South American food was one of my favorite types of food, especially Chilean food until I had a chance to try some delicious Ecuadorian food! Having a husband from Chile, I loved those handmade meat and cheese empanadas that are so easy to pack in a lunch or to eat by hand. Pastel de chocolo, a beef/meat …
South America
Catapulting yourself to new places for a vacation is a great way to start the New Year. Winter seems to be slowly creeping away and going on a spring vacation to underrated places is just what you need. Forget about the same old boring places like Cancun, Hawaii, or Florida for a spring vacation. Instead, …
Buenos Aires – A Comprehensive Guide on What To Do! Buenos Aires is the largest city in Argentina and currently home to more than 40 million people! It is also the capital of Argentina and known as the “Paris of South America!” I can honestly attest to that, as this city is absolutely gorgeous with …
An important part of any tourist experience visiting a new country for the very first time is the food. Guyana is one place where you can dive deep into the culture when searching for and tasting the local Guyanese food. In fact, in Guyana, the food appears to be a melting pot of age-old cultures, …
There are many adorable small towns nestled in the foothills of the Azuay province near Cuenca, Ecuador. This area is the new hub for American retirees that I wrote about in my article “Should We Retire to Ecuador?” The picturesque town of Chordeleg is just one of those small quaint towns. Getting there from Cuenca was easy, …
The Science Behind the Island The Galapagos Islands are located in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 650 miles off the coast of Ecuador in South America. They are isolated from any other land formation or island group. About half the size of New Jersey, you may ask yourself, according to geographical size, why are there are …
Cuenca, Ecuador is a UNESCO World Heritage city and the charming, colonial capital city of Ecuador. Going there is like stepping back in time to another world, it is quite different from my own world. But, “o what a world it is!” Filled with over 52 churches and picturesque views of the Cajas Mountains, it will …
I not only like to travel, but I love to travel. So imagine my surprise when, even for me, I end up out of my comfort zone! Where on earth could this be? Where was I when I felt this was? It happened to be Montañita, Ecuador. It was just one of those places that …
The Road to Montanita, Ecuador So here I am, expecting a “hidden treasure” with “perfect waves” and “golden sand” and a “tropical paradise”, taken directly from Wikipedia. I don’t know who writes this wiki stuff, but we have different ideas about what paradise is!! Hidden Paradise Upon arrival, we did, however, find our “hidden …
While it may sound creepy to visit a local cemetery while on vacation, but this cemetery is simply one NOT TO MISS when you visit the enchanting city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. In fact, it is my number one recommendation of things to do when visiting Buenos Aires! Of course, there are so many things …
Quito Ecuador, a fabulous UNESCO capital city in South America, has so many wonderful things to offer tourists these days. From its list of outstanding churches, museums, Spanish colonial architecture to the Ecuador Mitada del Mundo (middle of the world equator), along with its outstanding viewpoints, and of course, its modern cable car TeleferiQo. This …
The Galapagos Islands are famous worldwide for the endemic Galapagos animals, in particular, their fascinating birds of origin, many found nowhere else in the world! I was enamored by the variety of birds I saw on this trip booked through a small, intimate tour booking company that handles luxury accommodations on small-ship expedition cruises, as …