Dining / South America / Tropics / Vegetarian/Vegan
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published April 4, 2018 · Last modified March 19, 2018
Wandering around Quito, we smelled something amazing. It was citrus and the smell wafted for about half a block in all directions. It was a mobile lemonade vendor. (Or should I say limeade vendor since limes are vastly more popular and common in Ecuador than lemons. In fact, lemons almost don’t...
While out wandering in Barcelona today I came across a motorcycle that is almost exactly like the one I have in storage back home. Same color and everything. The only difference is that mine has saddle bags and a rack instead of the luggage compartment.
I’ve mentioned before that Quito, Ecuador lies in a mountain valley deep in the Andes Mountains. The city is surrounded on all four sides by mountains. In fact, it’s only a little over four miles wide at its widest point and about 20 miles long at its longest. In terms...
Culture / History / South America / Strenuous / Tropics
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published March 30, 2018 · Last modified March 19, 2018
One of Quito, Ecuador’s biggest attractions, both literally and figuratively, is the massive Basilica del Voto Nacional (“Basilica of the National Vow”). The towers are a full
Facts & Trivia / Nature / South America / Tropics
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published March 28, 2018 · Last modified March 19, 2018
Quito, Ecuador lies nestled in a mountain valley in the Andes Mountains. Because it lies almost exactly on the equator,
After the theft of my backpacks and, along with them, my second pair of shoes, I have been wearing the same hiking boots basically every day. They were never premium quality boots to begin with so the wear and tear was beginning to take its toll. After only a month...
Sedate / South America / Tropics
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published March 24, 2018 · Last modified March 19, 2018
Many people are familiar with the London Eye. That giant Ferris wheel that allows tourists a bird’s eye view over the city of London. Well, there is a similar wheel in
The city of Guayaquil, Ecuador is wedged between a bay and a navigable river. On one side lies a malécon (boardwalk) that is wonderful to explore during the daytime. On the other side of the city
Active / Bucket List / Nature / South America / Tropics
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published March 20, 2018 · Last modified March 19, 2018
The expense of visiting the Galápagos aside, it really is quite a unique place and the trip of a lifetime. Being as isolated as it is, 600 miles from the nearest mainland shore, means it has unique flora and fauna that is seen nowhere else on earth. It also means...
Fair warning: the Galápagos is basically Disney for environmentalists. Expect to overpay for everything. Things in Galápagos are not just far more expensive than on the Ecuador mainland, they are even more expensive than most places in the US. Although you can wander around whichever island you are on, if...