A Week In Cuenca Ecuador - Should We Move?

[@sallyg77]

I can hardly believe you guys been married for 26 years! You look way too young for that. Congrats! 🎉👏 I'm an introvert too btw. My sister and I did an exploratory trip to Cotacachi in May. We liked it but it was rather small so we are leaning toward Cuenca and hoping to make the expat leap in 2025! One Love... 🤗

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

We hope you get there soon! Thanks for your comment 😊

[@ANTHONYBECK-w3r]

Yes, the water is great there!

[@rogerhunt7746]

Cuenca is amazing. I have lived here 3 years, no regrets. Hope you guys enjoy your stay!

[@Leonard-lf7bc]

Thank you friends for sharing this video, beautiful place

[@live.life.on.purpose]

Happy anniversary! 🥳 Good luck to you two and wherever you land 😊

[@shirleymckay1034]

Hello guys and Happy blessed 26th Anniversary!! The scenery is fantastic and beautiful. Awesome video!! Yall continue to have a great time! Be blessed! Love yall, Mom!❤

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Thanks mom ❤️

[@robertcsmith7773]

Big portions - yes, I have definitely noticed that too: I’m in “hog heaven” ! I really enjoy your videos and perspectives - many thanks. 26 years: that’s beautiful! All the best to you both, Bob

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Thanks so much 😊

[@tmcdon]

Happy Anniversary! Spent about 3 weeks in Cuenca this time last year. It is incredibly beautiful and a ton to do! Water is safe to drink. Drank the water, made ice with it, and neither my nor I had any problems. Hoping to make Cuenca our new home in the next three years!

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Nice, that gives us a bit more confidence about the water 😅

[@estelamino6356]

Gracias por compartir..Que disfruten mucho

[@catpatterson6397]

Congrats on your 26 years.🎉 I'm happy that you're checking out Cuenca. It's such a beautiful city. I had issues with the altitude when I first got here but it's been 9 months now and my lungs have gotten used to it. I hope you move here. You're one of my favorite KZbin couples 😊

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Aww 🥰 thanks, who knows maybe you'll see us soon 😉

[@fabianserrano9371]

First happy aniversary. You are right about Salinas the zone of Santa Elena. For ecuadorians that áreas are for vacations . Holidays only. Most of The buildings of malecón are empty . The people of Guayaquil owners. About the water. Cuenca is a Big organized city , water is clean...in coastal zones theres no hydric resources SO You as ecuadorians don't drink tap water. If you want to live near beach Manta is the option, maybe bahia a smaller Town. Cotacachi is beautifil to visit not to live .it's to small Town. I always recomend Cumbaya. It's warm all year and You can visit many locations

[@abiyah3176]

Happy Anniversary 🎉 Cuenca is beautiful ❤

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Thanks ☺️

[@jamielivingston7765]

Omg guys the water here is delicious! Like tastes so good.

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Maybe we'll try it sooner or later

[@shawndriajackson7781]

Happy Anniversary.

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Gracias 🙂

[@justbdsd4569]

Visiting next year can't wait

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Awesome

[@barbaracurry6958]

Sorry we didn’t get to see you guys while you were here! Glad you enjoyed our little piece of peace!❤

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

We'll be sure to be back 🙂

[@bombadil1977]

Happy Anniversary Steve and Shon!!! I would like to meet and have lunch sometime while you're here! Cuenca es mi nuevo hogar durante los últimos 4 meses! I have nothing to sell but my integrity. Very happy to see your video tonight!! Tom

[@bombadil1977]

Also, what's the airbnb contact you wanted to give?

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Thanks 🙏🏾

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Oh shoot, I forgot to put it in the description, I'll get right on it thanks 👍🏾

[@2freakout]

🥳Congratulations🥳 colorful folks. Enjoy and thanks for sharing!💖

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Thanks ☺️

[@kb4804]

I love Cuenca... Will be moving to Cuenca once we sell our house in the State.

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Excellent 👍🏾

[@iamLaRahna]

Happy Anniversary! How did I miss that! I would have gotten cake!

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Lol no problem, you did plenty 😊

[@2ndSprings]

Great video! My wife and I have similar dreams. We will be visiting Vilcabamba for a couple months in the Fall. Chickens & Trout are a long term goal for me. Keep on keepin' on!

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Thanks a bunch! How it works great for y'all 💯

[@pedroblanco8311]

Hi Steve and Shon, You all look like you're enjoying Cuenca. Thanks for sharing this with Spanish subtitles. We're like # 101 for this video. How did Shon do with the altitude this time?

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Lashon did pretty good with the altitude this trip, thanks for asking 😊

[@birdsinparadise3113]

Yes you can drink the water, but I have to say I was a month there before I did that. No harm in being careful. Then I'd use it for washing veggies and fruit, making coffee for sure. And yes I think the almuerzos are better there. I haven't seen anything in Salinas including dessert, and some kind of dessert is common in cuenca. And the soups are really good, I think. I stopped getting almuerzos in spite of how cheap, it's just too much food. It's sometimes better to just pay more for less lol. I visit cuenca regularly, I still like the warmer weather of Salinas. I no longer live on the malecon due to excessive noise. My street near parque sales is very quiet, to live on or just walk on. Or in my case scooter on. Cuenca is clean. Much cleaner. The coast trash can be depressing, avoided more now as I don't have the beach walking twice a day like before.

[@dennisolson3667]

The allergy thing can hit people differently. My wife and I were there on our exploratory in June. We are from the Black Hills of South Dakota filled with pine trees. Our allergies and hay fever disappeared while we were there.

