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The Chimborazo Lodge
I feel joy each time I drive up the rutted dirt road to the gated entrance of Marco Cruz's Chimborazo Lodge. I could blame the euphoria on the high altitude. After all, the lodge is 4000 meters, about 13,123 feet, above sea level. But this euphoria comes from my joy...
An Auspicious Start To Holy Week, Palm Sunday in Quito
A week before Easter Sunday, Catholics around the world celebrate Palm Sunday. In Quito, Ecuador, Domingo de Ramos is a more festive day than Easter Sunday itself. The line-up of activities changes each year but in our experience, the folklore group Jacchigua always...
A Hop, Skip, and a Jump from Quito – Yanacocha Reserve
The Yanacocha Reserve protects a small slice of high altitude cloud forest about an hour outside of Quito. On a sunny day, it's a great place to hike for unimpeded views of Guagua Pinchincha, the volcano that last erupted in 1999. The vista towards the coast is...
Make Your Own Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut isn't exactly an Ecuadorian staple. That's one of the great things about living overseas; it pushes me to make the foods I love but can't easily buy. A couple of years ago, I had tried to make sauerkraut at home and the attempt resulted in a...
Plan Your Visit To Cotopaxi National Park
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...
Dig Into Ancient Quito: La Florida Archeology Museum
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, Ecuador: Papallacta
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...
The Virgin of Quito
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...
The Floresta Farmer’s Market
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...
Buenos Días, Pacto!
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 =...