Lush and lovely Ecuador

“Anybody who’s been to Ecuador wants to go back because it’s beautiful out there”. - Michael Steger.

So! so true. Several people in the group that I traveled with were coming back for seconds and thirds and one couple was actually back here for the fourth time. With its colorful flowers, lush green hills, towering volcanoes and friendly people this country has an inescapable appeal.

I usually travel solo but this time I was traveling with a friend. My traveling companion asked me whether I was aware that December was typically rainy and cool. Yes, I was aware, and these dates were a deliberate choice. As our guide said, Ecuador only has two seasons wet and wetter. As it turned out the weather was perfect, cool and mostly sunny, perfect for sightseeing and traveling.

Since Ecuador switched to using US currency, it’s very convenient for American travelers not to have to worry about currency exchange. I would recommend however that you carry a lot of ones, fives and tens and even some change if possible. Ecuador does still mint some of their own money and you might get these coins back in change. These Ecuadorian coins are not legal tender in the US.

We landed in Guayaquil in the coastal lowlands of the country. Here, weather is typically hot and humid and despite all the Christmas decorations and beautifully decorated nativities, the weather was definitely on the warm side.

Guayaquil gets its name from a native couple Guayas and Quil of the Huancavilca tribe who ruled this area before the Spaniards came in search of El Dorado. Captured and threatened by the Spaniards they decided to kill themselves rather than surrender, their bodes falling into the Guayas River giving rise to the origins of the name of the city that has flourished in the area.

We spent an enjoyable afternoon wandering by the river, taking a cable car ride to see the view and watched the sun set over the river gilding the city in gold and orange.

For some reason Guayaquil has a lot of metal statues scattered around the city but mostly in the city center.

On the river front known as the Malecon stands the monument of La Rotonda which commemorates the meeting between Simon Bolivar and San Martin which took place on July 26, 1822, during the struggle of Ecuador for independence from Spain.

Many school children were relaxing on the steps of the monument as we strolled the river side. My grandson’s favorite character at the moment is Spiderman. I was happy to pay the spiderman selling lollipops for a picture to send my grandson.

On our walk along this area, we passed a Jurassic Park, and other children’s entertainments before arriving in the city square and finishing our walk in the Iguana Park before crossing the road for a quick peek into the cathedral.

Fresh seafood abounds in the coastlands. As we made our way out of the city in the morning, we saw these fishermen selling their catch of blue crab on the side of the highway.

Our first stop for the day was a cacao farm. Chocolate and cacao are one the largest exports along with flowers and various fruits. Along the drive we had passed banana fields, pineapple and sugarcane fields. It reminded me so much of the drives in Costa Rica; green, lush and beautiful.

At the Cacao farm we got to taste the cacao plant and also see the process of harvesting and drying the seeds. Fruits, flowers and herbs grow side by side with the cacao plants so that they take on some of the scent and taste of these plants. Mango trees were abundant, and the fruit lay on the ground tempting us to just pick it up and eat. Brought back childhood memories of climbing the trees and liberating the fruit for that fresh just ripened taste.

We were here to be educated about cacao and chocolate and so we wrapped up our visit with a chocolate tasting and an opportunity to buy.

We crossed lush green mountains with clouds hovering around them. Villages and lone homes dotted the hillside. People are poor and they lead a hard life here like this older couple burdened with the greens that they had harvested and carried on their back to their home to possibly feed their livestock.

Despite any poverty, people were friendly and welcoming.

Did you know that Ecuador exports most of the world’s Valentine’s Day roses? We did not get to visit a rose farm because according to our guide they are already harvesting roses in preparation for Valentine’s Day. Instead, we visited an orchid Farm. The green houses used to cultivate and grow orchids simulate a natural environment with multiple varieties of orchids mixed in with jungle creepers.

Trader Joes is a local store here in the US which sells orchids. When we entered the shop, many of us were amused to see the orchids tagged with prices that we pay at Trader Joes in the US even as the gentleman who was explaining the orchid growing process was telling us how we could buy and ship the flowers home for a much lower price than we would expect to pay back home.

We walked through markets teeming with fresh fruit. Many people in our group went crazy to recognize and taste fruits from all over the world. I was also amused to see women sitting peeling onions and them bagging peeled onions to sell.

As we walked through the meat, fish, vegetables and fruit aisles, I was amused how growing up we never dreamed of visiting these markets and yet it’s a highlight that is included in any travel that I do now.

The Flower Square in Cuenca city center. Full of color.

Cuenca at a comfortable 8000 ft above sea level is a beautiful city with a very European flair. We ate the best pizza here that I have had in a place that was very reminiscent of an upscale European square.

Many ex-pats have settled here, and we heard about the pros and cons from our guide.

our first and only sighting of Alpacas.

Ingapirca, the most well-preserved Inca ruins in Ecuador. The most significant building is the pyramid of the sun that you can see in the distance.

Many young people leave the country and head to Europe and the USA in search of jobs. They send money home to their families to construct homes like those that they see in the countries that they are living in.

They leave behind children for their parents, cousins and siblings to raise so that they can work hard and send money home not only for the upkeep of the family but also to construct permanent homes for when they return.

I jokingly referred to this house as “White House in The Rain” glimpsed out of the coach windows as we drove through a town.

We closed the day at Riobamba at approximately 10,200 ft above sea level. Many of us had headaches and shortness of breath at this location. The property we stayed at here was beautiful and we had a beautiful view of the Chimborazo volcano in the evening.

Peacocks roamed freely in the central courtyard. As I came out of my room in the morning to put out my suitcase for pickup, this peacock was perched right outside my room on the steps leading to the central courtyard.

The breakfast buffet with its whimsical breads shaped like some of the coastal creature’s indigent to the country.

Still to come the Amazon rainforest, volcanoes, and back to the highlands and the center of the earth. Stay tuned for more Ecuador.