Ecuador Day In The Life Videos
We enjoy filming our Day In The Life videos because they show what life is really like as an expat living abroad. Our lives in Ecuador are a lot like they were back in the states, except we do more interesting things, eat better tasting foods, spend a lot less money, and have friends who aren’t all work-related.
Join us as we share our unconventional life as American expats here in Ecuador.
Ecuador Day In The Life VLOG
Quarantine in Ecuador (Day #7) + Ocean Sunset in Olón from Mini the Drone (3/24/2020) - We just finished our first full week of quarantine here in Olón Ecuador. We've been staying busy with work so the time is going by quickly, but we're definitely have good and bad days.
Tiny Ecuador Beach Town of Las Núñez Ecuador + Penthouse AirBnB Tour (Mavic Mini Drone) (3/3/2020) - Join us as we share a drone and walking tour of Las Núñez, a tiny little beach town on Ecuador's south central coast.
How WE Got Pickpocketed on a SHORT Bus Ride in Ecuador! (2/29/2020) - We were taking a short 50 cent bus ride from Olón to Montañita Ecuador when our pocket got picked and we lost an iPhone worth several hundred dollars.
Sunday in Olón Ecuador: Mercados, Walk Around Town + Sunset Beach Walk w/ Mini (2020) (2/18/2020) - This is our first day in the life video from Olón, our new pueblito on the coast of Ecuador. We go for a couple walks on the beach, show you the mercados, walk around town, and share the incredible sunset from our new drone.
The Universe Taught Us a Lesson on our Move from Cuenca to Olón Ecuador (2020) (2/7/2020) - Our move to Olón from Cuenca Ecuador is complete! We're now officially beach dwellers on the south central coast of Ecuador!
Beautiful Flowers of Cuenca Ecuador + A VERY Special Return Guest! (1/31/2020) - If you love flowers, the summer months of January - March are a great time to visit Cuenca Ecuador! The linear parks along Cuenca's 4 rivers are in full bloom and it's quite the sight to see! We hope you enjoy our walk along the Yanuncay River near Tres Puentes (Three Bridges).
Over the DESERT and through the JUNGLE from Cuenca to Machala Ecuador to apply for my VISA (2020) (1/11/2020) - We're working with Maite Duran from GringoVisas to get our Permanent Residency Visa for Ecuador. She prefers going to the government office in Machala to file the visa applications so we made the trek from Cuenca to Machala Ecuador on Thursday to file our paperwork.
Monigote Tradition Explained (Cuenca Ecuador 2019) (12/30/2019) - Amelia and JP VLOG 177: It's New Year's Eve Eve and we learned all about the tradition of burning monigotes or años viejos as part of the New Year celebration. Christina and Andrea, our Spanish teachers from Walking Spanish Lessons, explained the various elements of the tradition as part of our class. Then we burned our monigote or effigy to cast off the old, negative energy and welcome in the new, positive energy. It was a lot of fun!
Ecuador Holiday Traditions: Pase del Nino Viajero Christmas Eve Parade Cuenca Ecuador (2019) (12/25/2019) - We ventured down to El Centro in Cuenca Ecuador yesterday to watch the annual Christmas Eve Pase del Niño Viajero Parade (Passing of the Traveling Child). We had so much fun watching the dancing and seeing the colors!
Cuenca at Night & Holiday Lights (Christmas Eve 2019 Cuenca Ecuador) (12/24/2019) - Christmas Eve in Cuenca Ecuador is bustling with activity. Upon popular request, we filmed Cuenca at night along with the holiday lights.
Our Bus Ride of Terror to Puerto Lopez Ecuador (and our return to zen) (12/10/2019) - After one of the worst bus rides we've experienced in over 2 years in Ecuador (from La Entrada to Puerto Lopez), we found our zen on the beautiful beach of Puerto Lopez.
6 Mile Beach Walk from La Entrada to Olón Ecuador (12/7/2019) - We took a break from filming and editing the Villa de los Sueños Real Estate Tour video to walk from La Entrada to Olón Ecuador. We had the 6 miles of wide, flat beach almost to ourselves. It's hard to believe more people aren't here enjoying this beautiful ocean paradise.
We Need to Be More Flexible: Our Unexpected Day in La Entrada Ecuador (12/4/2019) - We had a whole set of plans for the day, but nothing worked out. It was a good reminder for us to be flexible and go with the flow. Even though we didn't get to do what we wanted to do, we still had a lot of fun and a relaxing day here at Villa de los Sueños in La Entrada Ecuador just north of Olón and Montañita.
We’re Leaving Cuenca AGAIN and Heading BACK to the Beach in Ecuador (11/30/2019) - We're heading back to the Ecuador Coast for another week of filming at the beach. This time, we're going to Villa de los Sueños in La Entrada Ecuador to help the owners with a promotional video to sell their B&B hotel.
