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Links and Information

THE BIG PICTURE
The best way to learn about Ecuador is the old fashion way: read a book. Travel guides such as Lonely Planet, Footprints and Insight provide reliable and honest overviews of the country that you won't get on most websites. For those close to making a decision to buy property and / or to relocate to Ecuador, the Ecuador Owner’s Manual (International Living, pub.), written by CuencaRealEstate partner David Morrill, provides in-depth information about living in the country.
Websites offer plenty of good information as well as specific details you won’t find in most books. Keep in mind, however, that most sites are advertising mediums and the information you get may be slanted. Other valuable sources of information are blogs and forums. A big caveat here, however: much of what you read on these sites is the personal opinion of the writers and is not always accurate and even when it is, it reflects the experience of one person and may not be generally applicable. These are some of the better sites for Ecuador and Cuenca information.
SERVICES FOR EXPATS AND PROSPECTIVE EXPATS
ECUADOR VISAS AND IMMIGRATION
www.ecuador.org/nuevosite/index_e.php   
SPANISH LANGUAGE SCHOOLS IN CUENCA
Learning Spanish in Cuenca is an excellent way to get to know the city and its people. Two schools that receive consistently high marks from students are the Simon Bolivar Spanish School and the Abraham Lincoln Cultural Center.
TOURS AND ENGLISH-SPEAKING DRIVERS
Many companies offer tours of Ecuador and Cuenca. Most have English-speaking agents. Three that receive excellent “word of mouth” reports are Columbus Travel, Terra Diversa, and Metropolitan Touring. For English-speaking drivers and tour guides for private parties, please write info@CuencaRealEstate.com. For sight-seeing tours, contact:
Cuenca: Carlos Lara Tours, 09 979 7394
Ecuador: Columbus Travel, www.columbusecuador.com
GETTING TO ECUADOR BY AIR
Four airlines offer non-stop air service to Ecuador’s two international airports in Quito and Guayaquil from the U.S. American Airlines, and Lan www.lan.com fly out of Newark and Miami, while Continental, www.continental.com, flies from Houston and Delta www.Delta.com flies from Atlanta. Copa Airlines, www.copaair.com, a Continental affiliate, flies from Miami and the west coast, with an intermediate stop in Panama City, Panama. Taca www.taca.com, the Costa Rican-based airline, flies from Miami and Los Angeles. Prices vary widely and ticket buyers should look for specials. Round-trip air fare from Miami, for instance, varies from under $400 to $1200 depending on the airline and season, and special offers.
GETTING TO CUENCA BY AIR
Cuenca is served by four airlines, Tame, AeroGal, LanEcuador and AirCuenca. The airlines offer eight to ten daily flights, depending on the season, Monday through Friday, and four or five on Saturday and Sunday, to and from Quito and Guayaquil. Within the country, flights to Manta, Loja, Coco and Esmeralda originate in Quito and Guayaquil. Websites:
www.postges-ec.com (AirCuenca)
GETTING AROUND ECUADOR AND CUENCA BY BUS
Bus service is inexpensive and timely throughout Ecuador, although comfort levels vary by carrier. For information about bus travel, consult a recent Ecuador travel guide or ask at the bus station.
SIGHT-SEEING, MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL EVENTS
Contact a tour agency or go to www.CuencaHighLife.com or www.Cuenca.com.ec.  Also, sign up for the GringoTree email alert service at www.CuencaHighLife.com.
CUENCA HOTELS AND HOSTALS
This is not intended as a comprehensive list of Cuenca hotels, only a list of recommendations by our clients who have visited Cuenca.
Budget
Hostal Macondo, Tarqui 11-64 y Lamar; tel.    +593 (7) 284-0697; e-mail: info@hostalmacondo.com; website: www.hostalmacondo.com.
Posada del Rio II, Miguel 4-18 y Larga; website: http://www.hosteltrail.com/posadadelriocuenca/ 
Hotel San Andrés, Gran Colombia 11-66; tel.    +593 (7) 284-1497; website: www.hotelsanandres.net.
La Casona, Miguel Cordero 2-134 y Alfonso Cordero; tel.    +593 (7) 281-1131; email info@lacasonahotel.com.ec; website: www.lacasonahotel.com.ec
Mid-range
Villa Nova Inn, Escalinatas at Tres de Noviembre; tel.    +593 (7) 283-6790; e-mail: info@villanovacuenca; website: www.villanovacuenca.com.
Hotel Santa Monica, Mariscal Sucre 6-80 and Borrero; tel. +593 (7) 284-0215; www.hotelsantamonicaecuador.com; email: htlsantamonica@gmail.com.
Hotel Carvallo, Gran Colombia 9-52 y Benigno Malo; tel.    +593 (7) 283-2063; e-mail: reservas@hotelcarvallo.com.ec; website: www.hotelcarvallo.com.ec.
