Tourists arriving to Ecuador via Quito often want to visit Cotopaxi National Park. After all, this stunning nature reserve is a mere 35 kilometers outside of the capital city. However, it's a tough place to get to if you don't own your own vehicle. Read on to learn a...
A couple of weekends ago, we headed out on a mission to explore La Florida Archeology Museum. This pre-Columbian burial ground sits in the middle of an average Quiteño neighborhood. On our way up the hillside to see this little treasure, we passed lines of laundry...
The best hot springs near Quito lie about an hour outside of the city in the small town of Papallacta. This rural village lies along the dramatic E20 highway, immediately next to trailheads into the Cayambe-Coca National Park. On sunny or partly cloudy days, the drive...
Shortly before moving into our new home in Quito, we made our first visit to the Virgin of Quito. We could see her statue from our hotel window. The angel-like, silver edifice stands atop a dome-shaped hill called El Panecillo. History of the Panecillo Before the...
On the short cobblestone street of Galavis, the Floresta Farmer's Market takes place every Friday morning. From my hotel window, I can see the vendors setting up bright and early in the morning. I've heard they are around until mid-afternoon but I would recommend...
I woke up this morning to the sounds of church bells clanging outside my window. It's Palm Sunday or Día de Ramos. Therefore, I imagined a procession of people gathering to enter the church in this small village of Pacto. I gathered my gear and was off. Polite Words =...
