Chengdu: City of Gastronomy

70 Dishes, 55 Restaurants, 3 Years in the Making!

THE ULTIMATE SICHUAN FOOD GUIDE

South America

South America on a Budget
We break down our trip through South America – the costs, how we saved money, what we liked, loved, and hated.

ECUADOR
Market vs Grocery Store Cost Comparison

I did a bit of an experiment.

I’m always surprised about how much I can get for a dollar in Ecuador. Fruits and vegetables are cheap and plentiful, especially in the market.

So I headed to the market armed with ten $1 coins. My goal: buy a dollars-worth of 10 different items, and then head to the grocery store and see what those exact items would cost there.

Is it actually cheaper to shop in the market? Even for a gringo that can’t negotiate? What’s the difference in price? Let’s find out.
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How To Play Cuarenta – Ecuador’s Favorite Card Game

An Easy to Learn 2 Player Card Game

VIDEO: How to Play Cuarenta – Ecuador’s Favorite Card Game

It’s common to visit a park in Ecuador, especially in the Sierra region, and see a group of older men crowded around two people playing cards. These two old-timers are probably playing Cuarenta, the most popular card game in Ecuador.

Cuarenta means 40 in Spanish. The game is called this because it only uses 40 cards, and the first to 40 wins the game.

It’s a really fun game to play. If you and a partner are traveling to Ecuador, why not learn the rules so Cuarenta can keep you entertained as you travel the beautiful country of Ecuador.
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Eat Ecuador – EMPANADAS! – Ecuadorian style

Read about this series here: the Eat Ecuador Food Series

Traditional Ecuadorian Empanadas and What Sets them Apart from other Empanadas

All over Central and South America you’ll find empanadas – a stuffed starch filled with various ingredients that makes a great snack or meal. The name comes from the Spanish word ’empanar’, which means “enbreaded”. They were brought to the Americas by the Spanish, but each country has their own take on them.
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Buying a Motorcycle in Ecuador

How to do it, what to get, how much it will cost


Ecuador is an incredible place to motorcycle. Most of the roads are in great condition. There are mountain roads and coastal roads with magnificent views. For the more adventurous, there are precarious dirt, gravel, and stone roads that will take you to hard to reach off-the-beaten-path destinations. The best way to experience it all is on two wheels.
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Eat Ecuador – The Cultures that Influenced Ecuadorian Food – Encocado

Read about this series here: the Eat Ecuador Food Series

Encocado – African-Ecuadorian coconut seafood dish

Ecuadorian food showcases the country’s varied environment, but it has also been influenced over the years by the variety of cultures that now make up the citizens of Ecuador. The cuisine has come a long way since the early days when the original Indigienous people discovered potatoes, corn, cassava, and other crops that have made their impact on the entire world.
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Protests in Ecuador – An Inexperienced Expat’s Experience

We got caught in a protest


I’ve only been living in Ecuador for 2 months, so I’m still getting use to things. All that settling in was disrupted on the night of October 2nd when my partner Sara, a teacher, got a message saying her school was cancelled because there were protests.

“Ah, these Latin Americans get fired up so easily” I thought to myself. I figured it would blow over in a couple days, but from that point on things only got hotter.
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