revista this is ecuador september 2012
DESCRIPTION
Revista This is Ecuador September 2012TRANSCRIPT
SEPT
EMBE
R 2
012
www.thisisecuador.com
THE MOST COMPLETE GUIDE OF ECUADOR SINCE 1968
SEPT
EMBE
R 20
12TH
IS IS
ECU
ADOR
No 5
06 Portada 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 17:01 Page 1
Portada 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 17:01 Page 3
Portada 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 17:01 Page 3
PUBLISHEDMONTHLY BY
GUSTAVO VALLEJO P.Director
CAROLINA VALLEJOCover
CRISTINA VALLEJOEditor
MARÍA ELENA MALO Sales Director
[email protected] 822 7499
BELEN MENADesign
SOLUCIONES GRAFICAS D&GLayout
IMPRENTA MARISCALPrinting
Quito: Whymper 777 y 6 de Diciembre
Phone: (593 2) 290-8200 / 255-2177
Guayaquil: Padre Aguirre 104 y Malecón Ed. Fortín 4to. Piso
Phone: (593 9) 858-4053
www.exploringecuador.com
Visit our website and virtual magazine at:
www.thisisecuador.com
This is Ecuador is protectedby law as intellectual property.Registration No. 9, page 3422;
February 25, 1969. Total orpartial reproduction as well
as the use of photographs mustbe authorized by
Gustavo Vallejo Pérez.
SEPT
EMBE
R 2
012
www.thisisecuador.com
THE MOST COMPLETE GUIDE OF ECUADOR SINCE 1968
This Month’s Cover
Illustration inspired by hummingbirds, commonly found in variousecosystems in Ecuador, including urban areas. These amazing birds liveall throughout the American continent, and nowhere else. In AndeanAmerica, they are commonly called “quindes” (native Quichua language).The largest number of hummingbird species is found in the humid forestsof Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Ecuador and Colombia havethe world record with more than 130 species each. For more information,see page 22.
Editor’s Note
This is Ecuador is a complimentary guide. It should not be sold by anymeans. All of the tourist sites that appear on this magazine have beenvisited by our editors. Moreover, our commercial staff has previouslyevaluated the tourist services that appear on our publication. If any ofthese services does not meet your expectations, please let us know.
Read our entire guide at www.thisisecuador.com. You can learn about ourwonderful country and book premium services through our e-guide.
Comments/suggestions: [email protected] Phone number in Quito: (593 2) 290- 8200We appreciate your opinion.
4
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:24 Page 4
Welcome to Ecuador 6General Travel Information 8Land Distances 10Road Map 11Embassies & Consulates List 12Whale- Watching Season 13Made in Ecuador 14Native Cultures 16Map 17National Protected Areas 18Map 19This Month’s Remark 22Quito from the Sky 23A Birder’s Paradise 24Tourism News 26
GalapagosGeneral information 28Map 29This Month in Galapagos 33Premium Services 35
CoastGeneral information 38Ecuadorian Coastline 39Map 41Premium Hotels 43Guayaquil 44This Month:Culture & Entertainment 51Map 52Premium Hotels 54Restaurants 58
AndesGeneral information 60This Month’s Recommended 61
Premium Haciendas 62Nor thern Andes 64Map 65Premium Services 67Quito 68This Month:Culture & Entertainment 77Premium Services 79Premium Hotels 81Map 84Restaurants 90Food & Drinks 93Central Andes 96Map 97Community-based Tourism 98Premium Services 100Southern Andes 102Map 103Cuenca 105Cuenca’s surroundings 109Map 110Premium Hotels 112Restaurants 114Premium Services 115Loja 116Premium Hotels 117Map 118
AmazoniaGeneral information 120Important tips andrecommendations 121Premium Lodging 122
Initiative Yasuni- ITT 122Ecuador by Train 124
CONTENTS
5
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:24 Page 5
GOVERNMENT: Democratic.Current President is EconomistRafael Correa Delgado.
CLIMATE: The climate throughoutthe country ranges from tropicalequatorial rain in the Amazon toperpetual snow on the top of themountains. Cities in the highlandshave temperatures that vary from50ºF to 70ºF, while coastal cities’temperatures vary from 60ºF to80ºF during the day. The weather inthe jungle is constant: rainy, humidand warm. The Galapagos Islandsare sunny and warm during themonths of December-May; the tem-perature drops from June toNovember.
WHAT TO WEAR:• In Quito and the highlands the
weather is very unpredictable. Acommon saying is that you canlive the four seasons in one day:from intense sun to hail. Oneneeds to look out the windowbefore deciding what to weareach day. During June, July andAugust the weather is sunnierbut windy. During the rest of theyear you need warmer clothingsuch as what you would wearduring the fall. A raincoat orjacket is useful all year long,since at night it gets prettychilly.
Ecuador has the greatest biodiversityper area in the world! In a study byConservation International, Ecuadorranked among the 17 “MegaDiverse” countries, alongside theUnited States, China, Australia, Braziland Mexico. With 9.2 species perkm2, it occupies the first place in theworld in regards to species per area.
The richness of Ecuador lies in itsDIVERSITY, both natural and cultural.Ecuador has 4 diverse and uniqueregions: the Amazon Rainforest, thehighland Andes, the Coast, and theGalapagos Archipelago. These four regions are subdividedinto provinces. Besides its exuberantbiodiversity, Ecuador is home to animpressive variety of ethnic groups,including communities which stillpractice ancient cultural traditions(for more information see page 16).
LOCATION: Ecuador is one of thesmallest countries in America. It lieson both the Northern and theSouthern Hemispheres and is divid-ed by the Equator, thus the name ofthe country.
It borders Colombia (North), Peru(South and East), and the PacificOcean (West).
AREA: about 270.670 km2 or168.186 square miles.
DISTANCE FROM NORTH TO SOUTH: 1.081 km or 672miles.
POPULATION: approximately 14million.
LANGUAGE: The first language isSpanish, however, most of theindigenous population speaksQuichua. There are 18 different lan-guages among native communities.
PROVINCES:- Galapagos- Coast: Esmeraldas, Manabi, Los
Rios, Guayas, Santa Elena, El Oro.- Andes: Carchi, Imbabura,
Pichincha, Santo Domingo de losTsáchilas, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua,Bolivar, Chimborazo, Cañar,Azuay and Loja.
- Amazonia: Sucumbios, Napo,Orellana, Pastaza, MoronaSantiago and Zamora Chinchipe.
RELIGION: 95% Catholic.
CURRENCY: American Dollar. TheEcuadorian government has alsoproduced a series of local coins thathave the same value as the U.S.coins (which are also accepted).Banks are open from 9h00 to 17h00and on Saturdays only half day.Money exchange is offered every dayin main hotels.
6
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:24 Page 6
• Be careful any time you go to anATM; it’s better if you go duringthe day.
• Don’t let strangers offer youaccommodation. Consult a travelagency.
MOUNTAIN CLIMBING
ASEGUIM is the association ofmountain climbing guides ofEcuador. We recommend that if youplan to do mountain climbing atany level, you contact them toaccess professional and certifiedguides. They also offer rescueoperations. Phone: (02) 222-2954,cel 099 822 363, www.aseguim.org
OFFICE OF TOURISM PUBLIC PROSECUTOR:
The highest duty of the EcuadorianRepublic is to respect and supporthuman and personal rights; theyoffer judicial safety to tourists whovisit the country. It is free. Monday thru Friday from 8h00 to12h00 and from 14h00 to 18h00.
Quito: 02 2905-053Guayaquil: 04 2320-685Cuenca: 07 2844-282Galapagos, Santa Cruz Island: 05 2526-048Loja: 07 2572-668Puyo: 03 2883-767
• Guayaquil and other coastal cities:wear summer clothing all yearround. During the rainy months,December to May, the weather isstill very warm. During the monthsof June through November theweather is cloudy and a bit colder.Bring along a light jacket.
• Galapagos: wear comfortablewalking shoes and casual cloth-ing. Shorts, t-shirts and summerclothing will be just fine. Don’tforget a hat, a camera, sun block,and a bathing suit. During themonths of June to November theweather is cloudy and a bit cold-er. Bring along a light jacket.
• Amazon or Jungle: wear clothingsuitable for rain. If you can getyourself a raincoat (poncho), takeit with you, as well as several setsof light pants and long sleeveshirts. Shorts are less usefulbecause of the insects and abun-dant vegetation that you will walkthrough on your excursions. A hat,rubber boots and insect repellentare also a must.
TOURIST VISA: Visitors can stayup to 90 days without a visa.
TAXI RATES: Approximately $3 to$6 per ride from the airport to thecity. These rates vary among themain cities.
TRANSPORTATION: Main cities(Guayaquil, Quito and Cuenca)
have local airports serviced by thelocal airlines: Tame, Aerogal andLan, in addition to international air-lines. Bus lines offer land transporta-tion where you can just jump on thenext bus leaving to your destination.Each city has its own terminal, withfrequent departures to each one ofthe different provinces of Ecuador.(For more information see page 8).
SUGGESTIONS FOR A PLEASANT STAY
While the authorities are clearlymaking significant efforts, it’s nec-essary to take some precautions. Wesuggest some recommendations:
• Don’t walk at night in badly litareas.
• Leave documentation and valua -ble things in your hotel room orin the safety deposit boxes.
• Carry your backpack at the front,especially if you are carrying aphoto camera.
• Whenever you sit at a coffeeshop, restaurant, Internet cafe,phone booth or any open space,keep your things next to you.
• Be aware if someone comes sus-piciously too close to you.
• Don’t allow any stranger to enterinto your room.
• It’s recommended not to visit anyplaza too late at night.
• If you travel on a bus, don’treceive any candy or papers fromstrangers.
• When you are at the airport, pay special attention to yourbelon gings.
