LOJA City in Ecuador

A typical non-touristic day in Loja

Since this is a practical guide for people living in Vilcabamba as well as a touristic guide for people visiting, I thought that it would be a good idea to describe a typical non touristic day in Loja like I (with my husband) have had many in the past 6 months that we have been living in Vilcabamba. Loja is such a diverse place that each time we go, we keep finding out more jewels, so I am sure that if today I was to re-read these paragraphs that I wrote a few months ago, I would want to add more. However incomplete, this gives an idea on how to spend a great shopping day in Loja.

Get the bus from Vilcabamba at 9 am or a cheap taxi. All going well you'll be in Loja by 10 am. Walk down from the bus stop to Parque Central just in time to make your appointment with the lawyer. Start the legal paperwork for the day. While the paperwork is being prepared go to the printers if needed or the bank to get some cash (be prepared to queue were ever you go) then to the health shop and maybe another shop around the Parque Central.  By now it's 12.30 and everything is closing for siesta. So you go to the Chinese Restaurant for lunch. After lunch go to Diego's fruit shop (across the road from the Chinese restaurant) for pitahayas (we call it the fruit of the gods), chocolate coated macadamia nuts, fruit, nuts, olives etc.  

Then, time to go to the Central Commercial for ground coffee and general shopping, then back to Parque central to Mimos for ice cream/cake (or both if the fancy takes you) and an espresso coffee. Buy now, the shops should be opening up (3pm) so it's back to the lawyer to keep going with the paperwork. Then maybe to the vet or optometrist or to the computer shop etc. Then back to the lawyer to go to the notary to get the paperwork witnessed and signed. After that is finished it is around 5 or 6 pm you have walked about 5ks at least and you are tired. Grab a taxi to SuperMaxi where you finish your day with 45 minutes in the Supermarket followed by dinner at the food court. You head home to Vilcabamba either around 6 or 7 pm. Arriving home at 8pm all going well.

This is an average day for us in Loja. For most of our friends who go to Loja each week they have a similar day. They have a day packed full of things that they need to do, a day where they barely sit down. Be prepared, it's full on in Loja. I enjoy it. I'm getting organized and my days there are getting more efficient. I know my way around nearly like the back of my hand, which helps. I have spent hours exploring the streets locating shops of interest that I may need in the future. The only thing that still catches me out is that a lot of places are closed from 12.30 to 3 so you are going for it getting things done on your list and wham down come the shutters and you have to wait.

Getting back to Vilcabamba from Loja

We like to finish our day at SuperMaxi. That way, you are not lugging a load of groceries around with you all day while in Loja. Then you get a yellow cab with all your bags back to Vilcabamba from SuperMaxi (cost is $15) to your door. Often we share a cab and the cost.

If we haven't got a lot to take back and it's before 5pm (refer to the section on Bus Service) then we walk to the bus stop/or go to the terminal and get the bus back.

Occasionally you will bump into a fellow Vilcabamba resident and get a nice lift back.

I'm sure there are other ways to get back but for now that's all I've tried. By the time I've finished my day in Loja the yellow taxi at SuperMaxi is about as far as I want to go looking for my transport home.

Car Parking and Wheel Clamping

Be warned that they have parking wardens in Loja and they clamp wheels if you haven't paid your parking or are overdue on your time on your parking ticket. For those that don't know what a wheel clamp is it is a BIG yellow hunk of metal that is designed to go around a cars wheel and stop you from driving away. You have to pay the fine to have it removed. It is still better than your car being towed away as they do in New Zealand.

When you park on the road you can buy your parking ticket from most tiendas or news stands. I haven't parked in Loja yet so have no idea on cost etc.

There seem to be a lot of police patrolling cars driving on the roads in Loja so wear your seat belt in Loja. If you are on a motorbike, wear your helmet in Loja (I have seen some people wearing their helmet not on the head but on the arm, I guess that there is a loophole in the law that forgot to explicitly state that the helmet must be worn on the head) (*). Most motorbikes are parked around the Parque Central. They don't seem to pay for parking here. I have no idea if they are supposed to.

There are public car parks around Loja too that you can pay to park in.

If anyone has more information on parking in Loja please email me so I can add it to the guide. Does anyone know what to do if you get clamped?