Hotel Casa del Aguila, Mariscal Sucre 13-56 at Juan Montalvo; tel. +593 (7) 283-6498; e-mail: reservas@hotelcasadelaguila.com; website:
www.hotelcasadelaguila.com.
Inca Real Hotel, Calle, Calle General Torres between Sucre and Bolivar; tel    +593 (7) 282-3636; website: www.hotelincareal.com.ec.
Hotel Crespo, Calle Larga 7-93; tel.    +593 7 2842 571; website: www.hotelcrespo.com
High-end
Hotel Santa Lucia, Borrero 8-44 y Sucre, tel.    +593 (7) 282-8000; e-mail: info@santaluciahotel.com.
Oro Verde Hotel, Av. Ordóñez Lazo Lazo, tel.    +593 (7) 409-9000; website: www.oroverdecuenca.com.
Mansion Alcazar, Simon Bolivar 12-55 y Tarqui; tel.    +593 (7) 282-3887; email: info@mansionalcazar.com; website: www.mansionalcazar.com
RESTAURANTS
For food and restaurant reviews, go to the archives link at www.CuencaHighLife.com and click on “cuisine”.
FURNISHED RENTALS
Check the rental listings on this website or write: RentalsCuenca@gmail.com. Other rentals can be found by consulting local newspaper classified ads or by responding to “se arrienda” and “se renta” signs posted in windows.
 SAFETY TIPS FOR VISITORS
1. In restaurants, internet and phone cafes, secure your belongings. In popular downtown restaurants, keep backpacks and bags within sight and wrap straps around your leg or chair legs if necessary. Don’t expose belongings to walk-through traffic aisles. In internet and phone cafes, pick a secure place to sit. Avoid sitting beside an exterior door especially if your back must be turned to it. Again, have bags in plain view and secure the straps if necessary.
2. When you leave your hotel or apartment, take only belongings with you that you think you will need for the particular trip. If you don’t plan to take pictures, leave your camera in your room or hotel safe box.
 3. Don’t put valuables, such as passports, cash and credit cards, in the same bag. And again, when you leave your room, only take documents and money with you that you will need.
4. Make a color copy of the identification pages of your passport to take with you when you make short trips around the city. Leave the original behind.
 5. If you are carrying bags and backpacks in tourist areas, wear them on your front instead of on your back.
 6. If you are approached by strangers, be aware of diversionary tactics such as the “mustard trick.” In this case, a nicely dressed, well-spoken stranger will attempt to clean something from your bags or clothing. While this is being done and you are being distracted, his associates will be taking belongings. If this, or something similar happens to you, refuse any assistance and move away as quickly as possible. Be suspicious of small groups of strangers who approach you. If you feel threatened or uncomfortable, walk into a nearby store or office.
7. In the evenings, stay within a few blocks of your hotel and, whenever possible, walk with others.
 8. Don’t allow strangers into your hotel room or apartment until you are certain that they have legitimate business there.
9. Do not accept food or drinks from strangers.
Emergency phone numbers:
Emergency: 911
Police: 101
Citizen guard: 282-0204
READ ALL ABOUT IT: ECUADOR NEWS IN ENGLISH
Keep up with the news in Cuenca and Ecuador and learn about the forces that are re-shaping Latin America. Try these sites.
www.CuencaHighLife.com
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=ecuador&btnG=Search+News
www.ecuadorrealestatenews.com
… and news in Spanish
CUENCA HOSPITALS
There are 18 hospitals and clinics in Cuenca that offer emergency services. These are three that our clients have used with satisfactory results.
Hospital Monte Sinaí, Calle Miguel Cordero andAv. Solano; tel.    +593 (7) 288-5595  +593 (7) 288-5595    +593 (7) 288-5595  +593 (7) 288-5595      +593 (7) 288-5595  +593 (7) 288-5595    +593 (7) 288-5595  +593 (7) 288-5595
Hospital Universitario del Río, Autopista to Azogues; tel.    +593 (7) 281-2887  +593 (7) 281-2887    +593 (7) 281-2887  +593 (7) 281-2887      +593 (7) 281-2887  +593 (7) 281-2887    +593 (7) 281-2887  +593 (7) 281-2887
Hospital Santa Inés, Calle Daniel Córdova Toral, tel.    +593 (7) 409-0634  +593 (7) 409-0634    +593 (7) 409-0634  +593 (7) 409-0634      +593 (7) 409-0634  +593 (7) 409-0634    +593 (7) 409-0634  +593 (7) 409-0634
CUENCA REAL ESTATE PARTNERS
CuencaRealEstate.com works in concert with two other real estate services in Ecuador and invites you to check their websites:
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