Five Things Ecuador is Famous For

Ecuador is a larger less explored, cheaper version of Costa Rica. Many people tout Costa Rica for the proximity of it’s different ecological landscapes. You can be on the coast, in the jungle, and high up at the volcano peek in just a matter of hours. The same can be said for Ecuador although it’s a bit larger. Ecuador has a great coast, a tropical amazon region, and mountainous region which offers a diverse ecological landscape in a relatively small geographic region. Apart from that Ecuador is probably 1/3 or at least 1/2 as affordable as Costa Rica. Ecuador is very often ranked as one the of the cheapest countries in Latin America. As far as the women, Costa Rica probably has more attractive women per capita, but Ecuador does have it’s fair share of attractive women. Ecuadorian women tend to be more reserved, faithful and old fashioned then just about any other women in Latin America… Onto the top 5 things:

#1. Natural Rejection in the Galapagos Islands. As you peer out of your cabin you wouldn’t expect that the neon seas and coral shores mark not the peripheries of paradise, but of hell solidified – a savage wasteland of ash cliffs, petrified lava lakes and angry volcanoes. Despite all of this, you will be surprised to learn that nature and life abounds amongst it’s scarred landscape, albeit curious lifeforms, the result of many generations of adaptation to an uncomfortable dwelling. A marine iguana flashes you a mischievous smile before scuttling into the sea to feed – very unlike it’s ancestor’s on the continent. Nearby, yet another one-of-a-kind perches atop the rocks to dry it’s now useless wing stumps – a flightless cormorant which abandoned its aerial abilities for nautical ones years ago. Every island uncovers more animal oddities from giant tortoises to Darwin’s finches – each one a participant in the world’s most famed works of evolution.

#2. Retail Therapy at Otavalo Craft’s Market. At some point in your travels, you will be hit with panic – realizing your nearest and dearest are at home awaiting your offerings of exquisite gifts from a faraway land. If you happen to be in Ecuador count yourselves lucky – one of the largest craft fairs on the continent is Otavalo, brimming with crafts handmade by indigenous artisans. You can hover wide-eyed around stalls selling an astounding range of jewelery, musical instruments, carvings, paintings, textiles and a whole lot more. The phrase ‘Something for Everyone’ is an understatement – deciding who should have the locally made poncho and who back home will appreciate that two meter rain-stick is all part of the fun.

#3. Watching the Sun Rise from Volcano Cotopaxi. At 5897meters high – Volcano Cotopaxi is one of the highest and glorious active volcanoes on Earth. Starting your eight hour trek to it’s summit during the evening will mean most of the climb will be done under starry speckled skies. The payback of a grueling climb in the dark is reaching the top just in time to watch in awe one of the most spectacular sunrises our world has to offer. Cotopaxi’s yawning crater, the great peaks of the Andes and a distant Quito sleeping below the clouds are sights not to be missed.

#4. Standing On the Equator. Just half an hours drive away from Ecuador’s capital city is the middle of the earth – the equator. Don’t leave your camera behind as you will want to show the evidence of having one foot either side of the equator – marked by a simply painted red line. Just a little further is a rival museum which states that it sits directly on the ‘true’ equator line. On visiting the second location, expect to watch the wonderment of magnetic forces at work. Watch how a sink is filled with water and on pulling the plug, instead of whirling – water at the equator runs straight down the plughole. Genius. Amaze friend by balancing an egg atop a nail, performed with ease due to low gravitational pull at the middle of the earth.

#5. Fishing for Piranha in the Jungle. Trekking through the Amazon you will come in to contact with many notorious predators from the pesky Mosquito, the less than friendly Piranha and even those menacing missionaries! Your guide will try to give you the fear if you haven’t yet felt it – tales of piranha’s frenzied attacks and their flesh ripping teeth will put a stone in your throat. If you want a daring challenge – take the plunge and head out in a canoe to the murky waters of Piranha territory. Expect nothing more than a rather primitive set of tackle and bait – a long stick with a piece of twine and an extremely large metal hook carrying a lump of chicken. A mixture of panic and exhilaration will be something of the feelings you experience while tracking and catching your first Piranha.

Ecuador Report From Romeo Blanco

My friend, Romeo, recently spent some time in Ecuador with his girlfriend. While he was traveling through Ecuador he also kept an eye out for the ladies and sent me a very informative email about the dating environment in Ecuador… Here it is:

Dan,

They should put a sign in the entrance to Puyo that says “NO GAME NEEDED”. This place is a cake walk for guys.

Today I was able to have some free time. My girlfriend went with her mom to move there things to the new apt her mom is renting.

So I had a few hours to myself. I went to the center of the city and went to a Dentist. He filled in my cavity for $10 !!!

Next, I was walking around the city, hovering above the smaller guys, and bingo, some girl winks at me.

She keeps staring at me. So I asked her where I could buy the local newspaper (they don’t sell them in stores over here, its not easy to find them) and bingo, she asks me where I’m from.

