Cuenca news today, written for expats

Ecuador slashed the sales tax on tourism services from 15% to 8% for the entire Labor Day weekend. Hotels, restaurants, transport, and tours all qualify. Here's what counts and what doesn't.

Numbeo, International Living, and Live and Invest Overseas all love Cuenca. Local experts say the rankings are real publicity — but the methodology wouldn't survive a statistics class.

A weaver from Otavalo working a traditional loom in Sinincay. A designer reimagining the poncho in alpaca and merino. An embroiderer from Chimborazo who's trained 100 students. The poncho isn't dying — it's evolving.

Looking for something to do during the long weekend? Eight museums across Cuenca are keeping their doors open through May 3, with exhibitions ranging from watercolors to astronomical projections. Here's who's open, when, and what's showing.

A water main ruptured during construction of the new Monay–IESS interchange, leaving parts of Paccha, El Valle, and five other neighborhoods without service. ETAPA is distributing water by tanker truck while repairs continue.

The reservoir that powers roughly 40% of Ecuador's electricity has lost 23 meters of water since March — and 7 of those meters vanished in the last two weeks alone. Meanwhile, electricity demand just hit an all-time record.