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Panama: Airport Taxi & Train questions:
Hello,
We are staying in Panama for 4 days on our way to Quito this year which is were we have our place. Since Ecuador made casinos illegal a couple of years ago I have to get my slot fix in Panama.
Questions:
1) How much to negotiate for a cab ride from the airport to middle of the City to our hotel/casino?
2) Is the train ride as scenic as it looks?
3) If so how much for a cab or bus back from Colon as we don't want to wait to take the evening train back?
My wife is fluent in Spanish so getting tickets or finding the right bus wont be a problem from Colon.
Panama: Need to use a freezer:
Hello forum,
I am actually a member of the Ecuador forum. I quit posting months ago on that forum due to all the BS between members. I see after reading a couple posts here that is not unique to just that forum.
In the hopes of a sane answer I'll give this a shot.
We are visiting your beautiful City for 4 days enroute to Quito from Alaska right before Christmas.
(I own a condo on the beach in Ecuador and am not one of those forum tire kickers.)
I will have a cooler full of moose meat, red salmon & smoked salmon if I can find a hotel or other means to keep the stuff frozen for the 4 days we are there.
Anyone know of a hotel with a walk-in freezer? I assume one with a couple of restaurants might have one?
Any place deep freeze a fisherman's catch there as they would have one.
Thanks for the help or any suggestions.(besides you can drop it at my house;)
Someone goes out of their way to help me set this up and I am sure we could share a steak.
Reds are Copper River & moose meat was at the butcher from the field in less than 24hrs. Does not get any tastier.
We already have the airline tickets.
Ecuador Welcome Forum: Rental cars:
Hate to see folks have problems on their ventures. I see lots of information on the site from folks that dont rent or own cars. Most of it well intentioned. Some of it out there in left field
This is how I handle the rental cars in Ecuador which I have rented for several years @ several weeks at a time. Without incident.
When you rent a car you are entering into a contract..in a foreign country. Insist on a copy of the contract which is usually provided.
The contract they do not readily provide is the insurance policy if you choose to purchase the agencies insurance.There are usually a couple of options with different fee schedules. Insist on a copy which they have & sometimes don't readily provide you without pushing for it. I dont leave the office without it in case I might need it after an accident . Read & understand your contract(s) inclusions & exclusions.
If you have one of those trendy credit cards that provide insurance if you pay for the rental with it understand the terms of your policy & bring a copy with you.
Example: My Presidential United card insurance is not valid if I buy any of the extra insurance the rental Co. offers.Additionaly United has zero coverage if I go off road in the jungles or beaches.Each card will have unique terms & conditions for the insurance including renting out of country.
Because I go off road, go 4 wheeling in the jungle and drive miles of coastline on the beach, I buy the 100% full coverage the rental Co. offers. I lost both running boards & had a couple of fender issues on a new Prado 5 years ago in the jungle. Cost zero dollars & a smile saying I was lucky I purchased the full coverage.
If I did not go off road the free insurance 2 my cards provide would do just fine.
Ive been lucky but understand that I can be in a fender bender in Ecuador at any minute. The previous post that suggested that it's not a big deal is a bit misleading. I am a fearless driver and adapt and drive like the locals...and driving in Ecuador still stresses me out. There is nothing relaxing about it but for us its the only way to go.
Look at the maps and then double the time you think it would take and you will be close. I've made the mistakes of covering too much ground in 1 day.
Only to find I have missed some beautiful stop overs or passed by places I should have stopped but was in too much of a hurry to get to my destination....exhuasted.... and then waste 1/2 a day sleeping in.
Ecuador: Questions. PLEASE only answers from expats living in Ecuador currently!:
Researching various subjects on-line I am finding this is more shockingly common than imaginable on sites with forums.
What is an Internet Troll/ Forum troll?
Very good article with explanation & how to deal with them @ http://curezone.org/forums/troll.asp
Ecuador: I find this commical:
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/farmlife/msg0816030732303.html
Ecuador: For the good of this community:
I have been a member for over 2 years now. I have received and also given valuable information over the months.
I have watched what has been a continual problem on this site deteriorate even further than anyone should have to put up with.
Hector just laid out a good case.
Why does the moderator allow the same individuals to constantly harrass the community?
I vote that if at least 15 members start a thread asking that a member be removed for the good of the community that you the moderator do so.
What do you say there moderator(s)? 95% of the people who follow this site are tired of the crap. When is enough enough?
