The guidebooks terrified me. The way most described it, I was about to get mugged, knifed, gunned down or assaulted in some fashion. They said I could never take a taxi, walk alone or a ride a bus, and that my hotel would be scary, unless, of course, I was staying at a luxury hotel. So, as I...
“Excellent job guys! You did great!” cried Alex, our adorably Irish rafting guide. Our reward for perfectly synchronized paddle strokes was not a calm, serene stretch on the river but a headfirst plunge into the frothy rapids of the Jatunyacu River. Meaning ‘big water’ in Quichua, the...
The peaceful Ecuadorian town of Otavalo was getting ready for a big party. It was Friday, June 22nd, the night of the summer solstice when age-old traditions would be brought to life once again. Inti Raymi, or the Festival of the Sun, celebrates Mother Nature and her fruits, especially the...
While wandering around Cuenca, it’s easy to forget you live in the 21st century. The city’s cobblestone streets, towering cathedrals, and marble and whitewashed buildings give it a colonial air unequaled in Ecuador and rarely rivaled in Latin America.
Officially known as “Saint Ann of...
High up in the páramo, at 10,800 feet above sea level, the Papallacta thermal springs are the epitome of bliss. At an average temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit, the pools are a welcome retreat from the chilly daytime temperature of 57 degrees. Whilst being very peaceful to loll about in,...