7
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:24 Page 7
GENERAL TRAVEL
INFORMATION
8
1-800 2376425
262-5895 / 262-2577
225-7533 / 4
330-0979
600-4459/08176-2340
225-4258/330-0783
228-9509
213-0265257-0884
251-7622
268-7566/216-9023 280-0405/281-5250
1800-842526 1800-842526
1800-500800
1800-842526 1800-842526410-3104
284-5657
255-9428/382-4751
Quitumbe:
Carcelén:
381-4810213-0372
381-4840
382-4793 / 813
247-2751
213-0314
286-7120
213-0649
283-5717
382-4850/382-4875222-5315/382-4831
Avis Rent a Car
Freedom Bike Rental
213-0638282-3060
397-7100
286-0174
262-8899
262-0963
/ 258-2482 256-1628 283-2132 262-4212
LOCAL AIRLINES
LAND TRANSPORTATION
CAR RENTALS
BIKE RENTALS
USEFUL NUMBERS
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:24 Page 8
CITY
12
34
56
78
910
1112
1314
1516
1718
1920
2122
2324
2526
2728
2930
3132
3334
3536
3738
3940
4142
43
1 Al
oag
-97
377
418
122
292
138
418
-27
133
218
956
815
756
625
804
332
-51
334
754
134
228
331
713
4-
222
314
467
199
207
180
1415
028
854
733
131
198
207
284
683
2 Am
bato
97-
280
212
219
416
4032
133
837
127
792
428
254
4152
971
023
699
413
385
445
439
380
354
230
385
318
356
564
102
212
280
111
5438
544
542
840
619
418
038
158
6
3 Az
ogue
s37
728
0-
231
499
486
280
4126
061
320
926
025
453
432
125
343
025
036
819
441
132
067
566
059
251
131
055
540
784
434
033
452
239
122
766
537
970
868
643
641
866
131
1
4 Ba
baho
yo41
821
223
1-
437
304
237
272
130
382
6312
326
047
025
347
966
133
531
320
022
854
444
459
254
244
618
042
822
478
029
010
329
132
717
760
123
364
462
220
536
859
653
7
5 Ba
eza
122
219
499
437
-41
422
554
0-
406
501
334
696
187
178
747
926
291
-63
746
950
048
016
319
516
3-
343
439
348
163
332
315
106
272
318
670
361
190
220
8531
461
6
6 Ba
hia
292
416
486
304
414
-45
846
824
828
325
542
651
345
037
567
385
264
131
345
582
807
228
575
609
426
364
107
8975
951
820
227
030
747
058
140
543
960
418
749
957
673
1
7 Ba
ños
138
4028
023
722
545
8-
321
335
413
291
111
424
295
8252
870
719
013
936
546
139
948
138
631
427
238
536
039
860
662
254
319
153
5342
746
547
044
823
714
041
851
5
8 Cu
enca
418
321
4127
254
046
832
1-
297
654
191
301
213
575
362
207
386
260
405
160
392
331
716
705
633
552
347
596
388
889
381
375
563
432
268
706
359
749
732
477
459
702
265
9 Da
ule
-36
826
013
0-
248
335
297
-42
547
251
300
488
313
455
449
479
346
238
157
--
--
468
131
-15
5-
396
136
325
373
280
617
197
--
240
475
613
519
10 E
smer
alda
s27
137
161
338
240
628
341
365
442
5-
447
502
642
312
330
861
-60
329
158
237
181
283
565
599
335
556
190
383
732
569
291
9130
042
140
060
216
657
617
048
939
591
9
11 G
uaya
quil
332
277
209
6350
125
529
119
147
447
-18
423
653
331
639
857
635
338
317
618
052
950
765
860
550
997
387
175
842
353
166
354
390
240
664
150
583
687
268
431
659
456
12 G
uara
nda
189
9226
012
333
442
611
130
125
150
718
4-
379
346
133
508
686
215
198
320
351
424
439
495
423
323
301
318
347
678
171
223
369
204
5747
735
625
052
028
724
947
356
6
13 H
uaqu
illas
568
428
254
260
696
513
424
213
300
642
236
379
-72
951
324
419
147
351
7042
954
470
489
973
670
635
058
343
3-
484
381
551
587
562
860
401
780
884
465
562
856
300
14 Ib
arra
157
254
534
470
187
450
295
575
488
312
533
346
729
-21
678
296
149
015
267
049
469
950
034
638
024
632
379
472
463
348
365
310
112
308
135
704
178
307
255
270
130
840
15 L
atac
unga
5641
321
253
178
375
8236
231
333
031
613
351
321
6-
580
748
287
5245
334
548
639
833
939
518
943
227
731
552
314
317
323
670
105
344
488
387
365
154
220
340
637
16 L
oja
625
529
253
479
747
673
528
207
455
861
398
508
244
782
580
-17
838
161
034
659
746
792
483
476
275
951
280
359
3-
509
583
770
640
482
913
656
956
861
684
587
909
57
17 M
acar
á80
471
043
066
192
685
270
728
644
9-
576
686
191
961
748
178
-57
680
021
858
363
185
2-
941
937
499
731
581
-68
951
369
881
865
3-
549
928
-90
276
7-
236
18 M
acas
332
236
250
335
291
641
190
260
479
603
353
215
473
490
287
381
576
-32
942
056
620
967
545
238
046
652
955
455
963
612
846
051
234
718
262
152
366
448
143
020
661
631
6
19 M
acha
chi
-99
368
313
-31
313
940
534
629
138
319
851
152
5264
080
032
9-
481
363
--
--
132
480
-32
8-
200
210
191
3715
128
154
6-
-10
621
527
767
4
20 M
acha
la51
341
319
420
063
745
536
516
023
858
217
632
070
670
453
346
218
420
481
-38
049
164
586
679
464
728
852
437
5-
541
305
491
527
428
801
348
721
894
406
619
979
304
21 M
anta
347
385
411
228
469
8246
139
215
737
118
035
142
949
434
559
758
356
636
338
0-
775
346
630
662
456
280
225
3079
048
517
130
036
240
860
523
255
763
421
155
463
165
6
22 M
oron
a54
144
532
054
450
080
739
933
1-
812
529
424
544
699
486
467
631
209
-49
177
5-
884
661
589
675
-76
377
184
533
765
972
155
639
183
069
687
368
963
941
582
539
5
23 M
uisn
e34
243
967
544
480
228
481
716
-83
507
439
704
500
398
924
852
675
-64
534
688
4-
625
659
411
-12
133
980
954
133
931
935
749
347
557
724
065
424
154
962
698
1
24 N
ueva
Loj
a28
338
066
059
216
357
538
670
5-
565
658
495
899
346
339
834
-45
2-
866
630
661
625
-10
029
9-
505
597
188
324
490
463
265
418
208
830
406
3238
124
620
376
8
25 O
rella
na31
735
459
254
219
560
931
463
3-
599
605
423
736
380
395
762
941
380
-79
466
258
965
910
0-
356
-53
971
026
325
452
749
730
036
630
886
455
412
641
517
430
370
5
26 O
tava
lo13
423
051
144
616
342
627
255
246
833
550
932
370
621
189
759
937
466
132
647
456
675
411
299
356
-61
235
544
848
333
234
128
788
284
163
658
198
327
231
246
150
817
27 P
laya
s-
385
310
180
-36
438
534
713
155
697
301
350
632
432
512
499
529
480
288
280
--
--
612
--
278
-44
626
745
851
733
076
112
0-
-37
152
575
757
6
28 P
eder
nale
s22
231
855
524
834
310
736
059
6-
190
387
318
583
379
277
803
731
554
-52
422
576
312
150
553
935
5-
-21
968
942
021
919
923
637
251
045
733
253
312
042
850
686
1
29 P
orto
viej
o31
435
640
722
443
989
398
388
155
383
175
347
433
472
312
593
581
559
328
375
3077
133
959
771
044
827
821
9-
782
458
144
292
329
410
603
234
646
626
209
536
598
652
30 P
utum
ayo
467
564
844
780
348
759
606
889
-73
284
267
8-
463
523
--
636
--
790
845
908
188
263
483
-68
978
2-
508
675
647
449
617
399
988
590
208
565
435
394
961
31 P
uyo
199
102
340
290
163
518
6238
139
656
935
317
148
434
814
350
968
912
820
054
148
533
754
132
425
433
244
642
045
850
8-
314
379
213
113
487
525
530
353
297
7848
345
3
32 Q
ueve
do20
721
233
410
333
220
225
437
513
629
116
622
338
136
517
358
351
346
021
030
517
165
933
949
052
734
126
721
914
467
531
4-
186
224
268
496
314
415
519
100
416
491
640
33 Q
uini
ndé
180
280
522
291
315
270
319
563
325
9135
436
955
131
023
677
069
851
219
149
130
072
131
946
349
728
745
819
929
264
737
918
6-
209
330
441
499
253
491
7939
845
382
8
34 Q
uito
1411
139
132
710
630
715
343
237
330
039
020
485
711
270
640
818
347
3752
736
255
635
726
530
088
517
236
329
449
213
224
209
-16
524
356
128
629
411
218
923
969
8
35 R
ioba
mba
150
5422
711
727
247
053
268
280
421
240
5756
230
810
548
265
318
215
142
840
839
149
341
836
628
433
037
241
061
711
326
833
016
5-
439
411
482
462
248
191
434
540
36 R
umic
haca
288
385
665
601
318
581
427
706
617
400
664
477
860
135
344
913
-62
128
180
160
583
047
520
830
816
376
151
060
339
948
749
644
124
343
9-
813
262
243
386
401
4
4
971
37 S
alin
as54
744
537
923
367
040
546
535
919
760
215
035
640
170
448
865
654
952
354
634
823
269
657
783
086
465
812
045
723
498
852
531
449
956
141
181
3-
729
833
417
603
831
626
38 S
an L
oren
zo33
142
870
864
436
143
947
074
9-
166
583
250
780
178
387
956
928
664
-72
155
787
324
040
655
419
8-
332
646
590
530
415
253
286
482
262
729
-43
430
844
425
7-
39 S
an M
igue
l31
140
668
662
219
060
444
873
2-
576
687
520
884
307
365
861
-48
1-
894
634
689
654
3212
632
7-
533
626
208
353
519
491
294
462
243
833
434
-40
927
523
980
5
40 S
to.D
omin
go98
9443
620
522
018
723
747
724
018
026
828
746
525
515
468
490
243
010
640
621
163
924
138
141
523
137
112
020
965
629
710
079
112
248
386
417
308
409
-30
538
274
2
41 T
ena
207
180
418
368
8549
914
045
947
548
943
124
956
227
022
058
776
720
621
561
955
441
554
924
617
424
652
542
853
643
578
416
398
189
191
401
603
444
275
305
-39
653
0
42 T
ulcá
n28
438
166
159
631
457
641
870
261
339
565
947
385
613
034
090
9-
616
277
979
631
825
626
203
303
150
757
506
598
394
483
491
453
239
434
831
257
239
382
396
-96
7
43 Z
amor
a68
358
631
153
761
673
151
526
551
991
945
656
630
084
063
757
230
316
674
304
656
395
981
768
705
817
576
861
652
961
453
640
828
698
540
971
626
-80
574
253
096
7-
LAND
DIST
ANCE
S (K
M)Tra
vel th
roug
h Ecu
ador
with
ww
w.b
udge
t-ec
.com
10
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:24 Page 10
ww
w.b
udge
t-ec
.com
ROAD
MAP
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:24 Page 11
Quito - 593 2 Guayaquil - 593 4 Cuenca - 593 7
Argentina
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Egypt
France
Germany
Great Britain
Israel
Italy
Japan
Korea
Mexico
Peru
Russia
Spain
Switzerland
U.S.A.
