Ecuador

Vagabondjourney.com reported in August of 2010 that an international community of doners have agreed to pay Ecuador 3.6 billion dollars to not extract oil from the Yasuni Biosphere preserve that lies within their borders. This was at once a ground breaking initiative as well as a controversial one: some environmentalists think that this could be a new [...]

Ecuador cuisine is as diverse as its geography, and varies according to the region’s elevation. Along the coast people prefer foods like plantains and seafood. In the mountains people eat a lot of starches (potatoes, rice, bread, corn and yuca or cassava are all common) and meats. Eggs are the most common breakfast food, often [...]

I’m sitting in a house that is half empty and half mine and, mentally, I’m only half here –  if that much. In-between times just suck. Basically, I am taking care of all the details that are necessary to complete a successful time trip from here to the closing date for the house. That date [...]

Latacunga, Ecuador- I write this listening to the party continue outside. I should go out and join the party but I’m fiesta-ed out. It’s Sunday and the party began on Friday continuing on until Monday which once again proves that anything worth celebrating in Latin America is worth celebrating for multiple days. I know the [...]

Latacunga, Ecuador- I was on my way to Quito from Baños when I turned and asked the woman sitting next to me how much longer it would be until we arrived. A pretty face beneath a short-brimmed, felt, fedora hat turned, smiled and thought for a second. She was Highland Quichua and her appearance and [...]

Quito, Ecuador- When I was a kid someone told me the area surrounding the equator was the hottest place on Earth. Of course they meant this in general terms as far as the climate of center of the Earth is hotter than the poles. I didn’t perceive it this way and immediately thought of an [...]

Quito, Ecuador- As much as I don’t want this trip to end my bank account has begun to tell me that my desires and reality are not in agreement with another so it was time to buy my ticket back to the US. A one-way ticket through Delta Airlines from Bogota, Colombia to New York [...]

Quito, Ecuador- Recently there has been a lack in the number of photos I’ve taken and posted. It’s not because I haven’t been anywhere of interest or there has been a lack of places that I’ve enjoyed. Quite the opposite actually. I have enjoyed Ecuador but not for the reasons that makes me want to [...]

Baños, Ecuador- I probably should have left Baños three days ago but I’ve settled in for a longer than expected stay and enjoyed the slow pace of the town during the week and a lively night life on the weekend. The touristic aspect of this town has not bothered me in the least. Touristy, yes. [...]