bevvym

(I have been advised to remove this post from the general travel forum and post it here even though it does not pertain entirely to South America.)

My husband and I love to travel and are looking to improve our Spanish. We communicate pretty well in Spanish now and spent two weeks in Madrid last summer. We would like to spend August 2017 in a city where we can further immerse ourselves. We aren't looking for formal Spanish lessons. The cities we're considering right now are Cuenca, Ecuador, and Mexico City. I have a feeling there's lots more to do in Mexico City, but it seems like there's lots of culture and nightlife in each place, and also each has a great climate. (Getting out of Atlanta in August would be a major bonus.) Does anyone have thoughts about either city or suggestions of other places we should consider? We like to travel with our two small dogs, so we will mostly stay put and not travel extensively out of the city we choose. We prefer urban areas over rural. It seems both Cuenca and DF have pet-friendly lodgings. Thank you for any advice you may have!

dwdvagamundo

Mexico City would be good--one of my favorite cities, but it would be rainy in August!

Have never been to Cuenca, but Lima, Peru, and environs would fit your needs and it would be the dry season.

crellston

I haven't been to Mexico City, but I do know it is my daugher in laws favourite city in Central America. I have spent a lot of time in Cuenca which has a lot going for it. Great architecture, superb restaurant scene and some great places to visit nearby, Cajas National Park being one example. It is however a big expat centre for North Americans so it may not be great for improving your Spanish as English is more widely spoken there than in most place.

We spent a month in Quito taking Spanish lessons. Not the most user friendly city but lots to see in the city, and, nothwithstanding your desire to stay put, it provides easy access to some of Ecuadors iconic sight like Cotopaxi, Mindo, Otavalo etc.sham to miss them!

janisj

>>(I have been advised to remove this post from the general travel forum and post it here even though it does not pertain entirely to South America.)
<<

Just to clarify . . . It wasn't suggested you remove your thread from the Travel Tips board -- only that you would probably get more responses if you re-post on the SA and Mexico forums. (you can't delete a thread anyway. Was just trying to help.)

mlgb

The Andes would be generally dry although at high altitude it's cold at night. I probably wouldn't recommend Lima, althougth I like the Barranco neighborhood a lot. August is generally foggy, along the west coast, although it would be cool.

Although there are a lot of expats in Cuenca, you won't have much trouble practicing your Spanish there. There are a lot of good Airbnb places in Cuenca, lots of culture (since there is a university) and Ecuador is inexpensive. I assume you've looked into import restrictions on pets in both places.

Ecuador is generally quite a bit cheaper than Peru, but also has a bit more of a crime problem in the larger cities. I think the dialect of Spanish generally spoken in the interior of Ecuador (Peru, and Bolivia also) is easier to understand (spoken more slowly, clearly and less slurred). I like the Barranco neighborhood of Lima, tons of culture and great food. But it will be cool, even quite foggy. So that depends on your definition of "good weather" Coming from Atlanta you might like that.. August is high season in Peru so your flights may be more expensive.

I've heard that Guatemala is another good place to study Spanish. I don't know what the weather is like in August.

bevvym

Thanks, everyone, for the many wonderful suggestions so far! I really appreciate the help.

mlgb - Getting our dogs into Mexico and Ecuador requires only a health certificate based on everything I've read. They've flown far and wide and love to go. And a foggy and cool August sounds so delightful, a dream come true actually.

crellston

You might want to check on how dogs adapt to altitude. It can be an issue for most humans in Quito and Cusco. Mexico City and Cuenca are below the altitude where it can be an issue.

Like mlgb, I love Lima, especially Barranco. We stayed there for a month in a rented apartment and loved it. A village like, bohemian atmosphere. Lot so of great bars and restaurants and you really can "live like a local" there. Very dog friendly too.

mlgb

LOL, I hear you on that bevvym. In that case I think it is a good option. Lots of culture, food, also Spanish dialect is easy to understand (compared to Chile, it sounds almost like English) Great food and markets, If you can find a good deal on an apartment in Barranco that takes dogs, I would sure go for it! It's a great neighborhood, people are very friendly, especially if you attempt a little bad Spanish.

I don't think you would get bored there. Great city for museums and culture as well as food. There are a number of discount offer websites for Peru such as Groupon where you can find package day trips out of LIma up into the nearby hills which are above the fog line. Also a good way to practice Spanish is to take a tour with a bunch of Peruvians!!

Be cautious about the day trip up to Caral...that road is scary in the fog with all the Peruvians passing in zero visibility...don't ask how I know.

bevvym

Crellston, thanks for thinking of the issue of taking dogs to high altitudes. I will look into that.

Mlgb, thanks for the additional details about Lima. We usually just take public transportation and avoid rental cars, so I'll look into the options and for sure will avoid the road to Caral. I always appreciate potentially life-saving tips! We were warned not to take tours in Egypt that involved being on the bus after dark because many people there don't use head lights!