http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/92...erica-1322842/


hey guys i made a post above, any posting in there would be great

thanks.

Hey guys! Thank you for this tread. I'm new here.
Kerwinty have you found any place in GYE? Could you recommend me any web-pages for searching? I'm in Quito, looking for some suite. Or may be there is some poker-houses? If not, probably it's time to open one. Could be great to rent a house for 5-6 people somewhere on the cost.

Thanks for the information OP!

wow interesting to hear about the banco......

i googled and saw one branch of banco bolivario currently in cuenca...is that still the case?

i was dead set on Lima but I think that this might be optimal.....

I don't know if this sounds stupid, never used it, but does moneybookers take cash right out of your bank account?

Am i right in assuming that i can just get a bank account my first day there.....take cash with me and deposit into the banco and get up and going in a couple days on stars once my moneybookers is set up......

and this account comes with no debit card or anything so all cash withdrawals in person at the bank? and does moneybookers just shoot the money right back into your account?

i guess i was confused by you saying you needed a friends cc to fund your account....if someone could clear this up it would be great. ive never used moneybookers and cant figure it out on their site.....im too old for this ****

And also if I were to successfully set up a Pokerstars account in Ecuador and then were to log on in say Peru would that be allowed....could I travel all around South America without issues of my account being locked.....

sorry if these seem like stupid questions....just a 30 year old gringo who has never really been out of the usa

I am in the process of looking for both me and another poker player that is coming down. We are looking to possibly share a 2 bedroom, or I'll find a place for each of us when back in gye. Its not always so easy finding something in the middle pricing range in gye and quito. It cuenca it is very easy.

you can check- www.plusvalia.com and www.tucasaecuador.com. Although looking in the classifieds will probably find you cheaper options. Are you planning to stay in Quito?

No matter where you go, Lima, Costa Rica, Argentina, its never going to be the case where you get a bank account and are playing the next day. The bank takes 2-3 days to open and verify once you have the info ready they request. Moneybookers from that point is simple. They do take CC, but most banks don't give out CC with a checking or savings account down here so your options are to wait till its open, and do a wire transfer via cash through the bank to moneybookers, have someone send you money on a stars account before you arrive and open moneybookers the first day, or have someone transfer you money to moneybookers and deposit that way. Getting money on, can be frustrating (again assuming this for ALL Latin American Countries), but when you withdrawl to moneybookers, you can link it with your bank and have it ready to withdraw from the ATM usually the next day. When do you plan to head to Lima?

Playas, Ecuador

Got this place in Playas, Ecuador, 60 miles outside of Guayaquil. I think its the closest beach to guayaquil but not positive. Super easy to find, saw a number on the side of a building, called it, checked out the place, negotiated, and moved in 30 mins later. Dead season now so wasn't too tough I guess. 4 bed/4.5 bath...a bit bigger than what I need but it works! $500 cash and no deposit, was surprised about that lol

my god that's great value.....thanks for the replies everyone......im waiting on tying up a few loose ends but want to be in Lima May 20 for the LSOP but may just end up staying there for a couple weeks and check out Ecuador.....i mean you're losing money by NOT getting a place there....right?

Hey kerwinty, thanx for the links. I was looking for an apartment in Quito. But after boliver's photos I think it would be more interesting to rent an apartment on the coast. So will see.

are u currently in Ecuador aspiz. If not when do you arrive?

what up ruskie!

fwiw Canoa was alot cooler than Playas imo. I hear good things about Salinas as well (kerwinty knows more about this place i believe), and montanita everyone loves but I hear its strictly parties and can get old pretty quick, unless you like partying your face off multiple nights a week. Playas is absolutely fine, but I'm basically just here to grind my ass off for SCOOP. Get here soon and you can lock in a nice apartment for cheap since high season just ended though.

This thread cracks me up. I was married to an Ecuadorian and went to Guayaquil a few times. This was around 2000 though, and Guayaquil was NOT a place I would have lived. Quito seemed very cool though.

