Roaming South America

Portoviejo, Ecuador

December 10, 2022

Portoviejo, Ecuador: Founded in March 1535 which makes it one of Ecuador's oldest cities. When it was founded it was located on the coast and was given the name "Villa Nueva de San Gregorio de Portoviejo." The city was moved inland 30 kilometers (19 miles) because of attacks from the indigenous people in 1628. Apparently, they didn't like the Spaniards taking over their lands. The city has a population of around 210,000. In 2016 there was a big 7.8 earthquake that killed more than 300 people here in Portoviego. In 2019 UNESCO recognized Portoviejo as part of its Creative Cities Network. They received that recognition because of their preservation of ancestral recipes and their gastronomy in general. I can attest to the delicious encellobado. Encellobado is a fish soup and is incredible. The climate is unbeatable: daytime highs average 29° C, (84° F); and nights average 22° C, (72° F).

My first afternoon out walking and I came across two people who speak English. A young guy whose English is almost, but not quite, conversational, and a man in a variety store who had lived for 20 years in New Jersey and one year in New York. He told me he is from Perú, but relocated to Ecuador because his daughter lives here.

So, my impressions: I like this small city, but for my personal preference for a place to live it is on the large side, so it won't be on my top 10 list. The city has some really nice parks which is a big plus in my opinion. There is a new mall being built, also a plus. And, like all the Ecuador towns/cities I have visited so far, the streets are in surprisingly good condition. While it may not be in my top 10 list, it will be in my top 20 list.

This is my goal: to find a new place to live. So to reach that goal I am traveling most of South America, visiting the countries of Ecuador, Perú, Bolivia, Chile, passing through Argentina, visiting Paraguay, passing through a bit of Brazil, and finally visiting Uruguay. I have a list of towns, about 70 towns, that meet these qualifications: Cities with average day temperatures of 22-28°C (72-83°F) and night temps of 14°C (57°F) and higher; and a population between 28,000-300,000 (preferably under 100,000). I analyzed climate and population data of around 700 towns in the above-mentioned countries then pulled out the ones that meet the previously mentioned criteria, which leaves about 70. My preference leans towards towns of less than 100,000 people. Of the 70 towns, about 20 have populations of 100,000 - 300,000. And, now that I've been here on the coast for a few days I've decided I will probably want a town more inland. I love the beach and walking in the warm water, but, getting sunburned is just too easy, even on a cloudy day. At least, here in Ecuador.

Next up: Monticristi.