YúA Resto-Bar Vegan Restaurant in Cuenca, Ecuador (11/21/2019) - Yúa Resto Bar is one of our favorite vegan restaurants in Cuenca Ecuador. The seating is mostly outside on a covered patio in a garden setting. They have delicious vegan almuerzos that change daily for $3.50.
BRA Shopping in Cuenca Ecuador (Episode 145) (10/1/2019) - As you may know, Amelia belly dances and is constantly bedazzling costumes for her performances. In this episode, we went bra shopping in Cuenca Ecuador to find a new bra for a costume she's wearing in her upcoming performance in Quito. They'll be dancing to the theme song from Pink Panther while wearing this costume....
Sunny Sunday In Cuenca Ecuador (Episode 138) (9/7/2019) - After a long winter season of clouds, cold and rain, we're finally seeing the transition back to summer. We thoroughly enjoyed our sunny Sunday in Cuenca Ecuador meeting some of our YouTube subscribers from around the world, walking Daisy along the river, going to the mercado and the world famous Cuenca flower market, and relaxing with a delicious glass of fresh juice. What an amazing city this is!
Cuenca Ecuador Gringo Saturday (Episode 135) (8/26/2019) - If you're wondering what it's like to live in Cuenca Ecuador, we share our typical gringo saturday with you in this video. It was a rainy, chilly day so we filmed Cloverfield style with my iPhone to protect my nice camera from the weather....
Unconventional Expats of Cuenca Ecuador (Episode 132) (8/17/2019) - This was a jam packed day in our expat life in Cuenca Ecuador! We started with Spanish lessons, then hosted our monthly event for Cuenca's Unconventional Expats, and ended our day at the Tribal Fusion Open House where Amelia showed us her ever-improving dance skills....
Cuenca Recording Studio: MonoLab + Amelia’s Return to Cuenca (Episode 130) (8/10/2019) - After two weeks back in the States, Amelia returns to Cuenca in this episode. But first, Chinnu guest stars as we learn about Mono Labs, our very own Cuenca recording studio.
The Art Behind Us from Cuenca Artist P. Maldonado (Episode 127) (7/30/2019) - We've had a lot of comments about the art behind us in our new indoor filming location. This is the story about how we found it on a rainy day in Cuenca Ecuador. You'll also get to see the Cuenca Artist, P. Maldonado, who created it.
Since it was a rainy day, we had to leave Lumi at home and film with my iPhone so the video and audio quality is not up to our usual standards. However, it did make for a nice Cloverfield style immersive experience. Several of our early videos were filmed in this style before we got Lumi. If you like this format, let us know and we may do more videos like this....
A Birthday in the Life in Cuenca Ecuador (Episode 125) (7/23/2019) - Amelia's birthday in the life was one of our best days yet in Cuenca Ecuador! We've been living here for nearly 2 years, and we've made some amazing friends along the way. We hope you enjoy the sights and sounds of this incredible city.
Cuenca Ecuador Expat Living Day In The Life (Episode 113) (6/11/2019) - We share another typical day in our life in this Cuenca Ecuador Expat Living video. After my morning massage, we had a late lunch with friends, visited an organic shop in El Centro, walked around this beautiful city taking pictures and ended our afternoon at Zatua Miski for a peanut butter chocolate ice cream bar.
The next morning, we woke to a beautiful day during the rainy season here in Cuenca Ecuador, so we decided to take Daisy for a walk along the river. Little did we know that a pothole had my name on it....
Cuenca Ecuador Salsa Dancing + Allpafest 2019 (Episode 111) (6/4/2019) - This was an unexpected Day In The Life video! We planned to meet Olesya and Johnny for some Cuenca Ecuador Salsa Dancing lessons in the afternoon, but we didn't have much else planned for the day.
Usually, when we go to popup ferias, we only stay a few minutes, but Allpafest was great! We saw lots of friends and ate some delicious vegan goodies!
Cuenca Ecuador Yanuncay River Walk // Day In The Life (Episode 107) (5/21/2019) - We're back to business as usual here in Cuenca, Ecuador after are 4 week trip to Miami, Amsterdam, India and back. This day in the life video gives you a good taste of life here with a Cuenca Ecuador Yanuncay River walk, organic markets, belly dancing and delicious Southern Indian food.
Cuenca Ecuador Hat Museum + Lunch at Origami Sushi + La Chakra Mercado Natural (Episode 91) (4/11/2019) - The Cuenca Ecuador Hat Museum (Museo del Sombrero) is a nice place to model some Panama hats, learn their history and see how they're made. It's also a great place to drink a cup of coffee while enjoying the view of Cuenca.
Several people have asked us about organic or natural stores here in Cuenca, so we show you two of them in this video. Plus, we had some delicious vegan sushi for lunch at Origami....