Ecuador: Ibarra expats:
Where do the Ibarra expats get together at to shoot the breeze? I plan on spending at least a couple of days exploring this area in Dec/Jan. I've been there a couple of times but wasn't paying attention to it as a place to buy a home.
My wifes family home is in Ibarra but is occupied by her sister and is slotted to be removed by a future road project.
Ive got it nailed down to Ibarra or Tumbaco area. When I pull up the new airport on the map with Ibarra and the road system Ibarra is looking better and better....without the mess of the big city life of the Quito area but very close for any of the other needs.
Ecuador: Surf Fishing:
Anyone out there done any surf fishing for dinner or sport yet?
I just ordered 2 St Croix Triumph 10' 4 PCS travel surf rods from Cabelas. I have both spinning & conventional reels for the rods.
I am also bringing 2 MD & 2 LW smaller travel rods for close in bait & fishing elsewhere.
The information I need is on the 10' surf rods. I just ordered some various size pyramid weights & some top & bottom bait set ups. That's as far as I have gotten with what I have learned on the net.
Can I fish 2-4 oz lures on the 10'? If so what kind?
Anyone know what kind of fish are within reach? And kind of bait is used?
My range will be between Canoa & San Clemente.
I plan on walking accross the street from my condo in Bahia close to the mouth of the Chone in the early morning with my Cuban & expresso and wetting the line. (There really is a heaven on earth.)
There is almost zero info on the net on Ecuador surf fishing.
Ecuador Welcome Forum: Hector. Other location:
Hector,
Good information on all the threads Hopefully folks will key in the word 'investment' and understand the reference and context of your data.
Of course if they were paying the price that a reasonable Ecuadorian would pay for said properties it would be a different verdict wouldnt it?. The Ecuadorians I know would build before they pay the prices in these areas and be thousands ahead.
( I remember Tonsupa prices 7 years ago.)(And a Same condo on the beach for 30K)
I already have a condo in Bahia.(paying less than 1/2 of what they are currently selling for. i.e. good investment.
I want to buy our main home in the Quito valles not expecting to have the price double of course or rise even close like our beach getaway..
What are your predictions for the Quito valley? Cumbaya/Tumbaco/San Rafeal area. And all the little towns as a whole in this area?
My gut tells me some of these areas are going to explode fast due to the airport relocation so I want to be far enough away from those towns I dont end up next to a new highway.
I have not figuered out if I need to build or buy once I choose a town in the valley?
My idea of an investment is being able to sell to an Ecuadorian (not a gringo)without a loss if I choose to relocate and mabe even make a few bucks. Any rental income on my homes is just an extra bonus if I choose to do so.
I have targeted the Quito valley for the college, malls, hospitals, and more.
If we wanted the most house for the money and cheapest lifestyle we would choose Ibarra. However, we really like the valley.
Any information on this area is appreciated.
Ecuador Welcome Forum: Immigration Bribes are common:
I dont want to come off here as condescending but most of you do not have a clue as to how things really get done. If your lawyer is a true professional in the system you will never see or hear about the bribes. (They will be overstated in your fees though.)
Ecuador is a system of networks and networking to put it very simple and it is not that simple.
First class attornys ( or youself or others) are attornys ( or people) who get things done quickly with minimal interuptions to the process for any type of business.
The rest dont have the connections and fumble through the processes as numerous threads portray or may be good people but just dont have the networking skills in place.
Problems persist by not having the connections or the experience on the subject of representation.
Example of a using a competant connected attorney: It took me a total of 5 weeks to become a resident. (I sent the notorized birth cert & police report ahead.) It took me less than 30 minutes to get both cards walking past 200 people and giving up 5 bucks.
I have lost my residency a year later upon entering the country because I left the country more than the 90 days but I wanted my ID cards for reasons I wont state on this forum.
Next time I have the time I will apply for direct citizenship (I,m married to an Ecuadorian.) I had my pic put in the system last year for this so I can spead up the process when I have time which probably is not this year. Again, I did this through a connected attorney.
There are 2 different realities here on this subject.
Those who use very well connected attornys or others who know how to get things done and who network withinn the system & have connections on the subject, and all the others.
Adapt & start thinking like an Ecuadorian if only to conduct business and you will save time and money and roll with the inevitable punches that come.
Bribes, at least for me do not mean the same thing in Ecuador.
I am not speaking about paying to break a law. Only to get things done.
Ecuador is a caste system.
I guess I,ll see you standing in the line as I walk on by to the front on any order of business. Even the Quito Teleferico has a VIP line you can pay extra for.
The whole subject is a cultural thought process.
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