I flew back from Ecuador on a midnight flight (who schedules a flight at midnight on ET?) and we were diverted to Panama City as the result of a medical emergency. Never had that happen to me before (not sure what was the cause). Had to be the longest airport taxi when we hit the ground. Thought we were going to taxi the length of the canal.
So, that ended my sojurn to Ecuador. A few final observations about this fascinating country-
-Ecuador is just so inexpensive it is amazing (the Galapagos being a notable exception). Taxi rides cost a $1.50 to go most places in a city. Really nice boutique hotel rooms can be had for $50 including a great breakfast. Service at these hotels was top notch, whether arranging for tours, Covid tests or anything else.
- I found the food almost uniformly plentiful and good. Fresh fruit of more types than I can count is ubiquitous, delicious and served with every breakfast. YOu can get a cup of fresh fruit on any bus for $1.
- The people of Ecuador seem to work very hard and be quite productive. They all seemed to take real pride in their work and i thought most everything seemed of solid quality. Agriculture seems everywhere in Ecuador and climbs high up the mountains.
- The high Andes of Ecuador just seem so...high and massive. Much higher than the Rockies or other ranges. I really felt the altitude until I got acclimated.
-The country is small in size, but there is really a lot to see and do. From the market of Otavalo, to the jungle, to the volcans, to Quilota Laguna, to the Galapagos, to the equator, to the high grassland of the Andes, to the pretty city of Cuenca- just a lot of variety and natural beauty in a relatively small area.
- The Galapagoes are truly unique and stunning. Snorkeling felt like being in a Jacques Cousteau movie- you see so much marine life so close. On land, I have never seen animals so close (they are obviously quite used to humans). I cannot imagine anybody not enjoying the experience.
- I found the Ecuadorians a very friendly and welcoming people. They clearly like and value tourists. So many asked where I was from and many expressed gratitude to me for coming to their country. They seemed to take pride in providing excellent service- the attention I got from my barber for my $3 haircut was truly impressive.
- I rarely felt like I was in a 3rd world country. I thought it pretty clean, comfortable and most things were run surprisingly efficiently.
So, a few final pictorial highlights-
- Quilatoa-
Cotapaxi (nearly 20,000 ft high)-
The unique Galapagos-
To the colorful Otavalo market-
To fun Banos-
To massive and Himalyan-like Chimborazo-
To the Amazon basin-
To the high Andean grasslands of Cajas NP-
To the beautiful churches of Cuenca-
That's all folks. Thanks for reading.
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