Two Birthday Parties + Salsa Dancing in Cuenca Ecuador (Episode 87) (4/2/2019) - We had a busy Tuesday with two birthday parties and my friend Stephen's arrival from the states. On Thursday, we went to Café Libre for dinner and then Salsa Dancing at Verde Pintón y Maduro.
Be sure to check out our next video. Stephen does some crazy adventure sports here in Cuenca that Amelia and I would never do!
Expat Life In Cuenca Ecuador – Lunch at YuraVeg + Shopping at Sukasa in Gringolandia (Episode 84) (3/26/2019) - Let us know if you'd like to see more of these Day In The Life videos. They're a lot of work to film and edit, but we really enjoy making them.
In this video, we walked over to YuraVeg for vegan lunch and then on to Gringolandia and Sukasa. We hope you enjoy the beautiful scenery and the interesting people we see along the way....
Apartamentos Otorongo Tour – Flashback Day In The Life in Cuenca Ecuador (Episode 81) (3/19/2019) - This is a flashback day in our life. When we first moved here and stayed at Apartamentos Otorongo, we had a daily routine that included fresh fruits & veggies, and fresh baked bread...
Cuenca Ecuador San Sebas Neighborhood + Marc’s Consignments Tour (Episode 77) (3/9/2019) - This day in the life video features a walking tour of the Cuenca Ecuador San Sebas (or San Sebastian) neighborhood. We also stopped by Marc's Consignments, The Museum of Modern Art, a Vietnamese Pho restaurant run by our friend Rick, and a few other colorful places...
Cuenca Ecuador Carnival 2019 – Day In The Life (Episode 75) (3/5/2019) - Another beautiful, tranquilo Sunday during the days of Cuenca Ecuador Carnival 2019. We logged over 24,000 steps walking around Cuenca, and we share many of those steps with you...
A Walk Around El Centro Cuenca Ecuador + Old Cathedral Museum Tour (Episode 70) (2/21/2019) - This was our day of firsts. We took a walk around El Centro Cuenca Ecuador and it was the first time we visited the newly renovated San Francisco Plaza. It was the first time we toured the Old Cathedral art museum. And it was our first time having lunch at Funky Sauce, a new vegan and vegetarian restaurant on the corner of 3 de Noviembre y Benigno Malo by the Tomebamba River....
Valentine’s Day Cuenca Ecuador 2019 + Aphrodisiac Dinner at Café Libre (Episode 68) (2/16/2019) - Happy Valentine's Day Cuenca Ecuador 2019!!!
Our friends Jimmy and Sharon who recently moved to Cuenca from the US requested a Valentine's Day video and we were happy to oblige.
I was going to make it a surprise, but I decided against it because that's not really who we are. We're very practical people and I would rather have Amelia pick out her favorite flowers and chocolates instead of trying to guess what she wants. And she chose flowers and chocolates that I would have never bought, so everything worked out.
We also had a very special Valentine's Day Dinner at Café Libre in Cuenca. This was an experience we'll remember for the rest of our lives!
Cuenca Ecuador Fitness: Aerial & Pole Fitness w/ Fit Alliance + Panda Cakes Cuenca & Doggie B-Day! (Episode 64) (2/7/2019) - Fit Alliance held their open house at JungleGym this weekend so we got a first-hand look at Cuenca Ecuador Fitness. We were lucky enough to get special aerial and pole dance performances from two of the instructors! What a beautiful and fun way to exercise!
Cuenca Ecuador Rental House Courtyard Tour + Plant-Based Locro de Papa Soup (Episode 58) (1/24/2019) - We cover lots of stuff in this "Day In The Life" video. Amelia will show you how to cook a veganized version of a traditional Ecuadorian dish called Locro de Papa Soup and I'll give you a tour of our Cuenca Ecuador Rental House Courtyard. I'll also explain how hot water and trash pickup work in Ecuador, and show you an example of door-to-door sales...
Cuenca Ecuador Pharmacy Tour and Paying Bills + Beet Burgers Cooking Video (Episode 54) (1/15/2019) - If you've never been to Cuenca or a South American country, you may be curious about basic things like paying bills and shopping at pharmacies. In this video, we'll show you the unusual (by American standards) way of paying bills and perhaps reassure you about the quality of pharmacies with a Cuenca Ecuador Pharmacy Tour....
New Years Eve in Cuenca Ecuador (Episode 48) (1/1/2019) - This was our second New Year's Eve in Cuenca Ecuador, but I was sick last year so we didn't leave the house. This year, we logged over 15 miles walking around Cuenca looking at the monigotes.
Each neighborhood has a monigote contest and the winning monigote gets set on fire at midnight. We weren't sure where to go for the best viewing, so we decided to wander around El Centro in the afternoon to find the best spot. After seeing a couple of displays, we headed back home to eat dinner and do some research online about where to go....
