Nice post. I've been living in Cuenca for 6 years now. Your description of the country and life here seems on target to me. One thing I would add is that here in Cuenca there is something of a backlash against the gringo community.
This is not so much against people like me (many local friends, married to a woman from Zamora-Chinchipe) but against the gringos who come here and live apart. There are a lot of North Americans here who speak no Spanish, go only to known gringo hangouts, and generally want nothing to do with the Ecuadoreans. That causes much of the stress.
I don't know much about your lifestyle, but see backpackers mostly around Calle Larga and Presidente Borrero. There seem to be a lot of hostels and the like that cater to your crowd there.
Keep the posts coming!
Great bonus info for the audience. Yes that is what happens when you have two cultures that generally don't integrate, with a heavy language barrier. The American's don't come to Ecuador to be Ecuadorian that is for sure.
I have lived in Cuenca for a bit over a month. I'm familiar with the city quite well, including where the backpackers hang out on Calle Largo.
What you say is true. But in general I don't see a lot of hate. I speak fluent Spanish and have one foot in both worlds. If you speak Spanish, you get accepted quickly and it makes a world of difference.
It's true many Ecuadorians are negative about the gringo invasion. But there are many including shop owners who appreciate it, and understand that their, and their cities financial success has a lot to do with it.
One thing for sure. There is no such thing as the perfect place on this planet. I hope you enjoy what you have there in Cuenca. It's a very nice place to live!
Thank you for reading my post. I'm glad you enjoyed!
You sound like me with being in both worlds. I have had a few incidents of anti-gringo sentiment aimed at me in the last 6 years. But most of the anti-gringo stuff I hear is from Ecuadorean friends bitching about those who live separate. I don't hear much about the backpacking crowd from anyone, which is probably good news for you guys.
I like the quality of your reporting. What you say describes very well what I see out there. Much better than a lot of the reporting out there. Example: this Breitbart writeup about Cuenca that talks about "Cuencans," a term I have never heard used by anyone (expat or Cuencano) who has actually spent time here.
Keep the quality content coming!
Thank you for the ringing endorsement. Part of my motivation on this platform, is that I'm tired of everything you read online just being about how great everything is, which is a just total misleading propaganda. International living magazine is a perfect example. Everyone is trying to sell you something! It can often set people up for disappointment and worse.
Every location on the planet has it's advantages and it's pitfalls. When you read three pages of wonderful and nothing more. You need to take it with grain of salt!
All I want to do is get the real information out there, and those who value it will value me. In turn I am rewarded, even if not financially, inside I know I'm doing good.
On a further note; I'll be posting about how to get the best deal on ariline tickets later today. Hope you find it useful. Have a great day. -Dan, World Travel Pro!
I just published another travel report you will enjoy, you can see it here.
https://steemit.com/travel/@world-travel-pro/world-travel-report-paradise-hot-spot-lake-atitlan-guatemala
Thank you- World Travel Pro