Saludos from Guayaquil

[Ralph]

... in response to Re: Re: Yep!, posted by Pete E on Dec 1, 2003

Why would you be looking for girls that are not "picky"? Why do you need "motivated" girls if you will live there? Your ex was not "picky". She was willing to marry a gringo that she didn't love because . . .  . .'he was a gringo, and a nice guy". Maybe she was too motivated?

Might have made sense when you were "in a rush", but not when you will be living in LA.

[HeyNow]

... in response to Why?, posted by Ralph on Dec 2, 2003

Ralph,
 Yer right.  It must come from her heart.  When it does, she will be "motivated" to be with you.

[pablo]

... in response to Saludos from Guayaquil, posted by Cali vet on Nov 28, 2003


Hi Calivet,

Good trip report on Ecuador.  Did you take any photos that you can share?

Pablo

[Cali vet]

... in response to Re: Saludos from Guayaquil, posted by pablo on Nov 29, 2003

Yes I'll work on getting them up on a photo site.

[pablo]

... in response to Re: Re: Saludos from Guayaquil, posted by Cali vet on Nov 29, 2003

[zack]

... in response to Saludos from Guayaquil, posted by Cali vet on Nov 28, 2003

Since I know nothing about Ecuador, I learned a lot from your post!

You said that Ecuador is expensive due to complete dollarization a few years ago. Pardon my ignorance on this subject, but what is "complete dollarization" and how does it lead to an increased cost of living?

Zack

[DavidMN]

... in response to Re: Saludos from Guayaquil, posted by zack on Nov 29, 2003

They did away with their local currency and replaced it with the USD. One of the causes of Latin America's infamous hyperinflation (esp. Brazil) is printing money, devaluing their own currency. If you use another country's currency, you cannot do that so it's enforced fiscal discipline.

Ecuador is still a very poor country and they occasionally have street riots, too. The inequity between rich and poor, white/Spanish and Indian is terrible, just like the rest of Latin America.

For now at least, they have pretty good reserves of oil and gas and to my knowledge they are only a transhipment point for drugs - not a coca grower or processor of paste or powder. It's someplace I'd like to learn more about; it's definitely safer than Col. and like Peru it's on the "backpack" trail.

A comparison of LatAm purchasing power, converted into USD
http://home.earthlink.net/~cafe.tinto/id85.htm

David

[Pete E]

... in response to Saludos from Guayaquil, posted by Cali vet on Nov 28, 2003

I wondered what happened to you,I thought you might be traveling.
You said you were going to check out the Ecuador visa situation but didn't seem to say you found a place you wanted to live.
Whats your wifes attitude about a possible move? I am curious because my plan is to meet someone in Cali then live somewhere else,so I could encounter some of the same issues.Of course women can vary alot but I wouldn't be surprised if there was a pretty common attitude about other latin countries.
What about Cartegena? I'm kind of a beach person so its somewhere I might live.I'm sure its hot enough for your wife,but what do you think about it?
And Panama still interests me.Its much more Americanized and safer I think,but prices are also higher.As a pensionado there you can bring in a new car every 2 years duty free.And people are not afraid to just take off and drive anywhere.In Colombia I wouldn't even want a car.And I'm a car guy.My son is getting my BMW.

Pete

[Cali vet]

... in response to Re: Saludos from Guayaquil, posted by Pete E on Nov 28, 2003

The beach resort of Playas is two hours from Guayaquil but we didn't go so I can't report. It's the Pacific though and if it's anything like further north in Colombia you'd like the Caribbean better. Your idea of freedom to drive where you please is what I'm looking for in Ecuador.

[Zorrowins]

... in response to Saludos from Guayaquil, posted by Cali vet on Nov 28, 2003

I enjoyed reading about your trip. You stated you and your wife wanted to relocate because you were so limited where you can go in Colombia. Would you please elaberate?

[Cali vet]

... in response to Excellent Post-One Question Though, posted by Zorrowins on Nov 28, 2003

No she doesn't want to relocate, I do. But it's not settled yet. Because the guerrilla have a presence just about everywhere in Colombia these days it's risky for a foreigner to travel. That's not so bad if you're just visiting but gets old if you live here.

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Excellent Post-One Question Though, posted by Cali vet on Nov 29, 2003

Are there differences in Cali itself that are causing you concerns? Or is it just when you want to travel or leave  the city to do something? After the grenade attack in Bogota I might be a little concerned even going to Blues Brothers.
I have been giving you Cali residents a bad time but now I will be in the middle of it also.But what we will do for a good looking Colombiana.But better to take them somewhere else as you are thinking.

Pete

[Cali vet]

... in response to Re: Re: Excellent Post-One Question Thou..., posted by Pete E on Nov 30, 2003

Truth is my wife is less than enthusiastic about leaving her beloved Cali but I plan to start the visa process this week if I can. No Cali is not more dangerous it's everywhere else. For example a couple of years ago I hiked around west of Trujillo near the border with Choco with a friend who lives up there. He told me (and a policia chica confirmed) that we can't walk very far out of Trujillo now because the guerrilla have moved in to the surrounding hills. On our trip to Peru some months back I was struck by the novelty of being able to travel freely. With out even the "Shinning Path" that's even more the case in Ecuador.

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Excellent Post-One Question ..., posted by Cali vet on Nov 30, 2003

So is Equador your first choice now?Sounds like it might be a good choice for an outdoorsy type guy like you.I guess you just have to find a place your wife will go for also.
That is one of my concerns about Cali women also.If you find one who doesn't want to come to the US she might not want to leave Cali either.But I bet it would be easier to get her to a place like Cartegena.
Have you thought about Panama?It seems the higher costs there might be the big disadvantage.But there you can drive around no problem,you could entice your wife with a car,which she seems to want.I wouldn't buy one in Cali.
Or Chile?Its supposed to be really nice and safe.Lots of mountain type places.

Pete

[Cali vet]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Excellent Post-One Quest..., posted by Pete E on Nov 30, 2003

It's too late we already bought one which I may have to sell before we move to Loja. The idea of driving it on the route south to the Ecuador border is not at all appealing. My biggest concern about Ecuador is can I afford it in anything like the style to which I've become accostomed in Cali.