Ecuador - ten quick facts from active volcanoes to eating guinea pigs

Map from Wikivoyage.

As you see it has borders with Colombia to the North and Peru to the South.

Problem
The colourful flag of Ecuador.

A friend of mine writes that's she is hiking in Ecuador. I know nothing about Ecuador. Maybe before I meet up with her for lunch later this year, I should learn something about it. What do I know?

Answer
1 The name Ecuador means Equator. In the capital, Quito, is this monument.

Photo by Author Hennelore Hopfe. Picture of the monument of the middle of the world on the equatorial line. Notice the big letter N, north, and S, south.

2 I know Ecuador has volcanoes because my friend is climbing volcanoes.

Active volcano Tungurahua above the town of Baños de Agua Santa, meaning baths of holy water. Photo by Author Hjvannes.




What is there to drink? Sugar cane juice. (Jugo de Caña - juice of cane), in Baños. User J Miers. Jtesla16 at wts wikivoyage.

Cable car, Manto del novia waterfall. (Manto means mantle) Author J Miers User. WT shared. Jtesla16 at wts wikivoyage.

The swing in Case del Arbol, Baños, Ecuador. From Wikivoyage, user Laurianv.

two hours to:
3 The capital is called Quito.
4 The language is Spanish.
5 The religion is probably Catholic, because of the Spanish language and names such as Santo Domingo.
6 The people eat sardines because they have a bay of sardines.
7 Two jobs in the present or past will be fishermen and priests.
8 The country has a coast on the Pacific Ocean.

Cuenca see the new cathedral with cupolas. Photo by Alex Proimos.














Also see Puyo to the east, for waterfall.

A few words of Spanish from the map of the country:

Spanish- English
viejo - old
rio - river
nueva  - new
de - of / from
sardinas - sardines
puerto - port
santo - holy
domingo - Sunday
cuenca - basin

English - Spanish
old - viejo
River - rio
new - nueva
from / of - de
sardines - sardinas
port - puerto
holy - santo
Sunday - domingo
basin - cuenca

The third largest city is Riobabmba, beside Chimborazo,

My friend writes:

We have finished two warm-up peaks now, climbing 3 volcanos and, yes, Chimborazo is one of them. 

Today heading to Cotopaxi. Good luck with the weather! 

Cayambe was bad - we had to turn back. However, hopefully we'll have time to head back again! 

Food includes skewered guinea pig.

Photo J. Miers - User: (WT-shared) Jtesla16 at wts wikivoyage. Guinea pig or Cuy. From a restaurant called Fogon de los Abuelos (stove of the grandparents) in Matus, Ecuador.

If that doesn't appeal, how about potatoes, avocado and cheese, a soup called Locro de Papa


User: (WT-shared) Jtesla16 at wts wikivoyage

Language and Etiquette
Wikipedia explains:

The common greetings are "buenos días", "buenas tardes" or "buenas noches", (Good morning, Good afternoon, and Good evening). It is usually complemented by a handshake, between men, and by a kiss on the cheek between women or between a man and a woman. "Hola" is the most common greeting between friends and acquaintances. As in most Latin American countries, it's considered normal and polite to stand quite close to the other person while talking.

If you speak Spanish with Ecuadorians, note the difference between the two forms for the pronoun "you": the informal "tú" and the formal "usted".  Address older people and people with whom you're not familiar with "usted". Ecuadorans are generally forgiving of non-native speakers, but use "usted" when in doubt. 

Among many other cultural idiosyncrasies, in the Sierra regions it is considered impolite to use a downward-facing palm as a reference for the height of a person. Instead, the hand is held on its side, and the measurement taken from the lower edge to the floor. Gesturing with the palm down is appropriate for animals only.

Just like Singapore:

When motioning for someone to "come here", it is impolite to motion your hand with the palm facing up. Instead, use a downward swipe of the hand with the palm facing down. 

Useful Websites

ecuador.com official website

https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Ecuador

Wikivoyage has warnings about dangers. Also see your government advice.

Ecuador and Galapagos islands simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecuador
Good pictures of Ecuador churches and the Galapagos tortoise, Galapos Penguin and Darwin's Arch.

Author

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.