Uruguay
Venezuela
Amazonas Ave. 477 & Roca Phone 2562292
Gaspar de Villarroel E9-53 &Av. de Los ShyrisPhone: 2469700República Del Salvador 1082 &Naciones Unidas / Phone: 2276145 /2273910 / 2273338
Amazonas N39-123 & José ArizagaPhone: 2277000Av. Amazonas N41-53 & UNPEdificio Eurocenter 3rd floor Ph: 2455499 / Fax: 2277672
Juan Pablo Sanz 3617 & AmazonasEdif. Xerox / Phone: 2453327
Atahualpa 955 & RepúblicaEdificio Digicom Phone: 2458012
Javier Arauz III y Germán AlemánPhone: 2252330 / Fax: 2252330
Tarqui E4-56 & 6 de DiciembrePhone: 2225240 / 2509501
General Leonidas Plaza 104 & PatriaPhone 2943800
Naciones Unidas Edif. City Plaza,14th floor / Phone: 2970820
Naciones Unidas Edif. City Plaza14th floor / Phone: 2970800 / 801
Av. Coruña E25-58 & San IgnacioEdif.Atana 5th floor / Phone: 3971500 / 55
La Isla 111 & Humberto AlbornozPhone: 2561077-4
Amazonas Ave. N39-123 &Arízaga / Phone: 2278700
Ave. 12 de Octubre & Cordero Edif.WTC Tower B 3th floor / Ph. 2909227
Av. 6 de Diciembre N36-165 & NNUU / Phone: 2923770 / 71
República Del Salvador N34-361 &Irlanda / Phone: 2468410 / 11 / 04
Reina Victoria 462 & RocaPhone: 2526361 / 2554510
La Pinta 455 & AmazonasPhone: 2555733 / 3226296
Amazonas N35-17 & Juan Pablo SanzEdif. Xerox 2nd floor / Phone: 2434949
Avigiras E12-170 & Eloy Alfaro Phone: 3985000
Av. 6 de Diciembre 2816 &Paul Rivet / Phone: 2563762
Ave. Amazonas 30-240 & E. AlfaroPhone: 2557209 / 2554483
Circunvalación Sur 718 &Guayacanes (Urdesa) / P: 2384886
José A. Campos (Zaruma) 101 &García Avilés / Phone: 2310505
C.C. Dicentro Locales 33-34Ph: 2277065 / 6017484
Ave. Juan Tanca Marengo & Ave. J. Orrantea / Ph: 2158333
Ave. 9 de Octubre & MalecónEdif. La Previsora 23th floorOf. 2303 / Phone: 2562-995
Francisco de Orellana, Edificio WTCTorre B / Phone: 2630674
José Mascote 909 & Hurtado Phone: 2328442
Ave. Las Monjas #10 & Carlos JulioArosemena Edif. Berlin / Ph: 2206867 - 8
Gral. Cordova 623 & Padre SolanoPhone: 2560400 / 2563850
Av. 9 de Octubre 729 & BoyacáPhone: 2534503
P. Icaza 423 entre Córdoba & B.Moreno / Phone: 2568358 / 62
Km. 11.5 Vía DaulePhone: 2100600 ext 212
Francisco de Orellana WTC Bdg.Tower B / Ph. 2630774 / 75
Francisco de Orellana 501 Edif. Centrum14th floor / Phone: 2280135 / 2280114
Av. del Bombero Km. 7 1/2 vía lacosta Phone: 2991853
Velez & Tungurahua EsquinaPhone: 6017460
Juan Tanca Marengo Ave. Km 1.8Phone: 2599900 Ext. 034
9 de Octubre Ave. & García MorenoPhone: 2323570 / 2327663
Junín 114 & MalecónPhone:2311058 / Fax: 2563952
Chile 329 & AguirrePhone: 2326600 / 2326579
Gill Ramirez Dávalos 1434 yTuruhuaico / Phone: 4089054
Ave. José Peralta & 12 de AbrilEdif. Acrópolis Phone: 4103630
Gran Colombia 661 MezaninePhone: 2837693
Bolivar 918 & Benigno MaloPhone: 2822783 / 2838836
Gran Colombia & Luis CorderoEdif. El Dorado / Phone: 2832807
Ave. Las Monjas N.10 & CarlosArosemena Edif. Hamburgo P.B.Phone: 2208777 - 769
12
EMBASSIES &CONSULATES
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:24 Page 12
MAIN NATURAL EVENTS
WHALE- WATCHING
SEASON
HumpbackWhales off theEcuadorianCoastEvery year during the austral winter(June-October), humpback whales(Megaptera novaeangliae) migratefrom the Antarctic to tropical watersoff Ecuador and Colombia for breed-ing. The reason why these whaleslook for Ecuadorian waters to breed isbecause the calves need to be born ina warm environment, since they areborn with a thin isolating layer.
Humpback whales are dark with agreat variety of white areas on theventral part and flippers. They havethe largest flippers of all the whales,almost a third part of their body’slength. With 12-15 meters in lengthand more than 30 tons of weight,humpbacks are the most acrobaticand spectacular of the bigger whales.They like to breach out the water orhit repetitively the surface with theirflipper or flukes. It is believed that thesound produced in this form could beused for communications purposes.
Humpback whales are also wellknown as the singer whales duringthe breeding season. Males take avertical position head down and“sing” a complex sound repertory.These songs are structured in themesand can last 20 minutes or more.Singers can repeat the song once andagain for hours. All the whalesaround sing a similar song, althoughthe song is changing as the seasonprogresses. The meaning of thesongs is probably related to thereproduction process.
The whales that can be found off theEcuadorian coast belong to one ofsix Southern hemisphere stocks thatwere severely exploited during thefirst half of the XX century. However,recent studies at the central coast off
Ecuador show that the southeasternPacific humpback whale stock, towhich Ecuadorian whales belong, isrecovering significantly.
During the breeding season it is pos-sible to find these whales almost inevery site along the central andnorthern coast of the country. Since1994, whale watching has become apopular activity among the tourists thatvisit the Machalilla National Park andother sites of the Ecuadorian coast. Theactivity is steadily increasing, as well asthe concern about the whales’ welfare.
For more information about theEcuadorian Coast see pages 38-43.Contact our sponsors on page 43 oryour favorite travel agency for spe-cial whale-watching tours.
Text by: Fernando Felix.Photographs: Cristina Castro – Pacific Whale Foundation.
13
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:24 Page 13
MADE INECUADOR
Fine AromaEcuadorianChocolate:A Delight to the Senses!Within the world of chocolate, CacaoArriba is one of the most valuablefine aroma cacaos. This delicate fruithas been cultivated for over one hun-dred years in Ecuador thanks to itsexquisite flavor and aroma. Althoughfew countries in the world can offer anative cacao of such high quality asCacao Arriba, national agriculturehas reduced its allotted farm land,favoring inferior varieties or alterna-tive crops.
Facing these threats República delCacao was born, a brand focused on
the production and marketing of darkchocolates made exclusively withCacao Arriba.
The development, investigation anddetermination of the brand is not onlyfocused on the production of high qual-ity chocolates, but extends into thefields and the joint effort undertaken bywell over 1,800 farmers in the technifi-cation, care and improvement of farm
production and living standards of thosewho care for the future of Cacao Arriba.
Thanks to the creation of a gatheringcenter on the province of Los Ríos,República del Cacao, separates theseed according to its origin, to thenbe fermented in cherry wood drawersand sun-dried following traditionaltechniques, before beginning itstransformation into chocolate.
14
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:24 Page 14
As part of the progress of CacaoArriba, the brand has created achocolate bar focused on the pro-ducing community of Vinces,assigning 10% of the net profits fromeach bar to the improvement andmodernization of the lands owned bythis group of farmers.
The effort of República del Cacao inthe commercialization of their choco-lates, as well as that of Ecuadorianproducts of the highest quality, ismade through its Chocolate-Boutiques. Their main store, located inQuito, in the intersection of ReinaVictoria and Joaquín Pinto streets,also offers Cacao Arriba based dishes.
The promotion of the brands’ productsto local and international consumersextends itself to two stores located atthe international airport exits in Quitoand Guayaquil, showcasing the pro-duction process, the achievementsaccomplished by the country’s CacaoArriba community and the quality ofthe products for sale.
The endeavor and relationship ofRepública del Cacao, the cacao farm-ers and its clientele is focused on thequality of its products, communitydevelopment and the trust that eachchocolate that reaches the final cus-tomer reflects the work and passionthat a group of Ecuadorians has set forthe present and future of their country.
The legend of Cacao Arriba BeansThe origins of the name “Arriba”given to the “Fine Aroma”Ecuadorian cacao come from a XIX
century legend that tells us about aSwiss chocolatier that while navigat-ing along Guayas River, perceived astrong cacao scent. He felt soimpressed by such special fragrancethat he decided to ask some workersunloading cacao from their canoes,where does this aroma come from?They responded, “de río arriba”which means “from up the river”.Since then, this variety of cacao isworldwide known as “Arriba”becoming synonym for high qualityand fine aroma cacao.
15
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:24 Page 15
America, erroneously called the“new” world, has a rich and ancientcultural tradition that is known aspre-Columbian. The conqueringSpaniards saw the ethnic groups thatstill inhabit Ecuador today as “prim-itive”. In fact many people have ahard time understanding NativeAmerican culture. The XVI centurySpanish tried to eradicate indige-nous beliefs and customs.Fortunately, many ethnic groupsretain their traditional way of life andbelief systems. In the colonial era,the Spaniards imposed Catholicism.To this day, many of the indigenouscultures have adopted this faith.However, they maintain their originallanguage, dress and artistic expres-sions. Especially in the rain forest,many ethnic groups are still isolatedand have little contact with Westernculture, and to this day, they main-
tain a way of life similar to that oftheir ancestors from over 500 yearsago. In Ecuador, when we speak ofmega-diversity we speak not only ofour magnificent biological world, butwe also refer to the human factor.Our ethnic diversity is rich, withcharacteristics influenced by the nat-ural environment of the Coast, theHighlands and the Rainforest.
THE CULTURES OF THE COASTThe oldest known cultures ofAmerica lived on the Ecuadoriancoast (8800 to 3500 B.C.). The cul-tures that subsist practically intact tothis day are: the Awá, the Chachis orCayapas and the Tsachilas orColorados. They live in the tropicalrainforest of the west Andes andpossibly settled there after escapingfrom the Incan invasion from Peru(XV C) or from the Spaniards (XVI C).
THE AMAZONIAN CULTURESMany archeologists maintain thatsome of the oldest cultures (over10,000 years old) are actually fromthis tropical humid rainforest,impossible to reach for many cen-turies. In the “cosmology” of theseindigenous groups, the human beingis a part of the “Amazanga” (rainfor-est) and the human spirit wanders inthis forest every dawn. The humanspirit can enter an eagle or a serpentor a jaguar, each one a symbol fortheir nature, according to theirbeliefs. The rainforest provides theirfood, medicinal plants, and spiritualrichness. To these people, the tropi-cal rainforest is their home, theirdrugstore, their supermarket, andtheir church; thus their utmostrespect for their environment.
They are, according to modern worldeconomical standards very poor.However, they have a rich spiritual
NATIVECULTURES
ECUADOR’S MOSAIC
16
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:24 Page 16
Sto. Domingode los TsáchilasSto. Domingode los Tsáchilas
Sta. Elena
AwaChachis
ShuarTsáchila
HuancavilcasÉpera
Negro-afroecuatorianoCofán
SecoyaSionaHuaoraniAshuarQuichuas del orienteMantasZáparoQuichuas de la sierra
life and live in peace surrounded bytheir families, taking from natureonly what they need for survival andtaking time to meditate and enlight-en themselves. To share a few dayswith them is an incredibly enrichingexperience.
THE HIGHLANDSThe cultures of the highlands are byno means the oldest, but they are themost visited and well known, proba-bly because of their geographical
location with easy access by roadsand highways. Many communitiesthat live in the highlands still main-tain their cultural manifestationsthrough dress, language (Quichua),and festivities. Just 62 miles north ofQuito you can visit the Otavalo IndianMarket, a must see for any touristthat comes to Ecuador. This marketoffers wonderful weavings, tapestry,rugs, bags, artwork and other prod-ucts made by the indigenous com-munity. These people are hardwork-
ing, skillful, and artistic. Familieswork together and then sell theirwork at the fair. Transactions takeplace quietly with bargaining on theside of the tourist. These are veryproud people who have not lost theircultural identity despite the fact thatmestizos and whites inhabit the cityof Otavalo. The Otavaleños travel allaround the world selling their goods.
