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Here’s a link to all of our upcoming events. Just scroll through and click on any you are interested in for more info.

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We used to have several chiropractors in Cotacachi, but two of them have moved on to other countries. The other is still here, but he lives about 45 minutes away and comes into Cotacachi a few times a month. I don’t know if there are any chiropractors in Bahia. I do know that many expats are in need of adjustments and have an interest in alternative medicine, so I would bet there would be a demand for these no matter where you set up.

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

That sounds like a nice exploratory trip you have planned and I’m glad you’re taking a month to do it. When your travel dates get closer you can e-mail me at ecuador@internationalliving.com and let me know when you’ll be in Cotacachi. If I’m in town, I’d be happy to meet up with all of you.

Enjoy your travels!

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The bus is actually very easy to ride even with limited Spanish. The bus from Otavalo goes straight to the north bus terminal in Quito, known as Carcelen. A taxi from there to Swissotel should run around $12, but be sure to negotiate the price before getting into the cab.

Buses leave to Quito every 10 or 15 minutes from Otavalo so it’s easy to get right on one. Once you’re at the Otavalo bus station, you’ll hear people yelling “a Quito, a Quito!” Just follow them and they’ll put you on the right bus. The bus ride should cost $2.50.

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Hi Alan,

Richar is my favorite cab driver for airport trips and I use him any time I make that run. He’s always on time, a good driver, and just a good person. He charges $60 each way, but the one possible downside is that he speaks little English. It’s not a problem if he knows where to pick you up and where you’re going, but if you’re looking for conversation on the ride it might be a little quiet.

If you e-mail me at ecuador@internationalliving.com I can give you Richar’s info or arrange for him to pick you up if you like. Or if you prefer an English-speaking driver I can give you some contacts there as well.

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Hi Lawrence,

It seems to me that you’ve put a great deal of thought into the benefits of this location already and I really don’t have much to add. I haven’t visited Montecristi (the golf course) myself so I can’t give you firsthand info on it, but it does seem like a good location in terms of being near amenities.

If you visit please update us and let us know your thoughts.

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Whether a business is open on New Year’s Day or not will usually just depend on the individual business. My guess is that most real estate offices will be closed on January 1st, but almost everything is up and running as normal by the 2nd.

Enjoy your trip and be sure to have your camera handy on New Year’s Eve!

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

If you’re looking for a smaller city or town in the Andes you might want to check into Vilcabamba or Cotacachi. They both have strong expat populations that may make earning money a little easier if you’re catering to North Americans. Also, Baños might be a good option and it’s not far from the edge of the Amazon Basin where there are more rivers for fishing.

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You can easily have building supplies delivered to your house. Typically the building supply store will either have their own truck or there are large trucks for rent that will haul your materials to your house.

I don’t think that anyone will care that you have cats as long as they don’t disturb anyone. I believe the main reason that most people don’t have cats is because they are seen as not providing a useful service. For most people here their dogs are used for work (herding cattle or other livestock) or used as guard dogs. Since cats aren’t very cooperative when it comes to doing either of those things many people don’t bother to own one. But as far as I know there is no overall bad attitudes towards felines here.

There are definitely very good vets in Ecuador, but you’ll want to visit with a few before choosing the one that is right for you and your animals. I’m not sure about the actual laws regarding vaccines, but I do know it is recommended to regularly vaccinate your pets and the schedule is similar to that in the U.S.

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Hi Kevin,

There is some fishing in the Andes, but it might not be as fast and furious as a serious fisherman would hope. Unfortunately much of the waters have been overfished and while there are trout to be had they are pretty wary. That being said, there are people who fish here and enjoy it. And I suspect that if you can find an off-the-beaten-path lake or stream you’ll have a better chance of success. This is where making friends with knowledgeable locals comes in handy.

Personally I would bring my own equipment. While you can buy angling gear in Ecuador the quality stuff will be pricey and you’ll be limited as to selection. If you bring your own rods, reels, lures, and lines you’ll have exactly what you want.

For fun, here’s a video of fly-fishing in Cajas National Park near Cuenca. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB4PTNvLE70 Enjoy!

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The buses from Cotacachi to Otavalo runs every ten minutes, so it’s very easy to catch. I’m not quite sure I understand your second question. Where do you want to go from the Quito Airport Suites? If you’re going to the airport you’ll need to take a cab. If you’re headed to Otavalo you’ll probably be able to catch a bus heading that way from a street near the Quito Airport Suites. If you want to go from the airport to Otavalo you’ll want to catch a cab to the traffic circle in Pifo and then catch a bus from there. You don’t need to be at an official bus stop or station, you can just flag down any bus passing by and they will stop.

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I just wanted to add that we are having our Fast-Track Ecuador conference in Quito soon. It will be held February 5-7, 2015 and will cover most if not all of your questions. There will be speakers talking about how to bring your pets into the country, how to open and run a business in Ecuador, and of course a lot of detailed information on various areas of Ecuador including Cuenca. On top of that you get the chance to network with people who are living here, who have brought their pets, and who are earning money abroad. If it’s a possibility for you to attend, I think it could be a really great way for you to ask all of those questions and get detailed answers in person.

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Well I’m not familiar with every one of Quito’s parks, but I do know that Parque Carolina has public tennis courts. Someone else mentioned that there are clay courts very near Parque Carolina, but I’ve not seen them so I can’t vouch for that myself. Also, there is a tennis & golf club in Quito and you can look at their website here: http://www.qtgc.com/

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A lot of folks stay at the Quito Airport Suites when they need lodging near the airport. I believe the taxi fare will be around $15 from the airport.

If you take a bus you’ll need to take one to Otavalo which will cost around $2. From Otavalo you can transfer to a Cotacachi bus which will set you back 25 cents.

Rodrigo Flores is a bilingual driver and guide who can pick you up from the airport and show you around. I don’t have his e-mail, but this is his Facebook page and you can contact him there.

The most popular place to stay in Cotacachi is La Cuadra. It’s a nice hostel just off the main square with a shared kitchen and reasonable rates. El Arbolito is another nice option and is located just off Parque San Francisco.

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Hi Gretchen,

Like Suzan said most people don’t have what they consider unnecessary appliances. Fruits can be juiced by hand, clothes can be washed in a sink and hung out to dry, and who needs a coffee maker when you can buy instant granules?

As for the DVD issue, you can change the region code on your DVD player to allow it to play DVDs from other countries. The link Suzan provided is great if you’re using a computer. If you want to change the region code on a DVD player itself, my husband wrote a blog post about how to do that awhile back. http://www.why-ecuador.com/2012/10/changing-region-code-on-dvd-player.html

Hope that helps and enjoy your time in Canoa! That’s one of my favorite beach towns on the coast.

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