International Living Ecuador

14/11/2022

If you are a horseback riding enthusiast, then Ecuador offers lots of opportunities to ride through scenic mountain trails and explore some of the most outstanding views in the areas surrounding Cuenca, Ecuador. Some friends of mine went on a day trek with Horse Trekking Ecuador (https://www.horsetrekkingecuador.com/) organized by Kim Curls, for a 2-hour ride which started at Rancho San Juan, a beautiful 10-hectare ranch, located 20 minutes from the city of Cuenca where they met their horses. Their ride was in the Tarqui area, starting at Rancho San Juan and riding through the surrounding countryside along a shady dirt road, with stunning views, an easy terrain, well-behaved horses at a pace which suited their riding ability. The ride was followed by lunch at the ranch, a typical Ecuadorian almuerzo with a choice of either pulled pork or chicken, rice, salad, and potatoes. Rancho San Juan (https://www.facebook.com/ranchosanjuancuenca/) is a mountainous lodge and resort with accommodations for up to 16 people, a kitchen and dining area, a large green area for sports, a forest for hiking and firepits to enjoy the mountain air. Kim not only offers day trips, but also six-day stays filled with horseback riding mixed with days exploring Cuenca, a UNESCO heritage site with beautiful Spanish Colonial and French Republican architecture, which also is home to more than 10,000 expats.

08/11/2022

For all you dog lovers. Cuenca, Ecuador treasures their dogs and I walk with them most days on the river trail that runs in back of my house. Running and cycling events are common here, but on Saturday there was a 5K benefiting Cuenca's various animal rescue groups. Thousands of people turned out to enjoy the booths filled with dog toys and equipment and dogs up for adoption. Many dogs participated in the run with the race winner pictured here is surrounded by rescue dogs.

07/10/2022

Okay pickleball lovers, come play in Ecuador. We have around 8 courts located throughout the city and it's growing as more people join us to play. We are in the process of refinishing the courts and there's about 40 people who play throughout the day and lessons several times a week. I'm an 'intermediate beginner' which means I still hit a lot of home runs while playing, but here's the good news: We have only two rules. Anyone who is rude, plays too competitively with people who are learning, or isn't a good sport gets the boot. The second rule is you only pay $5 a month to play. No wonder expats in Ecuador lose an average of 20 pounds when moving here and get healthy. You can play pretty much any time during the day as the weather is temperate.

03/10/2022

17/08/2022

Yes we saw WHALES!!! I'm in Puerto Lopez, Ecuador, which is known for its whale watching tours. We took a 45 minute boat out in the Pacific Ocean and were greeted by whales. It's mating season and the males wave their huge fins to attract females then hurl themselves out of the water to impress. We saw a momma whale and her baby swimming together. Watching the whales breach near us showed me the magnificent of these giant mammals. And long after I'm gone the whales will still be breaching up the coast of South America. Nature is so replenishing for me. Donna Stiteler.