Villaflor has received rain every day for almost two weeks, and, with that, a significant delay in the pouring of the footers and foundation. I knew weather, along with slower parts of the construction process, may prevent me from having enough content to make updates in a timely manner, so I have planned a side series of posts that will cover different aspects of living in Ecuador, which I will conveniently title, “Ecuador Living.” And this post will be the first in that series.

I have talked a little on the About page of the differences in shopping here compared to the States. Particularly, the very destination-oriented shopping experience, as every type of product is usually found in its own unique store. While this was one of the more frustrating aspects of life when I first moved here, I have now become quite accustomed to it and very much prefer this style of shopping that feels personal and community-driven.

I would like to take a moment to introduce everyone to a few of the shops I visit most, and to the people that make those shops run. They are all located close to our current rental house, most within walking distance, and they have become my preference for the bulk of our purchases. So, in no particular order, here they are!

This is Magaly, and she runs a produce stand about two blocks from our house. Because of her fresh, comprehensive selection, this has become my go-to stop for produce. If there is a non-meat, non-commercially packaged item in our house, I almost certainly bought it from Magaly. Her stand is always well organized and impressively displayed, which makes choosing your purchases a lot of fun. Most of the items that are cellophane wrapped are done so to simplify buying as they are portioned out to a one dollar cost.

Meet Maria, the heart of the corner store just a block from our house—the closest shop of all. Her shelves are stocked with a wide selection of branded foods, from chips and cookies to juices, milk, ice cream, and cooking oils. I also rely on her for essentials like noodles, rice, cheese, and eggs. Plus she has a selection of cleaning and personal care items, and thanks to her store’s convenient location, it has saved my ass more than a few times when I inevitably forget an item while out and about.

Pictured here is the shop Avicarnes, and its skilled butcher Henry. It is about a four- to five-minute drive from the house and a really easy stop any time I am headed home. Henry offers some of the best quality meats I have found in the city and we are very lucky to have him so close to the house. He is always happy to grind beef or hand-slice thick bacon upon request. He has just about any beef, chicken, or pork product I could desire, including several I haven’t been brave enough to try and cook myself. Like cow stomach, tongue, and liver, or pork feet and entrails.

This is the chicken selection in Avicarnes. Henry keeps a lot of whole chickens on hand but will also trim them down to whatever pieces you want.

And last but not least, there’s Alberto. I never need to drive or walk to Alberto because he always comes right to my front door. Alberto is a local distributor of LPG, or liquefied petroleum gas. These cylinders, about $3.25 a piece, are the fuel for our stove-top, oven, clothes dryer, and hot water heater. We go through about 4 to 5 tanks a month and when we run low, I send a quick message to Alberto. A few minutes later, he arrives to swap out all of my empty tanks.

These are the people in my neighborhood, and now you know them too! Weather permitting, I should be back to a post about home construction next week, but will still occasionally post in this series to share more aspects of living in Ecuador!