In English we use the word “visit” to denote the action of being temporarily present at a location. In Spanish, the more common word is “conocer.” The best translation of “conocer” in this context is “to get to know,” as one would get to know a friend. I got to know a huge variety of people and places throughout northern Ecuador. Each of the four majors region of Ecuador (Amazonia, Sierra, Costa, Galapagos) has a distinct culture and cuisine and can feel like a country entirely different from the other regions. And of course, each region has its own beautiful places, flora, and fauna.
Amazonia
Sierra
Costa
Galapagos
And, nestled between the high mounatins and the coast lie the western cloud forests of Ecuador, yet another magical area.
Though I managed to see quite a few places in Ecuador, there is still so much to explore. I have yet to visit the southern parts of Ecuador such as Cuenca and Loja, and birds such as the cock-of-the-rock and mountain-toucan still elude me. You can be sure I’ll be returning to Ecuador, possibly as soon as March 2015. However, right now I am back in the USA, so unfortunately this is end of this blog, at least for the time being. Thanks for reading!
If you want more adventures stateside (and problably in Quebec as well), follow my next blog, An Iowan around North America. This next week I’ll be in southern Texas, a wildlife hotspot with quite a few bird in common with Ecuador! (Note: at time of writing, that blog is empty.) It’ll be largely nature-themed, though culinary escapades and some sightseeing are likely to take place as well.
An Iowan on the Equator 