NATIVECULTURES’DISTRIBUTIONMAP
17
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 17
MACHALILLA NATIONAL PARK
With its relatively small territory(109.483 square miles), 0.17% of theplanet’s land surface, Ecuador wasranked one of the 17 most biodiversecountries in the world.
Ecuador holds more than 11% of allthe land vertebrates in the world(mammals, birds, amphibians andreptiles), 16.087 vascular plantspecies and approximately 600species of marine fish. There is stilla lot to learn about Ecuador’s diver-sity, especially concerning inverte-brates and microorganisms. Amongthe “mega diverse” countries,Ecuador holds the greatest biodiver-sity of land vertebrates per area.
WHAT IS THE REASON FOR ALL THIS DIVERSITY?Firstly, the Andes mountain rangedividing the country from North toSouth; secondly, Ecuador’s geo-
graphical location at the Tropic ofCancer, the warmest region of theplanet; and finally, the influence oftwo oceanographic phenomenons:“El Niño”, the warm and humity cur-rent that comes from the North, andthe “Humboldt” current, whichcomes from the South and is coldand dry.
On the following pages, you will finda brief description of Ecuador’sNational Parks. You can locate theseParks on the map on the followingpage. As you may see on the map,besides these National Parks,Ecuador is home to an additional 21National Protected Areas. The coun-try also includes other important pri-vate protected areas and naturalsites.
Two of Ecuador’s National Parks weredeclared “World Heritage Natural
Sites” by the UNESCO: the GalapagosArchipelago and the Sangay NationalPark (Amazonian region).
1. MACHALILLALocated in the province of Manabí,Machalilla takes its name from oneof the pre-Columbian cultures thatinhabited this area. The Valdivia,Chorrera and Manteña Cultures alsolived in this land of mild climate andextraordinary landscape. One canstill visit archeological sites withinthe park. We especially recommendAgua Blanca and Salango. The parkoccupies 136,000 acres. Its yearlyaverage temperature is 75ºF.The influence of the HumboldtCurrent in the Pacific conserves theamazing tropical humid and drytropical forests.
One of the main attractions of thepark is “Isla de la Plata” (Silver
NATIONAL PROTECTED
AREASAMAZING + DIVERSE
18
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 18
PROTECTEDAREAS
PERU
COLOMBIA
1. Machalilla National Park2. Sumaco Napo Galeras National Park3. Yasuni National Park4. Cotopaxi National Park5. Llanganates National Park6. Sangay National Park7. Cajas National Park8. Podocarpus National Park9. Galapagos National Park10. Limoncocha Biological Reserve11. Galapagos Marine Reserve12. Antisana Ecological Reserve13. El Angel Ecological Reserve
14. Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve15. Cayapas-Mataje Ecological Reserve16. Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve 17. Los Ilinizas Ecological Reserve18. Mache Chindul Ecological Reserve19. Manglares-Churute Ecological Reserve20. Pululahua Geo-botanic Reserve21. Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve22. Chimborazo Wildlife Reserve23. Pasochoa Wildlife Refuge24. El Boliche Recreational Park25. Santa Clara Island Wildlife Refuge26. El Condor Bi-national Park
27. Cofan-Bermejo Ecological Reserve28. La Chiquita Wildlife Refuge29. Rio Muisne Mangroves Wildlife Refuge30. Corazon Island Wildlife Refuge31. El Salado Mangroves Wildlife Reserve32. Arenillas Ecological Reserve33. Parque Lago Recreational Area34. El Zarza Wildlife Refuge35. El Quimi Biological Reserve36. El Morro Mangroves Wildlife Refuge37. Esmeraldas River Mangroves Estuary Wildlife Refuge38. Pacoche Coastal-Marine Wildlife Refuge39. Fauna Production Coastal Marine Reserve Puntilla de Santa Elena 40. Galeras-San Francisco Marine Reserve41. Yacuri National Park42. National Recreational Area Santay Island43. Pambilar Wildlife Refuge44. National Recreational Area Los Samanes
34
35
44
41
42
36
37
38
4043
39
19
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 19
Island). It was named at the end ofthe XVI century, when the pirateFrancis Drake took treasures fromSpanish ships and hid them on thissite. “Plata” means silver, but it isalso how Ecuadorians commonlyrefer to money. According to thelegend, much of this treasure wasnever claimed and is still hiddenhere. The Island is surrounded bycoral reefs, so the marine life isexciting and plentiful.
You will find some excellent scuba-diving services here.
The Island has two guided hikingroutes, both with awesome sights.You will find a rare colony of blue-footed boobies, masked boobies,frigate birds and albatrosses, as wellas interesting plant life. Guides arewell versed on the subject.To visit the park, one must purchasea 5-day pass for a fee of 25 dollars.With this ticket you can visit all thesites of the National Park.
2. SUMACO-NAPO-GALERAS
With a surface of 507,181 acres, thisNational Park houses a wide diversityof ecosystems, ranging from highmountains to cloud and lowlandforests. The park’s altitudes rangefrom 1,968 to 12,792 feet. The Napo-Galeras mountain range has variousrivers and springs running through itsdeep valleys. The Sumaco volcano(12,792 feet) stands isolated fromthe rest of the Andes and is sur-rounded by lowland forest. ThisNational Park is rich in animalspecies, including spectacle bear,bats, marsupials, armadillos, guams,and many bird, reptile and amphibianspecies. The most common plantsfound are cedar, canelo, and rubbertrees. Native Indian Quichua commu-nities and the archeological sites of
the Cosanga culture are found closeto this National Park. UNESCOdeclared the area surrounding theSumaco volcano a “BiosphereReserve” in the year 2000.
3. YASUNI
Yasuni is located in the NapoProvince. With an extension of2,426,281 acres, it is an importantbiogeographical area where endemicspecies of plants and animals havebeen preserved since the PleistocenePeriod (20,000 BC). According toUNESCO, more than 700 plantspecies have been identified,together with 500 bird species and200 different animals. The NapoRiver is the main access to the park.Recently, the Huaorani Indians wholive here, together with environmen-talists, have raised internationalawareness regarding the controversialpetroleum exploration of this area.
4. COTOPAXI
The Cotopaxi National Park is namedafter the highest active snow-cappedvolcano in the world (19,347 ft). It islocated 37 miles from Quito. ThePark includes 83,829 acres, and thealtitude ranges from 11,152 ft to19,347 ft above sea level. TheCotopaxi Volcano is one of the mostimportant features of this park. It isthe highest active volcano in theworld. Adventurous professionalmountain climbers are attracted tothis site along with many touristswho take pride in attempting to reachthe top. The volcano offers climbingexperiences for all skill levels.The immense plain that surrounds thevolcano offers a wonderful landscapewith extraordinary geological condi-tions and numerous flora and fauna.This park is home to deer, pumas,condors, wild horses and llamas. TheLimpiopungo lagoon, located close tothe Rumiñahui volcano (15,492 ft), isa good place for camping. The Pucará Ruins are an Incaicfortress that should be visited too. Atthe foot of Cotopaxi you will also findan Incan Palace built by TupacYASUNI
20
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 20
Yupanqui in the XV century, turnedinto a monastery by the CatholicAugustinian Order in the XVII centu-ry. At this site you will enjoy an out-standing view of the volcanoes.Currently it houses a beautifulhacienda that offers excellent hotelfacilities. Hotel Cuello de Luna (seepage 100) offers exciting expeditionsand excellent lodging in the area.
5. LLANGANATES
This park is home to one of the mostexotic and inaccessible regions inEcuador. It includes rough moor-lands, deep valleys, rivers, lagoons,and abundant waterfalls. Most of thepark is covered by dense vegetation,and the weather is mostly cold andrainy. Cerro Hermoso (15,618 ft) isthe highest mountain in the area.
The most common animal speciesfound are moorland rabbits, sacha(jungle) rabbit, and weasels. Othercommon species that are very diffi-cult to spot are the spectacle bear,white-tailed deer, moorland deer,moorland fox, puma, deer, tapir,cock-of-the-rock, and the condor.Throughout history, explorers andadventurers have been attracted tothis area in search of the elusive goldof Atahualpa, which according tolegend is hidden in the Llanganates.Nobody has found the gold, how-ever all visitors bear witness to theregion’s mysteries, and keep thelegend alive…
6. SANGAY
Sangay is located between threeProvinces: Tungurahua, Chimborazoand Morona Santiago and has anextension of 671,654 acres. Take thePan-American Highway to Riobamba.When you reach Alao you may askfor tourist information at the park’sadministration center- correct pathsfor mountain climbing, horse rental,etc. There are three main mountainsin this park: Sangay (17,154 ft.),Altar (17,446 ft.), and Tungurahua(16,452 ft.). These mountains offerexcellent opportunities for hiking,
trekking, and climbing. The SangayVolcano is off limits because it is inpermanent eruption, but you can getclose enough to take spectacularphotographs. Native indigenouscommunities live in this park:Quichua- Canelos in the north andShuar in the south.
7. CAJAS
This National Park is only 21 milesaway from Cuenca. It ranges in alti-tude from 9,840 ft to 11,480 ft. Its71,186-acre area includes moun-tains and 232 glacial lagoons, con-nected to each other by small riversand streams. Two of the rivers sur-rounding Cuenca, the Tomebambaand the Yanuncay, begin in this area.
Cajas is home to mammals such asthe white-tailed deer, spectacle bear,puma, paramo deer, paramo rabbit,and the Andean tapir. Some of themost important bird species foundhere are the caracara, the condor, theAndean toucan and spectacle duck.The most common vegetationincludes: chuquiragua, paramograsses, yagual (Polylepis), romeril-
lo, chachacoma, genciana, romerilloand the sarar. The Park also hassome archeological Inca sites in thearea of Molleturo, which historiansbelieve to have been a ‘tambo’ (rest-ing areas for the Inca couriers fromCuzco to Quito).
8. PODOCARPUS
Podocarpus is located in both theProvinces of Loja and ZamoraChinchipe, with an extension of351.436 acres. This park has twoecological zones, jungle and high-land, both with great diversity of floraand fauna. Here you will find exoticorchids, bears, pumas, humming-birds, toucans, woodpeckers andreptiles. It is the ideal place forbotanical, ecological and zoologicalinvestigations. If you enjoy longwalks, listening to the sounds ofbirds, running rivers, waterfalls andcamping, then this is a place youshouldn’t miss.
Photos Courtesy ofMiguel Dávila, Marco Cruz &Ministry of Tourism
CAJAS
21
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 21
America:Land ofHummingbirds
Fernando Ortiz, a renowned scientistfrom Quito, proposed that the name ofthe continent America be changed. Heproposed that it be called somethinglike "Land of the Hummingbirds". Thisname would stand for a unique char-acteristic of this continent: the pres-ence of these small, agile, magicalbirds. Hummingbirds are foundthroughout the whole continent: fromAlaska to "Tierra del Fuego", includingthe Caribbean islands. They are notfound elsewhere in the world.
Hummingbirds have been ever pres-ent in the American cultures. Theyhave been found in the impressiveformations in the Nazca desert inPeru. Aztecs had a warrior god called"hitzilopochtli", a mythical being halfman and half hummingbird. PeruvianPolychromic ceramics and antiquetapestries depict these birds. Antiquecultures that inhabited the Ecuadoriancoast represented them in their fig-urines and ceramic stamps.