It's really good to hear about Guayaquil. That place had, for a long time, a very bad reputation as a dangerous, hot, crappy, large South American city.

I do love Ecuador though, and this thread inspires me to go back. I've been looking to take some time off late this year, so maybe it's time for a visit.

haha Sapo. Yea I've watched the change pretty much everytime I come back and its still growing, expanding and getting safer. It's pretty impressive to how it was in 2000.

Yo! I'm in Quito. Was watching for an apartment last days. Find some good options. But here is ****y weather, it's raining every day during last week. Wanna go to the coast and check some place's there. I was in Montanita a few weeks ago. Nice place, but it's cool for a weekend or for vacation's, I could not imagine how to live there longer. What about other places on the beach? What about the places to go out, cafe's, cinema's? What about the weather in june, july? I heard that in a low season there is quite cold and nothing to do, is it true?

Yea, I wouldn't prefer to live in quito or cuenca, too cold and rainy. I am moving back to guayaquil thursday and also helping another poker player find housing in gye. He arrives May 15th. In terms of fun, things to do, bars, restaurants, girls, movies etc guayaquil is the place to be. However, since it is the low season at the beaches (which just started) the cost of housing is def cheaper but the towns are pretty dead and chilly. I still take trips some weekends to get beach time but prefer to be in the city. Happy to be going back to guayaquil after being in Cuenca for 6 months though this city has its charms as well.

back to the heat. Just want to say wow once again about the way girls look imo in guayaquil. Was out and about in all different areas of the city for last two days looking for rentals and it made me remember one of the reasons I loved gye- so many stunning girls.

renting is also pretty confusing here- harder by far than cuenca but doable. Had to search for the poker player coming down and myself, and we have slightly diff needs and budgets. The first place I looked at for me I took- 280 a month for a two ambiente suite in a very posh neighborhood 3 blocks from main drag. Everything included which is cable tv, ac, super super super high speed internet, and cleaning once a week. Think its a great deal for the area. Found other player a really nice one bedroom apt in same area for 450 everything included- and its def way a step up from here. Seems like lots of new property catering to businessmen with prices being exorbant for most US cities, but there is still value with a little searching- especially if you rent a house it can come out really cheap and still be really nice. Gye is def more expensive than cuenca in terms of apts though. Interesting to see now that I have lived in 5 places total between the two cities since arriving in late 2011.

Do they measure gasoline in gallons? I remember seeing like $1.30 on the signs, never did ask anyone though.

yea as far as I know ha. its cheap everywhere down here...

Anybody know of a dept or room available in Guayaquil for a monthly rate starting this week? thanks

Super super super good internet is achievable here? Basically looking for somewhere with low risk of internet dc in Latin/South America that isn't Brazil. Would want to grind mtts.

Thanks this thread is very useful!

So how is the Edward Snowden thing playing there? Is it a big story?

What should I expect to pay for a high end 2 bed/2 bath in GYE?

Really depends on the unit. Lots of units in the new high rises are going for $1000-$1400 for 2br. If you live in Samborondon or Urdesa, probably like $700-$800 high end furnished.

Internet depends on where you are tbh. I have impecable internet in my current location, but I had internet that lagged in the apartment I was in in cuenca so it all depends. Keep in mind that this is the internet that comes with the apartment through the landlord. If I wanted to upgrade you could very easily get flawless fast internet.

The political thing is on the news but since it's gone down haven't really talked to many people about it. I see random posts from Ecuadorian friends about it. In general, the gov't here does things that have an anti US stance and middle class people and above have the opposite viewpoint since so many of them have family in NY or Miami and travel to the states often.

Thanks man.

I read about Samborondon on a travel blog. I was looking to spend $1,000/month MAX, so that sounds right up my alley.

Another question... My girlfriend is moving with me. Is it safe there for her to go out on her own (daytime)? Is there decent shopping and some outdoor stuff to do?