spiritual, internal and external. You will need them all.

4. Falling Apart/Letting Go/Trusting the Process: Yes, this is necessary, and scary. Stepping into transition requires an “unfreezing” of the status quo. There may be moments when you feel like it’s all falling apart (it is and it’s supposed to), you’re losing it, and finally, doggone it, you just have to let go—whether it’s letting go of fear, of anxiety, or the need you have to control everything. Clichéd but true, transition is all about trusting the process.

5. Self-Nurturance: Too often neglected in good times, we do even worse with self-care in stressful times. Most of us have the mindset of “we’re too busy, we don’t have enough time or money” and bottom line, “I can tough this out.” Don’t.

6. Adjusting to Your New Identity: This is the culmination of the transition. Putting one foot in front of the other, chopping wood and carrying water, you will evolve a new, expanded, sense of identity. Doubt it, question it, marvel at it, bask in it. You’ve earned it.

Appreciate yourself for your courage in undertaking a life transition, and if you need support please reach out. One of the gifts of life in Cuenca is a fabulously supportive expat community.

Manya Arond-Thomas, M.D. is a psychiatrist, counselor, and life coach. Widely trained in psychological and physical healing modalities, she helps people with anxiety, depression, stress reduction, dealing with change transition, relationship issues, healthy aging and creating a meaningful last third of life. Contact her at www.awakeintheandes.com.

“Wandered into this place by chance on my first day in Cuenca and was amazed at the quality of the food.”

“I swear they have the best BLT I have ever had in my life. Don’t think you will be disappointed if you try it.”

Benigno Malo 6-29Presidente Cordova y Jaun Jarmarillo

Cuenca - Ecuador

0967763911

“We love this place! Best restaurant in Cuenca, or maybe anywhere!”


The top complaint I hear about real estate in Cuenca is the lack of commu-

nication between real es-tate agents and prospec-tive buyers, sellers and renters. Like any big city, Cuenca has its fair share of outstanding real estate professionals and the not so great. Because there is no MLS (multiple listing service) nor any stan-dardized code of ethics that must be adhered to, having the right real estate professional(s) can be worth their weight in gold.

If you have tried to buy or rent a property here you have probably experienced the frustration of not hav-ing calls or emails returned.

Here are a few tips to help make your home search easier and more productive:

• Attempt to speak in Spanish to Ecuadorian property owners or property managers when calling or leaving a message. Google Translate is very helpful for this.

• When leaving a message or calling about a property begin with a polite greeting and state your name. Read the ad or where you found the property to help the agent recall which home you are interested in since top producing agents have many listings. Speak clearly, slowly and when leaving a message leave your telephone number(s) twice

• Hire a professional with a good reputation and ask for recent references. Find an experienced real estate agent, home finder, or facilitator that is bilingual to assist with setting up showings, contract translation

and negotiation

• When communicating with the person assist-ing you with your home search, try and keep the conversation focused on the specific property at hand and avoid stories about previous real estate transactions that went bad (and individuals) in the past.

• Follow up politely. If the property is a new listing

and you think it is a great deal, chances are there are quite a few others that know it as well. Successful real estate professionals are very busy and can’t or won’t respond in 5 minutes or less to inquiries, so try to be patient. Accept the fact that things often move at a much slower pace here compared to back home. I usually suggest giving the real estate person 48 hours or so from your first communication to respond.

• If you are thinking about coming to Cuenca at some point in the future, try and find a real estate profes-sional that can set you up with an automated monthly or weekly list of their new properties. Automated cli-ent relationship management systems appear to still be a relatively new concept here. Wait until you are within a week or so of arriving to start asking about specific property information, because the market here is constantly changing and properties that are a good value go very fast. Last month I got a 2 bedroom condo near the stadium under contract within 24 hours of when it came on the market.

Please feel free to send any topics you might wish to be addressed in future columns for consideration.

