Planning a trip to Quito Ecuador is exciting. It’s a large city and there’s a lot to see. In this post, you’ll find the best things to do in Quito Ecuador as a tourist. These locations and activities will give you a taste of the culture and natural beauty of the city. Plus, we include…
The colour-changing leaves in fall are famous here in Nova Scotia! Here are my favorite photos: reflected in water, close up, aerial view, against blue sky, and more. Fall is such a beautiful time of year here in Atlantic Canada! The changing leaves steal the show for sure, but there is more to autumn in…
To make the most of a trip to the Galápagos, research and planning should be a priority. With that in mind we’ve put together a list of the top 17 Galapagos books. 17 Best Galápagos Islands Books Here, in no particular order, is a list of our top 17 popular Galápagos Islands books. In this list,…
One week ago today we (along with 7 large bags of luggage, 2 bikes and our dog) left Ecuador, and not just for a vacation. It was very difficult and emotional for our whole family. This was first published in April, 2015. The Sunday before, we packed everything and sold off all our belongings. Many…
We recently spent some time in Azogues, a small city not far from Cuenca. It has a population of around 40,000 and, although it’s in a different province, is considered part of the Cuenca Metropolitan area. Visiting Azogues Ecuador Azogues is about a 40-minute drive from Cuenca, it’s the capital of Cañar Province. You’ll pass it on…
If you’re learning Spanish, you’ve probably heard of Madrigal’s Magic Key To Spanish. It’s our reader’s favorite Spanish learning book. We’ve seen 600+ purchases just from mentioning this book in an overview post. The week we arrived in Ecuador, someone loaned us their copy because they said it was the best book to get us started. It’s the book…
Have you ever eaten prickly pear (genus opuntia) cactus fruit? I never knew cactus plants produced edible fruit until we moved to Ecuador. The only cactus plants I had ever seen in Canada were in little pots, growing indoors. When researching this post I found out that some prickly pear cactus do grow in Canada,…
One of the cultural dishes you’ll find on most menus in Ecuador is the seco. Have you tried it? I’ve tried a few different kinds, and I like them all. What’s a Seco? Seco de Pollo, Carne, Chivo… A seco is a stewed meat dish, usually served with rice, a few pieces of avocado, some fried plantain,…
The male vermilion flycatcher is a tiny bright red bird. He is a real attention grabber! The first one we saw was in the Galapagos Islands on Isabela Island. We have also seen them in the Yunguilla Valley, just south of Cuenca, Ecuador. (Read more about living in Ecuador) 15 Facts About The Vermilion Flycatcher…
The Pink Silk (Albizia julibrissin) tree is beautiful! Its blossoms look more like feathers than flowers. The first time I saw this flowering tree I could hardly believe my eyes. It looks like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. Read more about living in Ecuador 11 Interesting Facts About the Pink Silk Tree The…