We’re back! Arrived in Quito on our 38th anniversary, we do seem to travel during “special occasions”! The ride into the city is about 25 minutes (airport to door front) and is very reasonable ($25!). The cab driver wanted to wait until we were let into the building (it was late and dark); which was very kind.
Our temporary stay is in a highrise building a couple of blocks from the local mercado. We planned to get some supplies and this is super convenient. Thankfully the same hornado vendor that we loved was there and we enjoyed our lunch along with the freshly squeezed guanabana juice (the BEST). We did try fresh papaya juice, and although it was good, it was not as amazing as the guanabana ☺.
There are Asian markets in the mercado as well as a couple nearby. Picked up items for us and got a request to pick up some supplies for our friends in Loja.
Managed to walk through the Parque Carolina a few times. It’s really a wonderful park, lots of activites for athletes, families, friends, etc. And also rewalked the areas we explored the last time we were here. We did not revisit the old town but will have other opportunites in the future.
After a short five day Quito stay, we got to the airport to fly to our next (and hopefully last) location – Cuenca.
Our first month stay is an apartment about four blocks from one of our favorite mercados (10th of Augusto); very nice! We are on the top floor in the restored old section of the building and we have our own balcony so we can enjoy the sun. The apartment is small but tastefully appointed and has one of the best showers ever!
We’ve revisited some favorite spots – Sabor Bakery, Charlie Bakery (seeing a pattern here 😉), walks along the Rio Tomebamba, Moliendo Cafe, etc. There are more areas to explore and we have also been to see several apartments as potential long-term stays.
Most of the apartments we have seen are okay, but not what we were expecting or (in several cases) necessarily in the condition as advertised/pictured. After viewing several that were recently vacated, we now understand why our prior AirBnb owners liked having us around! We clean before we leave – hopefully leaving the place the same, or in some cases, better than when we arrived. This does not appear to be the norm 😲! Although we can see past the disarray and mess, it’s not a pretty picture for potential tenants.
Thankfully, we found an apartment that is in an area heretofore not considered (don’t know why, just hadn’t explored thoroughly). It is in a newer building, between two rios (the Yanuncay and Tarqui), beneath the Iglesia Católica Nuestra Señora de La Merced de Turi, surrounded by the mountains and greenery, and near the Mercado 27 de Febrero.
The apartment is new and has not been occupied yet so everything is in excellent condition ☺. It is technically a three bedroom, BUT the owners want to keep the “master” as their storage area (a little odd since the apartment also comes with a storage area and garage space 🤔) so it will be locked. No big deal, just odd.
Anyhow, the guest room has a full size bed as well as a twin “upper” bed (pictures below); there is a small TV sitting area near the bedrooms that actually has a folding-type sofa bed – so plenty of room for guests (see example).
There is a good-sized laundry room across from the bedrooms; powder room at the entry; each bedroom has its own bathroom (all showers no bathtubs; dual flush toilets); nice kitchen (we will most likely get different items to use i.e. knives, extra pots, cutting board, etc.), open area that includes dining table leading into living room. There is a small patio with chairs and table and enough room for some plants & bird feeders. We can even have a small pet!! Thinking cat here; just going to keep our eyes open.
We will move into the apartment first week in August and only need to make arrangements for internet (the only thing not included). Here is a brief look at the apartment.
Since we travel so light (backpack and one carry-on) there is not a lot to move. We are looking forward to settling in and having a “home base” for a while. Will post more after we have “settled” in our “home”. 😉
brauner abroad 