ZER° PR° - Real Estate

Rick Duda, International Realtor and Relocation ConsultantMaximum One Realty and Granda y Tinoco Inmobiliarios

0968166179 Claro Ecuador Line | 404-855-6013 International Line Magic [email protected] | www.ZipityDuda.com

Searching For Your New Home In Cuenca

By Rick Duda


Vista Linda - 3br 2.5ba buy one or two for a duplex $148,000 each

ONE BEDROOM BEACH CONDO FOR SALE - 1br, 1ba, $50,000

Edificio Bahia Penthouse - huge 3br 2.5ba condo breathtaking views $206,000

Gated Community Country House 3br, 2ba - $134,000

Last House For Sale4br, 2 1/2ba, $115,000

BRAND NEW CONDO FOR SALE2br, 2ba, $149,500

TRIPLEX CONDO FOR SALE - 3br, 3ba, 3 levels, $135,000

BEACH CONDO FOR SALE3br, 2ba, $180,000

The Rosenthal Unit 2 A - 2br 2ba lux condo, new construction $161,915

MODERN CONDO w/ 3 TERRACES 2 BR/3 BA, 1640 Sq. Ft. $199,500

Fully Furnish Apartment - 2br, 1ba$450/month - Available in Abril 1st

Rick Duda - 0968166179www.zipityduda.com

Neil Mailer - 0939703703www.gringotree.com

David Morrill- 404-9465www.cuencarealestate.com

United Rentals-0984779503 unitedrentalsecuador.webs.com







REAL ESTATE SH° WCASE

WANT YOUR PROPERTY LISTED IN OUR REAL ESTATE SH° WCASE NEXT ISSUE?EMAIL US AT [email protected]

United Rentals-0984779503unitedrentalsecuador.webs.com


FIRE&

SUGAR

The day starts at 5:30 AM. I walk to work along Cuenca’s rivers, deep in thought as I prepare a game plan for the next twelve hours, turquoise humming birds fluttering above

my head, sun playing chess with the cloud cover over the mountains in the distance, and I smile. I arrive at the back door of the café that leads directly into my kitchen, turn on the lights, and cross the threshold into my playground.

And so it begins; oven on, espresso machine heating, knives out to be sharpened, plump vegetables lined up next to the cutting board as if in a battalion, waiting to meet their destiny in my soup pot. I pause to pick them up, marveling for just a moment at their beauty, the sharp lines of the red onion, the silhouette of the eggplant, the whimsical shape of the bell pepper, and the bold sturdiness of the carrots and celery, all the colors of the rainbow at my fingertips.

What soup will it be today? Will I make Flavors of Caribbean, Chicken Florentine, or Roasted Zucchini with Pesto and Pasta? No. Today I want to bring to life in my kitchen the aromas of autumn in Virginia. I

used to make a soup with butternut squash, a hint of apple juice, and curry on chilly nights that my family ate in front of the fireplace with cheesy pesto bread. Sometimes I added shrimp to it, sometimes chicken or Spanish chorizo, and still on other occasions, I garnished it with crumbled bacon and scallions. The choice there is yours alone. Here in Cuenca we have the gift of a beautiful sweet squash called zapallo, which seems to be a cousin of the butternut and creates a fantastic soup that reminds me of the one I used to make. Play with the quantities of the liquids at your leisure, to create a thin or a thick soup, and remember: there are no mistakes in this, only creative variations. So here goes:

Cooking with Fire, Sugar, and SoulFrom the Popacuchu Kitchen

By Michelle Bakeman

Michelle Bakeman is the chef/owner of the

café and pasteleria, Popacuchu, located at

Edificio Cuatro Rios, Primero de Mayo y

Ave. de las Americas in Cuenca, Ecuador.

Go to her website to learn more about her

at www.popacuchu.com


Popacuchu Sweet Orange Squash Harvest SoupIngredients:

• Two packages peeled and cubed zapallo, 700 grams each (found in the produce section of Supermaxi)• One large white onion, peeled and diced• One large carrot, peeled and diced• Two ribs of celery, diced• Two teaspoons of dried thyme• Two garlic cloves, minced• 3/4 cup uncooked rice• Two tablespoons curry powder• Between four and six cups of chicken broth or vegetable broth• Between ½ and one cup of apple juice• Chopped chives or green onions for garnish• Olive oil• Salt and pepper to tasteProcess:

