There is No joy without Gratitude.
- Brene Brown
16 nights in Ecuador
16 nights in Ecuador was NOT enough. Not even close. There was so much more to see and do, but maybe we'll go back one day. Our first stop in Ecuador was actually not the Galapagos. We touched down in the city of Quito for a full day and two nights prior to embarking on our Galapagos journey. I just had to clear that chronological air there to aid to my borderline type A personality.
Quito is a beautiful old city. We spent the day on a tour of historic sites learning about where the city once was at and where they are now. Beautiful architecture, cobble stone pathways and gorgeous views filled our day. The city is pristinely clean, which was a very pleasant surprise. All over the city there are cleaning crews hired and working all hours to keep the streets spotless. While in the historic part of the city we were approached by young students practicing their English. Quito is a very enjoyable city and definitely worth the visit.
{Basílica del Voto Nacional}
The building started at 1,000 peso per month and eventually stones were traded by citizens to have their name engraved inside the cathedral. The Basilica is 100 m in height and the internal heart perfectly lines up with the El Panecillo. Along the exterior blocks, animals of Ecuador have been carved into the stone.
{Historic Quito}
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| This was our tour vehicle for the day. |
{El Panecillo}
This statue sits atop a large hill naturally made from a volcano. Its peak is at an elevation of 3,016 metres above sea level. The statue is 45 meters tall and built with 7,000 pieces of aluminum.
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| Gorgeous view of the city from the top of the hill. |
{Montanita}
Our first stop after the Galapagos was via Guayaquil. After reading up on how little Guayaquil city had to offer and how dangerous it was, we opted to hop on a bus stat and head to the coast. It was a toss up between a few places as we realized our trip was just a few days short for winging it. We decided on Montanita. This town, on arrival was a bit overwhelming. The entire town is a tiny little surf town located at sealevel in a long bustling strip {as close to the ocean and beach as possible}. By night it was a bit overwhelming, full of people and bars and we'd been warned by a local to be careful as tourists had just been killed here a couple of weeks prior. In the end, we had no issues with safety what so ever. Our hotel was sadly attached to a nightclub, however. In the end Montanita was actually a really neat little spot. The beach stretched for as far as the eye can see. White sandy beach with rolling waves, surfers, and sunbathers. Small brewing companies and cafes line the shores with sandy floors and lounge chairs. Delicious street vendors served the freshest largest most robust ceviche I have ever had... Little shops lined all the roads, and the sun was hot everyday. I can see how (once away from the bar scene) people are drawn to stay here.
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| You didn't think I went on an entire vacation and didn't find a dog/take a picture of a dog? |
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| Montanita Sunset |
{Banos}
After a couple of days in Montanita we hopped on the bus and headed north to Banos for some outdoor adventure. This town is amazing, more time here was definitely needed. A beautiful, again clean, small, easily walkable town nestled right on the edge of the rolling Andes. We spent our days biking through the hills to waterfalls, and walking around this friendly little town that was less than 20 streets wide. We tried white water rafting and waterfall repelling and ate at local markets. Banos is incredibly safe and we were so lucky to visit an English speaking tour agency that gave great advice which really helped maximize our day. Though we were up in the clouds at 1,815 meters above sea level { 5,950 feet } the weather was usually sunny and warm by mid day as the clouds cleared. For being the rainy season it only rained 2 afternoons (briefly) and one night in our entire 16 day trip!
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| downtown Banos |
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| Taking it all in. |
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| View of Banos from hillside restaurant.. |
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| While in Banos (we were very ill so) we decided to check out a "Zoo". It confirmed why I had chosen to never visit a Zoo again. Very, very sad for the poor animals. |
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| We rode our bikes through mountains and tunnels to see a series of waterfalls. This one we climbed through small crevices to get right underneath. |
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| Making Taffy |