Every Native American culture had aword to name these birds: "huitzitzil" innahuatl language, "quinde" in quichua,"guanumbi" in guarani, etc. In AndeanAmerica, hummingbirds are com-monly called "quindes". The biggestnumber of species is found in thehumid forests of Venezuela, Colombia,Ecuador and Peru. Ecuador andColombia have the world record withmore than 130 species each.
To cite an example based in fieldstudies, 20 species coexist in the
Yanacocha cloud forests close toQuito, on the Northwest side of thePichincha volcano. Of these twentyspecies, 18 can be found simultane-ously at the same altitude.
In order for various hummingbirdspecies to coexist, the abundance ofepiphyte or parasite plants is vital.These plants seem to be "tailor-made" for the hummingbirds’ beaks.Such is the case of many bromeli-ads in the montane forests on theslopes of the Andes.
In order to feed from the flowers’nectar, hummingbirds have devel-oped a unique locomotion system,comparable only with that of insects:vibratory flight. This type of flightallows the birds to be suspended inthe air in front of a flower, and also flybackwards and switch flying speedas desired. The smallest humming-birds can move their wings at about80 wing cycles per second. A hum-mingbird flies at about 200 times itslength per second!
The cloud forests in the Northwest ofthe Pichincha Province, only 1-2hours North of Quito, are the perfectspot for birdwatchers, especiallythose interested in hummingbirds.These lively and colorful birds arealso a common sight in gardens in themidst of the busy city of Quito and allthroughout the Ecuadorian Andes.
Hummingbirds are an important partof Quito’s cultural ancestry, as wellas that of all America: a "Land ofHummingbirds".
Information & photo source: Ortiz, Fernando. 2003. Colibries.Quito, Imprenta Mariscal.
THIS MONTH’SREMARK
Ceramic Stamp From The “Guangala”Culture of Coastal Ecuador (200 - 500 A.C)
22
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 22
The Quito TelefériQo (cable cars)and Ecuador Infinito magazineorganized the photo contest“Quito from the Sky”, which wasopen to both professional andamateur photographers fromJuly 9th through 22nd through a Facebook Fan Page.
During the two weeks of thecontest, more than 100participants uploaded 400photos, and the Fan Pagereceived more than 1600 likes.
The three winning photographswere:1. First Place- “Antisana”
by Diego Eduardo AndradeNaranjo
2. Second Plae: “Quito 4”by Petrus Andreas De VuystDegrauwe
3. Third Place: “DawnAwakens” by AndreasGaspar De Vuyst Endara
In addition to these 3 winningphotographs, 13 more wereselected for an exhibit both atMall El Jardín (which will beopen to the public until Tuesday,September 4th), and at theentrance and ticket office of theTeleferiQo.
These exhibits hold the best of“Quito from the Sky”.
Useful information:
The TeleferiQo is open every dayfrom 8h00 to 20h00. It is thelast stop of the Quito Tour Bus.
Address: Occidental Avenue &Fulgencio Araujo. Phone: + 593 2 222 2996 / 222 2997
QUITO FROMTHE SKY
1
2
323
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 23
The CloudForest:The FascinatingNorthwest of Pichincha
The Equator – the name brings tomind rain forests, lush drippingforests full of wildlife, mystery andwonder! For some this may meanthe wonders of the Amazon – butlush rain forests are also much moreaccessible – “cloud forests” (mon-tane rain forests) are only one and ahalf hours from Quito. This fascinat-ing ecosystem, literally cloaking thesteep slopes of both sides of theAndes from about 1000 – 2500meters, is amongst the most diverseecosystems in the world. This is atrue jungle with tall trees decoratedwith a carpet of delicate orchids,mosses, bromeliads, and other epi-phytes. While in some ways similarto the Amazon forests, the steepnessof the slopes means that the canopyis very uneven, and hence more lightpenetrates to the forest floor, givingrise to a dense covering of vegeta-tion there also. The steep slopes
also give birth to myriad waterfalls,many of which have never beennamed – just an example of nature’sundiscovered treasures that awaityou here!
The region of Nono-Tandayapa-Bellavista-Mindo has been declaredthe first Area of InternationalImportance for Birds in SouthAmerica, and the area has achievedthe highest single day bird countduring the worldwide AudubonChristmas Count. So for a birder,this region has to be a prime desti-nation. And every 200 meters or sodrop in altitude means a change inthe species of birds that live there.Consider that Ecuador, which onlycovers 0.02% of the earth’s landsurface, holds about 10% of all birdspecies found on the planet – and itis not an exaggeration to state thatan inordinately high number ofEcuador’s 1600 species of birds arefound in the cloud forests! Just tomention a few, some of which areendemic (unique) to this region:Tanager-Finch, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan,Tanagers of all colors, Manakins,Cotingas, etc. And for humming-birds, the number of differentspecies in the Tandayapa and Mindo
Valleys is perhaps a world record,with various places offering anunforgettable spectacle at veryaccessible feeders.
Clearly the high diversity of birds isalso reflected in the high diversity oforchids, butterflies, frogs, etc, etc.For the scientist, it is a certainty thatnew species are there to be discov-ered. And for the naturalist, everyhike reveals new surprises. Take atrail with a guide or alone, walk aself-guided educational trail, per-haps find a spot to just relax andabsorb the peace, the variety of birdcalls, the remoteness of nature faraway from your daily life. This regionalso is the home of the AndeanSpectacled Bear, and although rarelyseen, this is perhaps one of the mostintriguing species of mammals inthis area.
Apart from the trails in the forests,there are places that offer displays ofbutterflies and orchids, with easyaccess and knowledgeable inter-preters ready to explain the respec-tive ecology.
The northwest and its cloud forestsare also a perfect area for adventuresports. Horseback riding, mountain
24
A BIRDER’SPARADISE
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 24
biking, tubing or, during the rainyseason, rafting in the rushing rivers,are just some if the varied optionsthis region has to offer. Imagine aday speeding on your bike down anarrow mountain road with a bub-bling stream following you as youride, then a day hiking in the forest,then a day riding on a well-trainedhorse, feeling like a pioneer on thelittle-trodden trails that windthrough the hills. And if you are alover of natural swimming holes,there are various places near LosBancos, Pedro Vicente Maldonadoand Puerto Quito that offer sparklingwaters amongst dense foliage, deeppools with waterfalls cascadingfrom above, complemented bycomfortable cabins nearby to letyou unwind completely. At lowerelevations, there are interestingopportunities to visit small scalefarming enterprises, with a fascinat-ing variety of tropical fruits and thebest cacao in the world.
The forests also hide various little-studied archaeological remains – themost accessible of which is theTulipe Archeaological Site. Museum.
A series of what were most likelyceremonial pools have been uncov-ered, and various “tolas” (mounds)are awaiting further investigation.What is doubly special is that thissite of the ancient Yumbo culture isstill little known, and it is an addedfascination for the visitor to realizethat he or she is experiencingarchaeological discovery first hand.For more information see page 76.
Consider Ecuador’s northwest – theregion of the two hemispheres (northand south) crossed by the Equator -as a fascinating new frontier, withexuberant nature, fascinating peopleand culture, and comfortable, origi-nal lodging just waiting to be discov-ered by you!
Text and photos courtesy of Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve.
Nono Cloudforest fby Inca Holidays
[email protected] • [email protected]: 593 96 189 559
A truly of-the-beaten path destinationDay tours and overnight stays
A truly of-the-beaten path destinationDay tours and overnight stays
25
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 25
On May 22nd, 2012,Biodiversity Day, the Biodiversity andKnowledge team ofthe Charles DarwinFoundation launched“Data Zone”, the mostcomplete and detaileddata base regardingthe variety of specieswithin a sole ecosystem. This workmeans a double accomplishmentbecause it is not only a great tool forthe conservation of the Galapagos, butalso means the execution of one ofCharles Darwin’s main scientificobjectives, which was the creation of acomplete data base of an ecosystem.
The data base can be accessed at:www.darwinfoundation.org/datazone/.It is a new, modern and easily acces-sible tool to explore and learn aboutthe different species that live in theGalapagos. It is available for all: theinformation is for free and is present-ed both in English and Spanish.
More than a century after CharlesDarwin’s visit to the Galapagosaboard the Beagle, the CharlesDarwin Foundation was created inorder to assess scientifically for theconservation of the Galapagos. Andtoday, 181 years after Darwin’s visitto the Galapagos, one of his scientif-ic aspirations comes to life thanks tothe Foundation with his same namethrough the publication of Data Zone.
Information and photo source:Charles Darwin Foundation
For more information visit www.darwinfoundation.org
TOURISM NEWS
BE PART OF THECHARLES DARWINFOUNDATION’SONLINE COMMUNITY!
By “liking” Charles DarwinFoundation’s Facebook pageyou can find out about projectnews, field updates and eventsas well as download free andexclusive interactive content.
Check out:www.facebook.com/darwin-foundation and click “like”
Quito and Ecuador were promoted asprime bird watching destinations atthe British Birdfair, which took place inthe Rutland Natural Reserve fromAugust 17th – 19th. The BritishBirdfair is considered the most impor-tant worldwide encounter regardingthis topic. In fact, Great Britain leadsthe market of birdwatchers worldwide,with the British Royal Society for theProtection of Birds having 1,2 millionmembers, 80% of which travel regu-larly to practice birdwatching.
Quito Tourism and theAmazonia Club shared astand, and were repre-sented by MurrayCooper and HughYarbrough, local birdexperts, who displayedthe immense richness ofEcuador in regards tobird diversity. Only Quito includes542 bird species, including 64endemic to the region and oneendemic to the city.
Information and photo source:Quito Tourism www.quito.com.ec
CHARLES DARWIN FOUNDATION LAUNCHES“DATA ZONE”
QUITO AND ECUADOR WERE PROMOTEDAT THE BRITISH BIRDFAIR 2012
26
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 26
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 27
NATIONAL PARKENTRANCE FEE:$100 for international visitors/Comunidad Andina or Mercosur $50
AIR TRAVEL:There are two airports served bylocal airlines: on Baltra Island and onSan Cristobal Island.
TRANSIT CONTROLCARD (TCT):In order to have a better control ofvisitors and migration to theislands, INGALA, the Ecuadorianinstitution that controls migrationto the islands, introduced a visitorcontrol card.
The control card has a cost of $10,which must be canceled at theINGALA counters located in theQuito and Guayaquil airports.
CRUISE SHIPS:A cruise is definitely the best way tovisit many of the islands in a shortperiod of time. Tours are a minimumof four days. There is a wide range ofcruise offers, from small sailboats forabout 18 passengers to big luxuriouscruise ships for more than 100 pas-sengers. Contact your travel agencyfor more information.
This archipelago is a living muse-um of evolutionary changes. Freeand fearless animals, different fromany others found elsewhere, makevisitors wonder about their veryexistence on our planet. In 1835,Charles Darwin sailed on theBritish ship H.M.S. Beagle and vis-ited the islands. The living proofthat he found in this unique vol-canic archipelago inspired his the-ory of the Origin of Species, whichshook the scientific world. Allthose who choose to make thisunforgettable trip can confirm hisobservations and studies. UNESCOdeclared Galapagos a WorldNatural Heritage Site in 1978 andsubsequently a World BiosphereReserve in 1985.