Preheat your oven to 185 degrees Celsius. Place the cubed zapallo onto a cookie sheet. Douse the squash generously with olive oil or your favorite cooking oil. Sprinkle the squash with salt and pepper, as well as half of the dried thyme. Bake for at least thirty minutes, or until the squash is fork tender and has a roasted appearance. Let cool for about ten minutes. Meanwhile, sauté the onion, celery, and carrot in about two tablespoons of olive oil in your soup pot. Be sure to add a bit of salt (about a teaspoon) to this mixture at the start of cooking, as it helps the veggies release their juices. Once the onions are transparent and their veggie friends begin to soften, add the uncooked rice to the pot. Stir to coat the rice with the oil, add the minced garlic and then add three cups of broth. Add one tablespoon of curry powder. Cover the pot and turn the heat down to low.

While the rice cooks, place the roasted squash into your food processor or blender to puree. Add as much water slowly as needed to make a smooth puree. Sometimes the motor struggles a bit with dense vegetables. You are looking for a mashed potato consistency. Check on your rice in about fifteen minutes. Don’t be afraid to stir the pot, as this will release the starches in the rice and help thicken the soup. As soon as the rice is tender to your liking, add the squash puree to the pot as well as more broth and apple juice until the soup reaches the thickness you prefer. Add a bit more curry and taste. Spices here in Ecuador tend to be weaker than in the States, so don’t be shy. If you enjoy spicy foods, add some pimenta roja en polvo (cayenne pepper). At this point, the choices are limitless. Add cooked diced chicken, your favorite beans, cooked chorizo, or even cooked shrimp to the pot. Garnish with chives. For a sweeter soup, add more apple juice. Be sure to share this meal with a buddy and some warm bread from Popacuchu. Good luck!

37www.ZeroCuenca.com36 Zero Magazine Cuenca, Issue 1

Popacuchu Sweet Orange Squash Harvest SoupIngredients:

• Two packages peeled and cubed zapallo, 700 grams each (found in the produce section of Supermaxi)• One large white onion, peeled and diced• One large carrot, peeled and diced• Two ribs of celery, diced• Two teaspoons of dried thyme• Two garlic cloves, minced• 3/4 cup uncooked rice• Two tablespoons curry powder• Between four and six cups of chicken broth or vegetable broth• Between ½ and one cup of apple juice• Chopped chives or green onions for garnish• Olive oil• Salt and pepper to tasteProcess:

Preheat your oven to 185 degrees Celsius. Place the cubed zapallo onto a cookie sheet. Douse the squash generously with olive oil or your favorite cooking oil. Sprinkle the squash with salt and pepper, as well as half of the dried thyme. Bake for at least thirty minutes, or until the squash is fork tender and has a roasted appearance. Let cool for about ten minutes. Meanwhile, sauté the onion, celery, and carrot in about two tablespoons of olive oil in your soup pot. Be sure to add a bit of salt (about a teaspoon) to this mixture at the start of cooking, as it helps the veggies release their juices. Once the onions are transparent and their veggie friends begin to soften, add the uncooked rice to the pot. Stir to coat the rice with the oil, add the minced garlic and then add three cups of broth. Add one tablespoon of curry powder. Cover the pot and turn the heat down to low.

While the rice cooks, place the roasted squash into your food processor or blender to puree. Add as much water slowly as needed to make a smooth puree. Sometimes the motor struggles a bit with dense vegetables. You are looking for a mashed potato consistency. Check on your rice in about fifteen minutes. Don’t be afraid to stir the pot, as this will release the starches in the rice and help thicken the soup. As soon as the rice is tender to your liking, add the squash puree to the pot as well as more broth and apple juice until the soup reaches the thickness you prefer. Add a bit more curry and taste. Spices here in Ecuador tend to be weaker than in the States, so don’t be shy. If you enjoy spicy foods, add some pimenta roja en polvo (cayenne pepper). At this point, the choices are limitless. Add cooked diced chicken, your favorite beans, cooked chorizo, or even cooked shrimp to the pot. Garnish with chives. For a sweeter soup, add more apple juice. Be sure to share this meal with a buddy and some warm bread from Popacuchu. Good luck!