I told her I’m from NJ, and she tells me shes from Guayaquil (she moved to puyo 3 months ago—-according to her, Guayquil is too dangerous and Puyo is safer and cheaper—shes studying in university of Puyo)

She smiles when I tell her I’m a Jersey boy in Puyo… I decide to test it even more so I told her the truth, that I’m here with my girlfriend visiting her family…all of a sudden her smile fades away…she keeps talking to me anyway.

Then she spills the beans. I asked her straight out, so why are you single (shes been 3 months in Puyo with no boyfriend, —her Ex is in Guayaquil)

She tells me (I’m not exxageratting—word for word), that in Puyo its not easy to find a boyfriend. she told me the guys in Puyo are “muy machista” and they treat women as lesser citizens…in her own words, “ellos se creen la quinta mierda…se creen mucho, hasta los k no tienen nada se creen” translation: “They think they are the shit, they’re too cocky, even the ones that don’t have anything are cocky”

She even told me the guys in Guyaquil treat her nicer, and they are more open minded then the guys in Puyo….she also told me its very hard to find a boyfriend, and she went as far as to ask me if I love my girlfriend or not.

The last blow…before I left her, I told her we can be friends, but I have a girlfriend and she told me sure… I asked her if she has email, she told me take my email, number, etc.

I got her email, and told her we can only be friends, to this she replied with a smile and said I would love to be a friend of such a handsome young man—- ha ha!

While I was talking to her, her friends (like 4 girls) were giggling and laughing across the street…

I gave her a kiss on the cheek and left…that’s that

The same thing that girls told me in Santa Cruz, Boliva 10 years ago, this girl named Jimena told me the exact same shit (almost exactly 10 years later as I went to Bolivia in april of 99) the girls in Bolivia told me.

Our theories are true, and its also true that in the smaller, less populated (and frequented by outsiders) cities its probably even more powerful and men have an even greater upper hand.

This girl was really cute also, she had a nice smile and nice body, tan skinned, your typical Guayaquilena…smiling, etc.

I would say she is an 8 from 1 to 10

Well that’s that, another day with the power and leverage

I’ll enjoy it while I can,

Romeo

The 5 Best Latin American Destinations During The Recession

Latin America has been a bargain for many years and it just got even cheaper!

Let’s face it. It’s been a tough year for the economy. So why not take a break? Get away from the cold and travel to Latin America – a place that excites, thrills, challenges and offers plenty of chances to spark up some romance. The good news, about all of the recent bad news, is that Latin America just got even cheaper! So grab your bags and let’s check out the 5 best destinations in Latin America, plus an added little bonus for all of the single men out there.

The Good News About The Bad News…

The dollar just got stronger, and it packs a decent punch in Latin America…

2008-2009 been years most investors would like to forget. For most of us, it’s two stress filled years, with one horrible news story following another. All of this just means you need a vacation more then ever – and good news about the bad news is that the financial crisis has made destinations in Latin America, even more affordable then they already were before the crisis.

The U.S. dollar – which has been in a steady decline for past seven years has found it’s second wind and worked it’s way back up during the past four months giving, your purchasing power in Latin America, that much more of a punch. As investors fear a global recession, they see the U.S. and the dollar as a safe haven for the near term.

For Americans, that means these Latin American destinations have effectively become 25%, 30%, even 50% cheaper than they were just a few months ago. Even though places like Canada, Australia and parts of Europe have also gotten cheaper, you won’t get a better bang for your buck anywhere else in the world. Not to mention that when it’s winter in the North, it’s summer over there, so why not get away from the cold?

BRAZIL
Ahhh Brazil – Are you ready for Brazil? One trip and you might get hooked! Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Brazil is the biggest country in South America. It borders every other country of the continent except Chile and Ecuador.

Brazil is very much a country of contrasts. When someone hears the word Brazil, one thinks of the great Amazon forest, fantastic beaches, great soccer players, Carnival time, tiny bikinis – among other things. Well, Brazil, the most important country in South America, certainly has MUCH more to offer – warm people, great cities with everything from slums to high technology, a wide range of weather patterns, an awesome mixture of cultures and races – and much more!

The Brazilian currency, the Real, has declined more than 30 percent since its early August peak, as wary investors pull their money from emerging markets including Brazil amid the current global financial crisis. Carnival is coming up in February, and preparations will begin soon, all over Brazil. Why not enjoy the upside of the downturn in Brazil?

COSTA RICA

“Pura Vida!” As they say in Costa Rica

If you love nature, beaches, mountains, volcanoes, then Costa Rica is the perfect place for you. It has everything every other country has packed into one small peaceful nation. From the dry tropical forest along the Pacific coast to the misty cloud forest at higher altitudes, this wildlife wonderland is just a few hours away. More than 27% of the country’s area is protected, creating a haven for countless species of flora and fauna.

This tiny Central American nation boasts one of the largest tourism industries in all of Latin America, attracting more then one million visitors eager to catch a wave, bathe under a waterfall, spot a sloth or otherwise partake of paradise. Tourism is the country’s top source of employment and investment. For this reason, Costa Rica’s tourism industry is very mature, and offers just about every type of thrill seeking adventure you can think of.

