
Nestled in the Andes Mountains in Ecuador, there is a blossoming foodie haven built on the ingenuity of expats with a taste for home cooking.
I moved to the Spanish colonial city of Cuenca almost four years ago, escaping the unhealthy working hours and resulting unhealthy lifestyle I had in Florida. I was working 50 hours a week, grabbing tacos on the way home because I hadn’t eaten all day, drinking a bottle of wine while watching mindless TV, and taking an Ambien to sleep. In other words, I was a typical North American.
Moving to Cuenca gave me back my health and, more importantly, my mind. Shedding the Florida heat, the cost of owning a car, and exorbitant healthcare and electricity costs helped me learn to live simply again.