FIRE&

SUGAR

The day starts at 5:30 AM. I walk to work along Cuenca’s rivers, deep in thought as I prepare a game plan for the next twelve hours, turquoise humming birds fluttering above

my head, sun playing chess with the cloud cover over the mountains in the distance, and I smile. I arrive at the back door of the café that leads directly into my kitchen, turn on the lights, and cross the threshold into my playground.

And so it begins; oven on, espresso machine heating, knives out to be sharpened, plump vegetables lined up next to the cutting board as if in a battalion, waiting to meet their destiny in my soup pot. I pause to pick them up, marveling for just a moment at their beauty, the sharp lines of the red onion, the silhouette of the eggplant, the whimsical shape of the bell pepper, and the bold sturdiness of the carrots and celery, all the colors of the rainbow at my fingertips.

What soup will it be today? Will I make Flavors of Caribbean, Chicken Florentine, or Roasted Zucchini with Pesto and Pasta? No. Today I want to bring to life in my kitchen the aromas of autumn in Virginia. I

used to make a soup with butternut squash, a hint of apple juice, and curry on chilly nights that my family ate in front of the fireplace with cheesy pesto bread. Sometimes I added shrimp to it, sometimes chicken or Spanish chorizo, and still on other occasions, I garnished it with crumbled bacon and scallions. The choice there is yours alone. Here in Cuenca we have the gift of a beautiful sweet squash called zapallo, which seems to be a cousin of the butternut and creates a fantastic soup that reminds me of the one I used to make. Play with the quantities of the liquids at your leisure, to create a thin or a thick soup, and remember: there are no mistakes in this, only creative variations. So here goes:

Cooking with Fire, Sugar, and SoulFrom the Popacuchu Kitchen

By Michelle Bakeman

Michelle Bakeman is the chef/owner of the

café and pasteleria, Popacuchu, located at

Edificio Cuatro Rios, Primero de Mayo y

Ave. de las Americas in Cuenca, Ecuador.

Go to her website to learn more about her

at www.popacuchu.com

The award-winning documentary play, SEVEN, will be performed for the first time in Ecuador, on March 12, 13, and 14. The production is sponsored by the Azuay Community Theater. There will be 3 performances in English and three in Spanish. Go to Zero Magazines website, www.zerocuenca.com, to learn more about this extraordinary play based on true stories of leadership and courage.


“Act of Kindness”Photo by Linda Longood

www.CuencaCarShare.com

2015 Chevy Sail4 cyl., manual

2003 Liberty4x4, 6 cyl., auto

Your car here! Make up to $800 a month

2006 Trailblazer4x4, 8 cyl., auto

2013 Kia Sportage4 cyl., auto

2012 Grand Vitara4 cyl., manual

“Reserve Your Key to the Open Road Today”

Here’s what people are saying about Cuenca Car Share……

Which car do you want? Prices start at only $35 a day.

“Juan and David are a pleasure to work with. Their website was easy to navigate, and the prices were also unbeatable. Best part about having a car is that you can stop and enjoy the scenery whenever you want to or need to.” - Martha Mays

“This past weekend, we rented a small SUV and had a great time tooling around town and took a drive on Saturday to Gualaceo and Chordeleg with friends. Dealing with Cuenca Car Share is very straight forward, no hidden fees, and both David and Juan are great guys to deal with.” - Bard Gale

“Fantastic Car, Fantastic Service! We took this car all over Ecuador and loved every minute of it. Great Guys too!”, - Jim Shanley “It was liberating to travel at our leisure and by safe and secure means.” - Linda Atkisson

“Pickup was quick and easy process. The car was clean and ready to go with a full tank of gas. The overall cost was very reasonable and not lined with all kinds of add-on charges like typical rental agencies do.” - Dano Austin

“Cuenca Car Share is the best! I can’t say enough good things about this company!” - Alicia Erickson “Good service, good car, good price, every promise was fulfilled. Dealing with Juan and David and we will certainly use them again.” - Alan Vichert

“I’m writing to give an A++ recommendation to Cuenca Car Share. I can’t imagine using another rental company after Juan and David made our first rental so simple.“ - David and Barb Fern

Ask about our 4 day special!

David and Juan, Cuenca Car Share

[email protected] | Movi 0983800162 | Claro 0988087261

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