Delicious Treats at Zatua Miski Cuenca Ecuador – A Day In Our Life (Episode 46) (12/27/2018) - We walked right by Zatua Miski Cuenca Ecuador on our way home and couldn't resist stopping by for some delicious treats. But before we went there, we made a few other stops on this day in the life.
One of the things we love about living in Cuenca is running errands on the weekends. Instead of hopping in a car, driving through traffic and fighting for a parking space, we simply put on our walking shoes and head out to front gate. It's common for us to log nearly 20,000 steps (that's about 8 miles) on Saturday and/or Sunday!
Cuenca Ecuador Day In the Life + Velvety Beet Brownie Recipe (Episode 30) (11/22/2018) - On weekdays, we're usually working out of the house, but on weekends we're very busy out and about. We started off our Cuenca Ecuador Day In the Life with a walk to Mall del Río for the annual Viva Salud (Healthy Living) event. However, it was a lot different this year than last. Life in Ecuador is often like a box of chocolates...
San Blas Cuenca Ecuador + Delicious Lunch @ A Pedir de Boca (Episode 28) (11/20/2018) - We love walking around Cuenca on Sundays because the city is so quiet. Most of the stores are closed on Sunday and there usually aren't very many people out so it's the perfect day to walk around and enjoy the beautiful scenery....
The Half Moon Can’t Tell Time + Sweat Inducing Indian Food Cuenca Ecuador (Episode 24) (11/8/2018) - This is a fun day in the life video! We took a short walk to some neighborhood shops to start the day, but we ended the day with some sweat inducing Indian Food in Cuenca Ecuador.
In the afternoon, Amelia went to Tribal Fusion for belly dancing class and we ended up at Namaste India for dinner. We had planned on grabbing a pizza para llevar (for takeout) at Fratello, but Amelia and I miscommunicated our plans and they were closed by the time Amelia finished up with belly dancing....
Caught In The Rain + Organic Food Shopping at Tienda Néctar Cuenca Ecuador (Episode 23) (11/6/2018) - Today we ventured down to Tienda Néctar Cuenca located in El Centro, one of our favorite organic food markets. They carry a few things like tahini, dates and organic soaps that can be difficult to find. They also get Braggs Liquid Aminos on occasion.
After Tienda Néctar, we came back home for lunch and then left again for Jungle Gym back in El Centro on Calle Larga. On our way back home, we got caught in a rainstorm. We waited for about 10 minutes in the ATM kiosk at Banco Pichincha and then under the awning at the Valgus Hotel....
Cuenca Flower Market + Fresh Tea & Cold Beer in Cuenca Ecuador (Episode 20) (10/30/2018) - Today we did another one of our Sunday afternoon city walking tours. On our way to the Cuenca Flower Market, we stopped by Télicioso Tea Room to get some of our favorite tea.
Then, after we bought Amelia some new earrings and some beautiful flowers at the flower market, we went to Simón for some papas fritas y cervezas (we recorded this in March 2018 before I realized I still had high cholesterol)....
Shoe Shopping in Cuenca Ecuador + Cervezas at Inca (Episode 12) (10/12/2018) - Today, we went shoe shopping in Cuenca Ecuador, and as a reward for my extreme patience, we went to Inca Lounge for cervezas on our way home. We also stumbled upon some improv dueling rappers in Parque de la Madre. You just never know what you're going to see while walking around Cuenca!
A Hike Up the 439 Turi Church Steps + Mall Del Río & Feria Mascotas in Cuenca Ecuador (Episode 5) (9/24/2018) - Today, we decided to hike up the 439 stairs to the Turi Church again, just for exercise (yes, I also think Amelia is trying to kill me!).
Then we circled around to Mall del Río where we went shopping for a new pair of shoes for me, but we bought Amelia new shoes and shirts, instead. Then we went to Parque El Paraíso for the Feria Mascotas (Pet Fair)....
Sabatino’s Artisanal Market in Cuenca Ecuador + Belly Dancing & Music Festival (Episode 4) (9/24/2018) - Today, we visited Sabatino's Artisanal Market here in Cuenca Ecuador to get some organic peanut butter, vegan fudge, bread and other stuff. Then we stumbled upon a music festival at Otorongo Plaza celebrating 80 year anniversary of a local music conservatory. We ended our day in the life at Fratello for a delicious lunch and belly dancing performed by Academia Profesional de Danza Clásica "Tersícore"....
Bumba Artisanal Market Cuenca Ecuador + Tour of El Centro & Lunch at Café Libre (Episode 1) (9/24/2018) - Today, we went to the Bumba Artisanal Market in Cuenca Ecuador before venturing onward to a popup outdoor textiles market and then to lunch at plant-based Café Libre restaurant in Cuenca.
We love to visit the artisanal markets like the Bumba Popup Market for fresh, organic, delicious, locally sourced vegan foods.