FLORA AND FAUNA: Galapagos is home to an incrediblyhigh rate of endemic species.Among the animals found are the dif-ferent species of giant ‘Galapagos’tortoises that gave the islands theirname due to the similarity of theircarapaces to a British riding saddlecalled ‘galapago’ in Spanish.
Galapagos is home to a variety ofbirds: blue footed, red footed andmasked boobies, flamingos, frigate
birds, albatrosses, unique smallpenguins and non-flying cor-morants, and 14 different varietiesof finches. These various finchesserved as proof for Darwin’s theoryof evolution from natural selection.
Marine mammals such as sea lions,dolphins and whales are also found;as well as multitudes of colorful fish.The most distinctive plants are man-groves and endemic cacti.
ORIGIN:The islands appeared from lavaeruptions that came from the bot-tom of the ocean and that rise asmuch as 2,600 ft. Lava from morethan 2,000 craters has continuous-ly altered the terrain of the region.Currently, the archipelago includes13 large islands, 6 minor ones andmore than 40 islets. Some of theyounger islands still have activevolcanoes.
WEATHER:December to May the weather issunny and warm. During themonths of June to November, it’scolder and drier.
LOCATION: 600 miles West off the coast.
28
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 28
3
1La
Cas
a de
Mar
ita2
Roya
l Pal
m H
otel
THE
GALA
PAGO
S IS
LAND
STH
E GA
LAPA
GOS
WIL
DLIF
E
PACI
FIC
OOCEEAA
NN
3So
lym
ar H
otel
4
2
Il Gi
ardi
no R
esta
uran
t
1
4
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 29
LAND OPTIONS:Another way to visit the Galapagos isto stay in a hotel at one of the inhab-ited islands. You can travel from oneisland to the other by light aircraft orboat. The following towns offer facil-ities for tourists:
Puerto AyoraSanta Cruz Island
HOW TO GET THERE:If you hire a cruise, or stay at themain hotels on the island, they willmake all your travel arrangements.If you are traveling on your own,book your flight from Quito orGuayaquil with Tame or Aerogal.The airlines provide a bus to theItabaca canal (10 minute ride).From there ferries take you acrossthe canal to Santa Cruz Island for 80cents. To continue to the town ofPuerto Ayora you either take a bus($1,80) or a taxi ($15) for a 45minute drive. Along the way you willtravel from the arid coastal areathrough different ecological zonesas you ascend to the highlands andthen come back to sea level.
The name Santa Cruz means HolyCross. The first Spanish visitors gavethis island a Christian name. This isthe main port of entrance to theArchipelago and home to the major-ity of human inhabitants (aprox.10,000). Puerto Ayora is the capitalof the island, with exciting places tovisit, travel agencies that provide vis-its to the other islands, visit to thehighlands and the beaches, otherspecial tours,etc.
At Puerto Ayora you will also findexcellent handicrafts, jewelry shops,art galleries, casual clothing, restau-rants, bike rentals, kayaking, divingand snorkeling services just by tak-ing a walk down Charles DarwinAvenue.
CHARLES DARWINFOUNDATIONHEADQUARTERS:A visit to the Charles DarwinFoundation Headquarters is a mustfor any visitor to Puerto Ayora. Hereyou will be able to discover theconservation efforts of the CharlesDarwin Foundation and theGalapagos National Park, and see
the giant tortoises (Elephantopusgeochelone) breeding center, as wellas a small land iguana breeding cen-ter. You will learn about the breedingprocess of these animals in captivity,as well as other conservation effortsfor these endangered species andvarieties. During the summer months(January to April) we recommendthat you take your visit early in themorning to avoid the heat and sun.Distances within the headquarters areshort, so you can walk.
On the route you will find OpuntiaCacti (Opuntia echios gigantean),endemic to the Galapagos. Be sureto look out for the tame finches andobserve the variety of beaks that ledCharles Darwin to his theory of evo-lution by natural selection. Theseheadquarters are open Monday thruSunday from 6h00 to 18h00.
During your visit, which will takeapproximately 2 hours, be sure tostop at the following pavilions:
1. Van Straelen Visitors Center: adidactic exhibition on origin,fragility, conservation, geology,
30
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 30
climate, and other aspects relat-ed to the Galapagos.
2. Giant Tortoise Breeding Center:this center houses baby tortois-es from every island until theyare mature enough to survivewith hardened carapaces. Oncethey reach a certain maturity,they are re-introduced into theirisland of origin.
3. Tortoises’ corrals: at the corralsyou can observe and comparethe different shapes of the cara-paces according to the varieties.It is interesting to note that“Diego” (Geochelone elephan-topus hoodensis) from EspañolaIsland has a flat carapace thatbecomes long at the height ofthe neck. This tortoise was brought fromthe San Diego Zoo (thus thename) and was successfullyreunited with females from
Española Island. Thus, this vari-ety was saved from extinction.
Unfortunately, this was not thecase for “Lonesome George”,who was the last survivor of thePinta Island variety and was notable to reproduce, regardlessmany efforts with geneticallysimilar females.
Lonesome George died on thepast month of June 2012, makingits species extinct. The NationalPark announced that the cause ofdeath seems to have been a heartattack, as the body was found in awalking position and the tortoisedid not suffer of any sickness.The National Park has alsoannounced that they will embalmLonesome George so it can bekept for future generations.
4. Land Iguanas Corral: a few pro-tected land iguanas can be foundat these corrals. Introducedspecies such as dogs and catsendanger these iguanas.
Two land iguana species areendemic to the GalapagosIslands, the Conolophus sub-cristatus (that is found on six ofthe islands), and the Conolophuspellidus (found on Sante Fe Is.)
Charles Darwin Foundation has adedicated international staff thatworks together on research andlong-term conservation programs.Visit their website at:
www.darwinfoundation.org
TORTUGA BAYTortuga Bay is a beautiful beach offine white sand. From your hotel, for$1, take a taxi to where the path tothis unique beach begins. A 2.5 kmcobblestone path was built in orderto reach the paradisiacal beach ofTortuga Bay by foot. A mysteriousforest of the tall Opuntia Cactus andvolcanic rock surrounds the path,and the view is overwhelming.Throughout your walk you willobserve finches, yellow warblers,mockingbirds, and lava lizards. Feeltransported to the time when theadventurers and pirates of the XVIIIand XIX century visited theseenchanted islands.
Once your reach Tortuga Bay, youwalk into what seems an infiniteand desolate beach of white sand.Every now and then you encountermarine iguanas on their way in orout of the water.
There are other interesting sites tovisit such as the lava tunnels, thetwin craters, tortoises in their naturalenvironment (all in the highlands),the grottos (crevasses with refresh-ing swimming water), or theGarrapatero beach. Be sure to askyou hotel about facilities to visitthese sites.
NIGHT LIFE:Puerto Ayora is a quiet, safe,tourist friendly town. On CharlesDarwin Avenue one can find almosteverything; restaurants, bars,
32
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 32
in the archipelago) and the LobosIsland. You will be surprised by thepresence of sea lions in town. Ahighlight when visiting this island isa tour to Kicker Rock, a stunning rockformation surrounded by abundantsea life (especially sharks). On thesame trip you can visit the beautifulCerro Brujo beach.
Puerto Velasco IbarraFloreana Island
This enigmatic island is the leastinhabited of the archipelago, in
spite of the fact that it was the firstone to be colonized, basically bynational and foreign settlers dur-ing the first decades of this centu-ry. Many legends have been writ-ten about its people. Floreana byMargarett Wittmer is a most inter-esting novel that describes the sit-uations of these settlers! The mainattractions are: the historical PostOffice Bay and Asilo de la Paz,Punta Cormoran, Corona delDiablo, Enderby and Gardner Bay.
THIS MONTH IN GALAPAGOS
Max temperature 24°C / 76°FMin temperature 20°C / 67°FHours of clear skies 2,9Sea temperature 22°C / 71°F
SEPTEMBER
• Peak of the dry season.• The air temperature reaches its lowest (19° C / 66°F)• Penguins demonstrate remarkable activity on
Bartolomé Island until December.• Sea lions are very active, especially in the western
and central areas of the Archipelago.• Most species of marine birds remain active at their
nesting sites.
Note: The changes of strength and the limits of the ocean cur-rents can affect the climate in the Galapagos; some of thedescribed events above may differ.
Source: www.galapagosexplorer.com
ceviches (traditional food), freshfish, drinks, etc.
Night life offers much to enjoy, andsafely. You will find a wholesomeand fun ambience shared by peoplefrom all around the world who eitherlive in or are visiting Puerto Ayora.
Puerto Baquerizo MorenoSan Cristobal Island
This is the capital of the province,and has the second largest numberof inhabitants in the archipelago.From 1836 to 1904, a large portionof the highlands of the islandbelonged to Hacienda El Progreso,with extensive sugar and coffee plan-tations owned by M.J. Cobos. Cobosmade an empire of his hacienda (iteven had its own currency). You canvisit vestiges of this hacienda, andalso coffee plantations that remainopen to this day.
The main attractions in the islandare: the Interpretation Center; OchoaBeach, Playa Man, Pitt Pint, El Juncolagoon (the only fresh water lagoon
33
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 33
Puerto VillamilIsabela Island
This enchanted town has a populationof about 2,500, mostly fishermen.Close to town are several impressivesites: a path alongside a reef that ishome to several white tip sharks- youcan easily observe them from land;“Concha y Perla” Bay; a giant tortoisebreeding center; and the amazing vol-canoes Sierra Negra and VolcánChico. Sierra Negra has the secondlargest crater in the world, with a diam-eter of 7.46 miles. Volcán Chico hasan overwhelming “lunatic” landscapewith fascinating lava formations. It’spossible to horseback ride or trekaround Sierra Negra’s crater to VolcánChico. Isabela also has a flamingo lakeand several beautiful trails along theway to the “Wall of Tears”. This wall isproof of the genuine human history ofthe islands. Around 1946, this islandwas a penal colony. Prisoners werekept busy carrying sharp lava rocks toform this wall.
GALAPAGOS MARINE RESERVE:
The interior waters of the islands,plus those within 40 nautical milesmeasured from the baseline of theArchipelago, were declared theGalapagos Marine Reserve in 1994.This is the only protected coastalmarine area in the East Pacific, andthe second largest Marine Reserve inthe World.
There are many areas with small sub-marine volcanoes, which are impor-tant feeding zones for marine birdsand mammals. Don’t miss the oppor-tunity to snorkel with sea lions, pen-guins, a variety of colorful fish andeven inoffensive sharks! Diving cours-es and tours are also offered for thosewho are willing to be adventurous!
DIVING IN GALAPAGOS
For many a Galapagos diving trip isthe experience of a lifetime as it isone of the last places in the worldwhere you can go diving with largeschools of sharks. Although sharksmay be the star of the show, thesewaters are home to much more:manta and leopard rays, dolphins,sea lions, penguins, sea turtles, yel-low fin tuna, almaco jacks, codfish,leather bass and blue striped chub…just to name a few. An impressivenumber of large animals such as sea
lions, rays, eels and sea turtles areseen on almost every dive.
Found at the confluence of warm andcold surface currents and deep coldupwelling waters, the GalapagosMarine Reserve is home to fascinat-ing marine life. Its waters are richwith nutrients and the porous lavarocks provide small fish with theprotection they would otherwisereceive from a coral reef, which arefew and far between in these waters.More than 2.900 marine specieshave been reported in theGalapagos, ¼ of which are exclusiveto this reserve (endemic).
