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Stunning Orchids at Quito’s Botanical Garden
I look forward to orchid season in and around Quito! That means from about December through April, I'll find the best opportunities to see these strange and beautiful flowers in their native habitats. That's because rainy season brings on the prettiest blooms. In the...
Mercado de Paloquemao in Bogotá, Colombia
It's the first day our big road trip through Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. We spent our first day exploring the wonders of the Plaza Mercado de Paloquemao in Bogotá. But only after recovering from a day of travel! Exploring Bogotá One Day At A Time We arrived late last...
Piñán, Ecuador – A Place Forgetten in Time
David Sasaki kindly gave permission for Not Your Average American to publish his written words and beautiful photos on our website. David is the founder and main administrator of the Facebook group, Ecuador Expats. Piñañ, Ecuador - A Forgotten Place in Time Every now...
What You Need To Know About Tandayapa, Ecuador
Travelers and tourists venture to Tandayapa for bird watching, extreme biking, and hiking in pristine, high-altitude cloud forests. Few people venture into the town itself. Rather, they stay in lodges that dot the broader area, known as the Tandayapa Valley. Where is...
Make Your Own Curry Powder
I don't know about all of you but I just love to cook. I also love to eat. When we move to a new place, one of the first things we do is visit restaurants that serve the local cuisine. In Texas, that meant bar-b-que but we also found the best breakfast tacos around....
What You Need To Know About Nono, Ecuador
In the past, a trip out to Nono could take a couple of hours along a dusty road of broken cobblestone. Today, it is smooth sailing on a two-lane paved road that meanders through neighborhoods tucked into the high Pichincha slope of northwest Quito. Where is Nono,...
The Virgin’s Grotto near Nono, Ecuador
While driving a backroad connecting the small town of Nono with the nature reserves in the Tandayapa Valley and Mindo, we found a surprising sight. Jutting out into the road on a sharp bend was a set of concrete stairs leading up a rock face. A pull-out across the way...
A Love Affair With Empanadas
I have a love affair with empanadas! Who doesn't love a bit of fried, flaky pastry filled with savory ingredients like well-seasoned ground beef or creamy, melted white cheese? Empanadas are easy to find in Ecuador but one place, in particular, deserves special...
Visiting the Quichua near Puerto Napo
Ecuadorians divide their country into three distinct regions - el Oriente (the East or the jungle), la Costa (the coast), and la Sierra (the mountains). Each area is not only geographically distinct but culturally as well. In our short time here, we've immersed...
Safe Travel in Colombia
As we start to put our Bogotá to Lima trip on paper, the complications of traveling by land in Colombia have us seriously considering how we are going to get from point A to point B. It is next to impossible for us to throw all caution to the wind. After all, 28 years...