Andes Mountains in Ecuador

To the Ecuadorian people, every day, except for maybe the rainy season, is the same as every other. The sun shines around 12 hours a day and the temperature varies little. Crops, flowers, trees, and all flora go through their cycles continually and something is always in bloom. The people are either of Spanish, or indigenous, or both (mestizo) descent. There are several different cultures and all dress in their regional unique, brightly colored styles regardless of the activity. To us they looked too bulky and warm for the daily temperatures. The country is predominantly Catholic (as expected) and, therefore, there are many churches all elaborately decorated with Spanish architecture and gold, baroque style interiors.  

The Andes divides Ecuador and lies between the coastal (Pacific Ocean) and the Amazon Jungle. The Andes Mountains are the longest continental range in the world and extend 4300 miles (7000km) through 7 countries. This Highland region of Ecuador has an average elevation of over 15,000 feet (4.5km) with over 30 volcanoes, hot springs, cloud forests and the Andean Condor. The Highlands are populated with small isolated villages since travel is so difficult. Llamas are an often seen necessity as are the many markets to exchange goods (woven material, metal crafts, woodcarvings, dough figurines, and embroidery) and fresh food (fruits, vegetables, meat).

We found the Ecuadorians to be friendly, to be hard working, and to enjoy life. They have many more festivals and days of celebration than in the US, reminding us that our society values working hard more than enjoying life. The Ecuadorians are dark complexioned and black haired.  We didn’t remember standing out so much since being in China. We were told that, if someone was looking for us, that they would look for the red and white haired couple!! It worked.

Our trip was loaded with delightful experiences which exceeded our expectations (except for seeing flamingos in the wild). We found the people pleasant, happy, and delighted to return a smile and a greeting. We hope that these photos convey these thoughts.

This concludes our 3 part blog on Ecuador, so until next posting “Happy Trails” and remember that we would love to hear from you.