Home to over 500 species of fish,24 species of marine mammals, and 27 shark species includingHammerheads and the enormousWhale Shark, the Galapagos MarineReserve is a World Natural HeritageSite. Besides all this diversity, several land animals and marinebirds depend exclusively on theGalapagos waters for their survival;thus, the conservation of the MarineReserve is a priority.
Galapagos isn’t just for advanceddivers; these waters offer somethingfor divers of all skill levels.Intermediate divers will be delightedby daily dive trips to sites likeGordon Rocks, Cousins Rocks, NorthSeymour and Floreana where ham-merheads, Galapagos sharks, giantmanta rays, golden rays, morays, furseal and sea lions are all commonlyseen. Contact our sponsors for moreinformation.
34
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 34
36
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 36
PREMIUM SERVICES - GALAPAGOS
37
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 37
try. The other route from Quito isthrough Santo Domingo de losColorados, set amid a broad sea ofbanana and oil-palm plantations,skirting a few tropical wet forestssuch as the little-explored ReservaEcológica Mache-Chindul. It ishome to the “Tsachilas”, an indige-nous culture also called “Colorados”because the men of this culture havepainted their hair red for centurieswith a vegetable dye taken from theseed of the “achiote”. From SantoDomingo a network of paved roadsconnects to the major coastal cen-ters of the country.
From Guayaquil, you can begin aroute through the coastline. The fol-lowing pages will guide you throughthis route of beautiful beaches, cul-ture and adventure.
The Ecuadorian Coast extends fromthe western slopes of the Andes to thePacific Ocean. A lower mountainrange crosses this region from Northto South and it is full of alluvial plains.The Ecuadorian Coast was populatedby the oldest known cultures of thecountry, such as Valdivia (3.500-1.800 BC). Ever since then, theregion has had the largest agriculturaldevelopment in the country, thanks tothe variety of natural resources suchas water, wide plains and fertile soils.
The Ecuadorian Coast holds threemain ecosystems: the tropical wetforests of the north, the tropical savan-nas of the center and south east, andthe dry forest of the west and southernpeninsula. Throughout the coastlinethere are three additional importantecosystems: the mangroves, thebeaches and the rock cliffs.
Two oceanographic phenomenainfluence the diversity that is foundin the country and especially on thecoast. The “El Niño” current comesfrom the North and is warm andhumid. The “Humboldt” currentcomes from the south and is coldand dry. The weather in the Coast ismostly warm; however, there aretwo seasons, wet and dry. The firstis warm and humid, and goes fromDecember to May. The rest of theyear is dry and cooler. The two sea-sons are clearly distinct from the
province of Manabi to the rest of theSouth. The northern province ofEsmeraldas has warm weather allyear long, and high levels of rain-fall; thus its lush vegetation.
During the months of the australwinter (June to September), theEcuadorian coast has an addition-al attraction: the presence ofHumpback whales (Megapternovoaengliae) that migrate fromthe Antarctic to tropical waters tomate and give birth to their calves.A favorite spot for whale-watchingis the Machalilla National Park inthe Manabi Province.
The old road from Quito to the coast,the Calacali -La Independencia road,passes through some of the bestbird-watching territory in the coun-
38
PHOTO: CRISTINA CASTRO
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 38
ECUADORIANCOASTLINE
2. MUSEUM OF THE “LOVERSOF SUMPA”: Definitely worth visit-ing is this small but outstanding in-situ museum, which is located at theantique settlement village of the “LasVegas” culture (approx. 8.800 to4.600 BC). The museum got itsname because the burial groundsthat were uncovered disclosed theskeletons of a man and a woman thatwere carefully buried together about5-6.000 years ago. This museum isthe largest cemetery of that time thathas been excavated in the new world.Open Thursday thru Saturday, 10h00to 17h00. Sundays and holidays10h00 to 15h00. Phone: 294-1020Admission fee is $ 0.50, includesguide service.
3. SALINAS: Excellent accommo-dations are found in Salinas, namedfor the salt that extracted from theregion. This site is a corridor for
These pages guide us through theunique nature and history of theEcuadorian Coast. You can fly eitherto Guayaquil, Manta or Esmeraldasand drive through the coastline. Thefollowing pages will guide you fromGuayaquil, traveling Northward.
Following this route, nature lovershave the opportunity to explore uniquedry forests with their two contrastingseasons, cloud forests and their rarefauna and flora, dive within coral reefssurrounded by exotic sea life, admirethe numerous bird species of theregion, and submerge themselves inisolated and exotic beaches. The“Chongón-Colonche” Mountain Rangeat the north of the Guayas province hasunique ecosystems with an amazingdiversity of endemic plants and birds:one can climb from very dry forests atthe coast to lush cloud forests at thetop of the hills, only a few kilometersaway. For those who are sports
inclined, there are opportunities tofish, sail, surf, ski and dive.
In addition, Ecuador’s coastalprovinces hold vestiges of an amaz-ingly rich history. The most antiquecultures of America settled here onthe Coasts of South America. Finally,if you only wish to rest, suntan, andwatch the sunset, along this routeyou will find suitable accommoda-tions and services.
1. “REAL ALTO” IN-SITU MUSEUM: On the wayfrom Guayaquil to Salinas, one canfind this museum managed by thecommunity descending from the“Valdivia” culture. The place resem-bles a ceremonial center of thehuman groups that inhabited thisarea from 4.200 -1.500 B.C. OpenTues- Sunday, 9h00-17h00.Admission fee: $2.00.
BALLENITA
39
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 39
migratory bird and marine species. Itis a favorite vacation spot for peoplefrom Guayaquil. The boardwalk ofSalinas is a safe place that offersentertainment day and night.
On the Malecon, you can visit theNaval Archeological Museum (openWednesday-Sunday). This smallmuseum displays the vast archeo-logical richness of the pre-Hispaniccultures that inhabited this region.The museum also displays a repre-sentation of the antique “balsas”made from the wood of the samename, with great cotton sails thatimpressed the Spaniards becauseof their ability to travel long dis-tances (Mexico-Peru). The museumalso displays coins from theSpanish conquest, and some piecesfrom the “Lady Captain” galleonthat sank in 1664.
4. BALLENITA: The “FarallonDillon” Restaurant- Museum is foundat the site. It has a wonderful view-point that is the perfect setting for birdand whale watching. The museumdisplays modern practical artifactsmade out of antique marine pieces;most of the artifacts are for sale.
5. VALDIVIA: Close to the townare a museum and an aquarium.
The museum displays archeologi-cal pieces of the Valdivia culture.The aquarium is most interestingnot only because of the display ofexotic sea life, but also becausethe guides are homeless children;this job enables them to obtain aneducation.
6. MONTAÑITA: It is a favorite spotfor national and international sur fersand young adventurous tourists. Thischarming town offers a variety ofinexpensive hostels, national andinternational food, and an exhilarat-ing nightlife.
7. OLON: The wide beach of Olon iscrowned with an outstandingSanctuary, with open walls and abreathtaking view of the beach.
8. MACHALILLA NATIONAL PARK: This park hasvarious attractions: Isla de la Plataoff the coast of Puerto Lopez, LosFrailes Beach, the ArcheologicalSite of Agua Blanca, Salango, andthe Beaches of Puerto Rico andPuerto Cayo.
9. MANTA: Until recently, Mantawas only known for its importanttuna fishing fleet, the production of
vegetable oil, and the famous“Panama hats”. Today, the visits ofcruise ships and the construction ofmodern hotels have transformed thecity into an important tourist destina-tion. Many foreigners have chosenManta and the nearby Crucita townas their retirement residence.
Manta is a modern city, howeversome antique bamboo and woodenhouses still remain as a reminder ofthe old village. With an average tem-perature of 77ºF all year long, dryweather and dry tropical forest in itssurroundings, Manta is an attractivecity to visit. Additionally, Mantaoffers first class hotel facilities anddaily flights are available on Aerogalfrom the main cities.
The warmth and hospitality of theManteños contributed to the rapidtourism development of the entireprovince. Delicious gastronomy is alsoone of the main attractions of Manta.Don’t miss the seafood “ceviches” orthe exquisite “viche de pescado”.
Manta is decorated with a wide vari-ety of tree species: ceibos, jasmines,almonds, rubber plants, acacias, andbeautiful palm trees. The balsa tree(Ochroma logopus) is native to this
40
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 40
DosMangas
LEGEND
Typical foodNational Protected AreaBeachesAirportSurfing FishingWater SportsAccommodationScuba diving
Capital of ProvinceCities / TownsSmall TownsMain RoadSecondary RoadLa Ruta del Sol
10
11
9
8
Colonche
Valdivia
Playa Rosada
76
5
4
2
3
1
Barcelona
La Unión
El Salto
Muisne
San Gregorio
Punta Farallón
Punta Pedernales
Punta Ballena
Punta Charapotó
San Mateo
Bahía de Caráquez
Punta TortugaSan Francisco
El Carmen
SúaAtacames Tonsupa
SameTonchigüe
GaleraPunta Galera
SANTA ELENA
GUAYAS
MANABÍ
LOS RÍOS
ESMERALDAS
Narcisa de Jesús
Daule
L. de
Sargentillo
Palestina
SANTA ELENA
Durán
Pichincha El EmpalmeQuevedo
Flavio Alfaro
province. Its light wood allowed theearly inhabitants of the region to nav-igate large distances easily and rap-idly. From history books we havelearned that the golden jewels anddecorations worn by the navigatorscaught the attention of the firstSpanish visitors, who believed thatthe gold they couldn’t find in theCaribbean was in the South Pacific.
10. BAHIA DE CARAQUEZ: Thecity of Bahía de Caráquez is namedafter the bay and the pre-Columbianresidents who came from the sea andsettled here. Because of the estuaryand the Pacific Ocean around the city,the local nature offers fresh and saltwater that allows diverse vegetation. Inthe area you can find mangrove trees,ceibos forests, and fresh water humid-ity such as that in La Segua Marsh.
A few years ago Bahía became an eco-city as a result of its big GreenMovement and because of the commu-nity effort to rebuild the city after suffer-ing the earthquakes of 1997. Bahía deCaráquez is one of the few cities inEcuador that recycles waste, serving asan example for other regions.
Traffic is not a problem. Many resi-dents and tourists prefer to use“ecological taxis” which are bikesadapted to transport two passengers.
41
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 41
This province is called "La ProvinciaVerde" (The Green Province) due to itsexuberant vegetation, which also gaveit the name of Esmeraldas (Emerald),the precious dark green stone. TheEsmeraldas River runs through theprovince contributing to its paradisiacaltropical beauty, vegetation and fauna.
Esmeraldas is a great tourist attractiondue to its vast beaches, delicious localgastronomy based on seafood andgreen plantains, and the hospitality ofits people, amongst them being thejovial Afro-Ecuadorian community. Atale of the province tells of the adven-ture of a ship full of slaves that washeading toward Cartagena, Colombiaand was shipwrecked at the coasts ofEsmeraldas. These African peoplefound freedom and attractive livingconditions in Esmeraldas and settledthere. This is a lively community withextraordinary musical manifestations.