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

You're absolutely correct, the 1st time we visited I had no allergy issues at all.

[@solemnscience4208]

Congrats on 26 years.

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Thanks ✊🏾💯

[@handdeeabroad]

My allergies are an important consideration too. Great video! Happy Anniversary 🥂

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Yes indeed, luckily I planned ahead and brought my Flonase with me, otherwise it would have been much worse. And thanks 🙏🏾

[@macman9689]

Congrats 👏

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Thanks

[@proyectonuevo7487]

Hello friends, there is a canton called Paute in Cuenca where the altitude is lower, it is warmer and it is very nice to live in, you can look there.😊

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Thank you 🙏🏾

[@beatricebraswell4677]

Happy Anniversay!

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Thanks 🙏🏾

[@oliviabrown261]

Happy Anniversary. Feliz Dia del Anniversario!!!!

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Gracias 🙏🏾

[@jdsantibanez]

Happy anniversary. I haven't been in Cuenca for more than 25 years or so. I hope that Cuenca will not be damaged with so many people arriving from all over. Not everyone will appreciate the place.

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

You're so correct 💯 and thank you 😊

[@BeyondBorders202]

The reason the portion sizes are still large and many of the restaurants is because they have been gringoized because they have such a large community. If my memory serves correctly, they had the largest community and all of Ecuador.

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Yes that makes a bit of sense, they're certainly a large expat population in Cuenca

[@kwamewilliams1147]

Happy Anniversary!!

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Thanks 🙏🏾

[@laurawelch6944]

A thought, being in Cuenca myself only 4 months...portions might be bigger because the colder climate and altitude makes a body need more...hot coast big portions might slow a body down too much!

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Ahhh yeah that's a thought 🤔

[@jamielivingston7765]

Did you check out Banos, Cuenca for the termal spas? Bus 100

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Nah but we plan to visit the spas in the future, or friend LaRahna was telling us about how awesome it is

[@lineaostri]

Hi! I'm new to your channel. I love Cuenca and hope to retire there. I'm just trying to figure out the temporary residency requirements first.

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Welcome to the channel 👋🏾 residency is pretty easy just depends on the route you take. Professional may be the easiest if you or a spouse has a degree but feel free to ask us ,👍🏾

[@lineaostri]

@@LivingLovingAbroad Thanks! I have a master's degree. Did you all do the visa process yourself or hire someone?

[@bombadil1977]

@@lineaostri My judgment is that you are better served to hire an attorney's office to handle it. Your work to obtain certified and notarized transcripts which are required to get apostilled for your professional visa application should start now, no matter when you make the leap. I used GringoVisas.

[@GenXerInMexico]

​@@LivingLovingAbroadI'm coming in three weeks for 11 week visit to see if my semi-retirement destination. I think I'll go either professional or investor. For the professional are they asking for proof of income?

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

@@GenXerInMexico Yes, but the proof only has to be a monthly deposit of at least the minimum required amount. For example if you have $450/$500 or so transferred from one account to another every month for at least 6 months you can use it as proof. You'll have to provide a bank statement showing the deposits. The main difference is that with a pension visa you have to provide the bank statement plus documentation of your pension (letter from Social Security, VA, Job Pension and so on). The monetary requirement for the prof. visa is much lower than the pension visa.

[@jamielivingston7765]

The only con i give the Cuenca bis system is that they only stop at set stops. In Manta the buses will stop anywhere

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Same in Salinas, just stand anywhere along a route and throw your hand up lol

[@birdsinparadise3113]

I kind of like that idea. In Salinas they don't always stop for you in spite of flagging them down. I feel like they will at a stop

[@larryhanson6674]

One thing about Cuenca, you don't have keep all of your windows closed because of the salt air from the Ocean. Perhaps that is the reason that you are having trouble with your plants.

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

I agree, this salty air is treacherous lol

[@martincampozano1557]

❤❤❤

[@Brother_Obadiah]

Happy Anniversary 🙌🏾 how can we contact you guys? We are very interested in Cuenca or Panama. Thanks

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Thanks, and yes of course 💯 livinglovingabroad@gmail

[@jamielivingston7765]

Give the allergies and altitude time. I had a bitch of allergies when i habe never had before. All better now.

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

That's encouraging ☺️

[@jamielivingston7765]

Pretty decent shape lol.

[@proyectonuevo7487]

Obviously you need two months to adapt to the heights, once you adapt to the height your life will be normal

[@Brother_Obadiah]

We have school-age children. I haven't seen any "families" in Cuenca. Does Panama have more to offer for expat families w/ children, or is it Equal?

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

That's hard to say honestly since it's just us, but we would assume they both have advantages

[@jamielivingston7765]

26 years! Congrats! I got married 24 years ago... To my ex lmao!

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

😆😆

[@ECPhoenix]

Eat some local honey, it will help with the allergies!

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Oooh great suggestion

[@jamielivingston7765]

4 rivers

[@Globalpolitics_2024]

If you are looking for bigger cities to live in, it sounds like you're limiting yourself to either Cuenca or Quito. If you're open to smaller cities, perhaps Loja or Vilcabamba. PS happy anniversary

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Thanks a lot! We really liked Quito when we visited previously but it may be a bit too high and too cold

[@jamielivingston7765]

Fyi the words on the screen are nearly impossible to read

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Ah shoot, I spent soooo long trying to make them visible without making them too big 🤦🏾‍♂️

[@jamielivingston7765]

Did you notice that obesity is a much bigger thing in Cuenca?

[@LivingLovingAbroad]

Nope didn't notice that, but it might be due to the high altitude that makes it more difficult to exercise, or that's just my guess