A Short Trip to Ecuador — Fernweh Frazon

Oct 10

Oct 10 A Short Trip to Ecuador

A few months ago, a friend was planning a trip to Ecuador and asked me to join. At first, I was going to decline as I couldn’t think of a thing about the place. Then I remembered that my husband has family there so I agreed. Flights were booked and everyone wanted to know “WHY there?”

Growing up, I can only remember learning that the Ecuador was home to the Equator. End of story. Really? Despite being a small country, there had to be more so I began polling relatives who had lived there or visited - asking for favorite places, foods, souvenirs, tips. I was not prepared for the long list that came back at me:

Mindo, Cotopaxi, Cuenca, and so many things in Quito. I started doing online research, checking out travel blogs, and reading anything I could find on the place. Suddenly, my 9 day trip didn’t seem long enough to put a dent in all that Ecuador had to offer.

On the flight in, as we flew over the ocean, beach, rainforest, and so many mountains, it started to become quite obvious that Ecuador was a land of diverse landscapes. The drive from the airport continued to highlight the stark contrast between El Centro Historico and more modern Quito (where we were staying). We scaled steep mountains to reach of the Cloud City of Mindo which offered everything an adrenaline junkie could hope for but also the foodie favorites of coffee & chocolate - both grown right beneath the mist. Another day found us taking a tram up to Teleferico before hiking onto greater heights then swinging out over the skyline. With an active volcano nearby, we booked a day trip to Cotopaxi where we scaled to new snow capped heights then flew downhill on bikes.

A short flight away, we visited a UNESCO Heritage site home to a remarkable number of American expats - Cuenca (I see the appeal of retiring here). Back to Quito for our last jam packed day we went cycling through the city and its closed off streets before jetting back home. Once there, everyone was stumped that I had such a great time and now hold the country in such high esteem. Many are flabbergasted that I don’t describe it as dirty or unsafe or property stricken. All of those couldn’t be further from the truth I experienced.

Go and see for yourself.