Bags in Loja

When you go into shops like Romar, SuperMaxi, TodoHojar, Tia (large shops) you will have to leave all your bags at the bag counter. The only bag you can take in is small hand bag. You must get a number from the bag person which you give back to them to get your bags back. The number should be the same as the number of the cubby hole your bags are in. DO check that your bags are put into a cubby hole. Last week my friends' bag was left on the bag counter at Romar and anyone could have grabbed it and taken off with it.

So far I have had no problems with this 'service'. I've had all my bags back and nothing missing. However, I do advise you not leave valuables in your bags. Take your money, camera, cell phone, wallet etc with you into the shop. Carry a small hand bag with you or a pouch if you are a guy and do not want to carry a handbag.

The rest of this section covers our favorite places in Loja and the places that we frequent often to meet day to day living needs. 

Mimos

Mimos is an ice cream and cafe shop. They serve a great selection of ice creams and make a very good espresso coffee. They also do meals and deserts. We go here every trip into Loja for a coffee and ice cream. The service is very good and the premises are clean and modern. It's our daughter's favorite place in Loja. See our Food section for details.

Ambar

Ambar is a bead shop. They have a good selection of beads and accessories needed to make your own jewelry.
Ambar is located on Miguel Riofrio entre 18 de Novembre and Universitaria

Importadora d Galzado 'Mac-Rom'

We have bought shoes at this shop in Loja for my husband. So far the shoes have worn very well. They are located on the main road side of the Central Commercial shopping center in Loja. I found their service and price to be good.
Located on Avenue Universitaria and Rocafuerte (Tel 2 579 154)

Romar

This is a low budget plastic/home-ware shop and small supermarket. They are pretty cheap for plastic stuff when compared to SuperMaxi to TodoHajar. I've bought some plasticware from here, a cutlery set and some glasses. Not the best stuff but they do the job. Romar is located on 18 de Noviembre. Any taxi driver will know exactly where it is.

Ernesto Jimenez Ludena

Pots and pans, plasticware and all kind of things for the kitchen can also be purchased at the smaller but friendly Ernesto Ludena shop on 10 de Agosto

And they do have the latest computerized equipment to manage their stocks and their client accounts :-)

SuperMaxi Complex

SuperMaxi is a 'western' styled supermarket just outside of the Loja Central. It is laid out the same as a 'western' supermarket and carries the full range that you'd expect. I have found that items sold here can be more expensive than other shops. So it's not the cheapest place to shop. It is a kind of ' shopping mall' where there are a number of clothing shops, electrical and a large pharmacy, as well as a food court (see our food section for more on the food court) and toy shop.

The pharmacy stocks the homeopathic range called Heel. www.heel.com/Heel_com_Partners_Ecuador.homotox . You won't find it on the shelves you have to ask for it. In the following paragraph I explain through example how you buy goods in this pharmacy. I personally found this process very strange, inefficient on both my time and the staff time.

Okay, you go in to the shop (after leaving any bags with the bag person at the front door). You wonder around. You may find what you won't on one of the shelves in which case just pick up the item as you would do any other shop. If you don't find the item you want then you need to go to the long counter at the back of the shop and wait and wait and wait. The first time I went into this shop I gave up waiting to be served and left. The second time I had to wait as my family was sick and I wanted a Heel product.

You get served at which point you can ask for what you want and they will look it up on the computer. If they have it you will receive a white docket with the item name and price. Take this docket and the off the shelf item you have to the check out and pay. Then go to the dispensing counter which is situated directly behind the check outs with your receipt of payment and your product will be there waiting for.

They generally do not have a lot of staff on so be prepared to wait at all three counters.

The toy shop is probably the best in Loja. Their stock is well presented. They have a pretty good variety of toys and are a little pricy.

There is a hairdresser which my friend and husband use and they do good job and not too expensive.

TodoHojar is a homeware shop. They sell towels, kitchen stuff, TV's, all sorts for the house. They have the best quality for these kinds of products in Loja. They aren't cheap though. You will need your passport or Ecuadorian censo card to buy anything in this shop. I've bought a few things for the kitchen and some towels and tea towels from here and so far nothing has broken and the dyes in the towels haven't run. The towels and tea towels are of reasonably good quality (but not cheap). Electrical stuff can be found cheaper in other shops in Loja. I've compared prices and TodoHojar is expensive for electrical.  

The other shops that make up the SuperMaxi complex well presented, modern but again, pricy.

Address: Jump in a yellow cab in Loja and ask to go to SuperMaxi. From Parque Central Loja to SuperMaxi is $1 one way.