From the cost perspective, not only is it cheap, but for most American’s a flight to Costa Rica will take less time then a New York to Los Angeles flight. Since Costa Rica is so close, typical tickets only cost about $300 – $400 round-trip. What’s not to like about that?

ECUADOR:
Probably the most affordable destination of all…

Ecuador is the undiscovered Costa Rica. Ecuador uses the dollar as their national currency but everything in Ecuador is 50% -70% off. Ecuador boasts some of most pristine landscapes with the Amazon to it’s east and the Pacific lining it’s west coast.

Nowhere else on earth will you find so much natural diversity – and all the fun that accompanies it – in so tiny a place (Except Costa Rica). Ecuador is the second-smallest country in South America, but its range of offerings is no less than astounding. In one day’s drive you can journey from the Amazon Basin, across glaciated Andean volcanoes, down through tropical cloud forest and sputter into the sunset for a dinner of ceviche on the Pacific coast, where – yes indeed – the water is warm. One day you’ll pick through hand-woven wool sweaters at a chilly indigenous market in the Andes, and the next day you’ll sweat all over your binoculars while spying on howler monkeys from a canopy tower in the Amazon rain forest.

For nature lovers Ecuador is a dream, with exotic orchids and birds, bizarre jungle plants, strange insects, windswept paramo (Andean grasslands), dripping tropical forests and the fearless animals that hop, wobble and swim around the Galapagos Islands. For the adrenaline junky, the choices are outrageous: mountaineering, trekking and white-water rafting are world class. Toss in some horseback riding and surfing and you’ll go home with a happily aching body. And for the culture vulture, Ecuador is a labyrinth of indigenous heritage of traditional costumes and highland markets, where a constant rhythm of sound and movement envelops you. As for colonial architecture, few cities top the beauty of Cuenca and Quito, both of which are Unesco World Heritage Sites.

If you’re on a very tight budget, then Ecuador will be your best friend. You’ll have a hard time finding better bargains then what you’ll get in Ecuador.

ARGENTINA
Where good food meets good times…

Argentina is a country of Gauchos, Mate, Asado, Tango, Pampas, and Dulce de leche. The name immediately conjures up the image of big steaks, passionate men and women and long night of eating the best meat of the world and sipping mate, afterwards. Buenos Aires, the capital, is the center of the country in all ways except its geographical location. With the Río de la Plata, in the east of the country, it is actually the city that is closest to the Old Continent, and probably the most European city in South America. If you’re longing for a taste of Europe, you know where to go.

Behind Buenos Aires, the land of the Pampas begins. Many towns with historical centers that go back to colonial are worth visiting. In the west, the Andes mountains offer great outdoor opportunities: hiking, skiing and much more. Patagonia, the far south of Argentina is a rugged and cold land. The area around Ushuaia, southern most city of the country, is mild in October to May. It is great for the lovers of nature and wildlife; big glaciers that go directly into the Barney, birds, seals and other arctic animals abound.

In the northwestern corner of this dreamed land, deserts and steppes are the most common geographical sites; and in the northeastern part of the country, Iguazu Falls, complete all kinds of climate existing on the Earth… all in one beautiful country.

The people are awesome, full of kindness, and the weather is mostly pleasant all the year. Many people call this the Paris of the Americas.

COLOMBIA:
Are you ready for a “rumba”? This is Colombia…

Vibrant cities with streaking metros and soaring skyscrapers. Elegant port towns cut by cobbled alleys and graced with bougainvillea-shrouded balconies. Spectacular national parks ranging from Garden-of-Eden-tropical to heavenly-high-alpine. Cruise boats, party buses, late night salsa dancing and shopping glory. Yes, this is Colombia. Get ready for shattered expectations. While media reports still speak of coca fields, violent crime, rebel shoot-ups and kidnappings, travelers are often left to wonder how so many troubles can plague a country that appears so, well, normal.

Beyond the headlines is a thriving country with a rising middle class, some of the best health care and universities in South America, and an improved level of security. It’s true that Colombia also faces massive challenges in dealing with poverty, rebels and the long-standing Drug War, but security improvements have made many tourist destinations accessible to travelers.

Now is the time to go. Costs are low, the welcome is warm and Colombia’s sour reputation has kept it off the ‘gringo trail.’ Many travelers consider Colombia a way station between better known overland destinations, such as Peru and Costa Rica. But once you’ve explored its wealth of colonial-era towns, swam over its pristine reefs and trekked in its mountains, the land of myths, emeralds and El Dorado may become a highlight of your South American sojourn.

So pack a pair of dancing shoes next to your hiking boots, throw in a mask, snorkel and sunscreen and tell your friends not to worry. They don’t know what they’re missing!

ADDED BONUS:
The icing on the cake…

Finally, I’d like to point out a little added bonus for all of the single men reading this article. Traveling to these great Latin American destinations is not only affordable, exciting and memorable. It’s also a great way to spark some romance. The women of Latin America are diverse, very attractive, and amazingly friendly.

If your a single guy and have never been to Latin America, you really don’t know what you’re missing. Any one of these destinations would offer a great combination of good times at affordable prices. So get those passports ready and I’ll see you down south!

Have A Great Trip,