Tourist facilities are improving andinexpensive hostels, comfortablebeach resorts, as well as cabins frombudget to high end can now be foundin Atacames, Same, Punta Galeras,Muisne and Mompiche, just to men-tion some of the favorite beaches inthis province. Esmeraldas is a favoritevacation spot for people from Quito,as it is one of the closest beaches andthe weather and water temperature iswarm throughout the year.
This keeps the city free from pollu-tion and offers a peaceful place idealfor vacationing.
MAIN ATTRACTIONS
Isla Corazón is a mangrove forestrefuge comprised of 130 acres, hometo one of the largest colonies ofMagnificent Frigate birds in all of theSouth Pacific. Since 1998 the protec-tion of the sanctuary is the responsibil-ity of an adjacent community calledPortovelo, that has a mangrove refor-estation project. The residents are gladto show you around the island onwooden trails that have been builtwithin the mangroves, as well as onboat tours around the island.
La Segua Marsh is a fresh waterhumidity area of about 172 hectares.In La Segua there are approximately164 bird species.
Cerro Seco is one of the last tropi-cal dry forests in the world.
The Cabo Pasado: Is a remnantof pre-mountain forest which is ageographical transition betweenthe Tumbesian region of dry tropi-cal forest and the tropical rainfor-est of the Chocó Region. It is theonly area in South America whereyou can observe the flora andfauna of both tropical and dryforests coexisting together. It canbe toured by horseback or hiking.You will likely see and hear howlermonkeys.
11. ESMERALDAS:
The Esmeraldas province in thenorthwest of the country is a tropicaland warm region thanks to theHumboldt cold current, whichcomes from the south and drifts offbefore reaching Esmeraldas.
BAHIA DE CARAQUEZ - MANABI.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PATRICIO TAMARIZ
Gaspar de Villarroel 1100 & 6 de DiciembreEdificio Ritz Plaza Esquina
Phone: (593-2) 336-0887 / 336-0888 / 336-0889Fax: (593) 2-336-0774
42
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 42
Tel.: 5935 - 2629999 • Fax: 5935 - [email protected] • www.ghl.com.co
Kilometro 1.5 Via Barbasquillo • Manta - Ecuador
MANTA ECUADOR
PREMIUM HOTELS - ECUADORIAN COASTLINE
43
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:25 Page 43
GUAYAQUIL
to the north. Your walk up theMalecón Simón Bolívar will take youthrough three sections:
NorthernThis section has space for sports,entertainment, science, history andart. Children’s games, space for aer-obics and skating, are all surroundedby the historical Plaza de Orellana,Plaza de la Pileta (water fountain)and Plaza del Vagón, with a wagon ofan antique Ecuadorian train. In thissection you will also find gardensthat showcase diverse plant speciesof the Ecuadorian coast, and theCentro Cultural Simón Bolívar.
CentralWith the Civic Plaza (10 de Agostoand Pichincha) containing a gallerydedicated to the most outstandingpersonalities in Guayaquil’s history,this section is mostly historic. Youcan also admire other monuments:
Guayaquil, the capital of the Guayasprovince, is the largest and mostpopulated city in Ecuador. Locatedon the Pacific coast, it has a tropicalclimate, and is known as the “PacificPearl”. It is the main port of Ecuador,thus, it is of great economic impor-tance to the country. The city wasnamed after an indigenous chief,“Guayas”, and his wife, “Quil”. Bothof them chose to die before surren-dering themselves to the Spaniards.
Francisco de Orellana foundedGuayaquil on the skirts of the SantaAna Hill on July 25th, 1534. On thetop of this hill you can observe can-nons that were used to defend thecity from pirate attacks. A few hous-es preserve their original architec-ture, with defense walls facing theriver. Many of these houses werebuilt at different levels on the hill,very common for the Spaniards andPortuguese. The surroundings of the
city offer archeological sites of thepre-Hispanic cultures of Valdivia,Machalilla, Chorrera, Guangala andManteña. The Gulf of Guayaquil, theriver, the monuments, museums,parks, and its exhilarating nightlifeare part of the attractions of this city.
MAIN ATTRACTIONSMALECÓN SIMÓN BOLÍVAROn this 1 1/2 mile waterfront walkyou’ll find entertainment, culture andnature! Malecón Simón Bolívarincludes monuments, museums,gardens, fountains, shopping malls,restaurants, bars, an IMAX theater, aswell as docks and viewpoints.
Malecón Simón Bolívar is the largestarchitectural development in the lastcentury of Guayaquil’s history (totalsurface is 4,942 acres). It runs fromCuenca Street to the south of thecity, all the way to “Barrio Las Peñas”
44
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:08 Page 44
during the XIX century, is found. Toconclude your visit through this sec-tion, visit the modern architecture ofthe new Bahía Malecon Mall, with itsterrace of restaurants that offers aspectacular view of the Guayas River.
SANTA ANA HILLThis unique hill with its charming andcolorful houses is located in thenorthern part of the city. After climb-ing 444 stairs you will have the oppor-tunity to visit many restaurants, shopsand art galleries. There is also a smallchurch to visit as well as a lighthousethat overlooks the entire city.
“LAS PEÑAS” NEIGHBORHOODAdjacent to the stairway is “LasPeñas”, the first residential neigh-borhood of Guayaquil. Its woodenhouses hold treasured memoriesfrom writers and poets that inhabitedthis area. Although it existed sincecolonial times, “Las Peñas” wascompletely destroyed due to a fire in1896 (“El Incendio Grande”). It wasrebuilt in a neoclassic style. Enjoy astroll along the charming cobblestoned street “Numa PompilloLlona”, full of small art galleries.Here you can also witness the influ-ence of the Pacific Naval Yards fromthe Spanish colonial times.
Hemiciclo de la RotondaThis historical monument is a spectac-ular semicircle commemorating themeeting of two Latin American libera-tors, Simón Bolívar and San Martin,when it was decided that Guayaquil beannexed to the Gran Colombia. Themonument was designed and con-structed by the Spanish sculptor JoseAntonio Holms and placed in 1937.From this historical site you can seethe Rafael Mendoza Avilés bridge (thelargest in Ecuador).
Moorish Clock TowerThe clock was bought in Englandthanks to a loan given by Don ManuelAntonio Lizárraga, a rich Spanishmerchant, one of the illustrious fig-ures of the Independence. The clockwas inaugurated in October of 1842just after the terrible yellow fever epi-demic in Guayaquil, the worst in itshistory. In 1903, the clock wasmoved, tower and all, from City Hallthat was demolished to the TownHall. However, from this location, thetolls that announced the hour couldnot be heard throughout the city, sotwo stories were built on to the tower.
In 1920, an Italian engineer built atower of three prismatic parts entirelymade of carved wood. Finally, due tostructural flaws, this tower had to bedemolished. At this time, the foreigncolony residing in Guayaquil togeth-er with the City Council constructed anew tower in a pure Mozarabic Style.
Also in this section you can visit thefour sculptures that represent theelements of nature, as well as theGuayaquil Yacht Club and the NavalYacht Club. From the pier, the PirateMorgan Tavern Ship has dailydepartures for a cruise around theGuayas River.
Services include a covered parkinglot, security area, rest rooms and afirst aid center.
SouthernThe old market is found in this sec-tion. It was inaugurated in 1907, andits authorship is attributed to thefamous French engineer Eiffel. In thissection you will find the “Club de laUnión”, the most traditional socialcenter in Guayaquil. As you continueyou will come to the Olmedo Plaza,where a monument of José Joaquínde Olmedo, a famous poet fromGuayaquil and President of Ecuador
HEMICICLO DE LA ROTONDA
46
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:08 Page 46
MALECÓN “EL SALADO”Smaller than Malecon 2000, thiswaterfront walk also offers entertain-ment, culture and nature. At ElSalado you will find a variety ofrestaurants and bars to chose from;handcraft shops and entertainmentfor children. It is located at 9 deOctubre & La Ria.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS IN GUAYAQUIL
CENTENARIO PARKThe park is located at the heart of thecity and is also one of the largest inGuayaquil. There are bronze monu-ments, which represent heroism,justice, patriotism, and freedom.One monument representing theman who fought for independencewas designed by a Spanish Sculptor,Agustin Querol, and built by JoséMonserrat in 1818.
SEMINARIO PARKAlso known as the Bolívar Park orIguanas Park, it is located on ChileStreet between 10 de Agosto andClemente Ballén Avenues. The parkwas inaugurated on July 24, 1880.
You can admire the statue of the lib-erator Simon Bolívar. This park isexceptional for its wildlife. You willsee fish, a variety of birds, andnumerous iguanas. The iguanas ofthe park have always been one of itsmain attractions. These animalschose this place to feed on its vege-tation, as the town of Guayaquil usedto end at this park, the rest beingsavannah.
CENTRO CIVICOThis modern center has an informa-tion office for tourists, expositionhalls, convention halls, and otherlarge areas for musical events, con-certs, theaters, and other culturalevents. On the upper floor of thecivic center one can admire out-standing sculptures of OswaldoGuayasamin. This center has an arti-ficial lake surrounded by exuberantvegetation. Address: Quito St,between El Oro y Venezuela.
GENERAL CEMETERY Although few cemeteries can beconsidered a tourist attraction, thisone is worth admiring. It has out-standing sculptures made of whitemarble. The style has a strong Italian
influence. Beautiful stretches ofpalm trees lead to the grave of thepast president, Vicente Rocafuerte.
SPORT CENTERS Guayaquil is famous for its greatsport facilities, including one of the20 largest soccer stadiums in theworld, “Isidro Romero” (seats85,000 people). This stadium islocated at Del Bombero Av. The cityalso hosts a modern horse track withraces every weekend- theHipódromo Buijo (Samborondón).There are also tracks for go-kart,bicycle, motorcycle and car races; aswell as basketball, golf and polocourts and great water sport facilities.
WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT YOU VISIT The “Guayas and Quil” Monument(Las Americas Ave.), theMunicipality Palace (Pichincha 605and 10 de Agosto), the Governor’sPalace (Malecón and Aguirre), SucreSquare (Pichincha and ClementeBallén), Rocafuerte Square(Rocafuerte and Junin), and thePlanetarium (via Puerto Marítimo).
MUNICIPALITY PALACE
CATHEDRAL
47
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:08 Page 47
children, senior citizens and stu-dents. Phone: 2300500 / 2304998.
GUAYAQUIL IN HISTORYLocated at Malecon 2000 under theIMAX Theater, this didactic museumholds a miniature exhibit of the mostremarkable scenes of Guayaquil’shistory. It is an auto-guided museum(in Spanish) with entertaining expla-nations and lively music.
Open Mondays thru Sundays from9h00 - 13h30 and 16h00 -20h00.Admission fee: $1,50 adults, $1children. Phone: 2563078.
THE MUNICIPAL MUSEUMThis museum has four divisions:Archeology, History, Colonial Art andModern Art.
You will have the chance to see orig-inal “tzanzas” (shrunken heads.)
The Shuar culture of the southeastused to shrink their enemy’s head tokeep the bad spirits away from them.These miniature heads would notlose their original features whenreduced. The mystery of this processhas not yet been discovered. Eventhough the Shuar culture is still alive,the shrunken head tradition is not.
Located at the corner of SucreStreet and Pedro Carbo. Visiting
CHURCHES
THE CATHEDRALThis Neo-Gothic Cathedral was builtin 1948. The main altar is made ofmarble from Cuenca and its stainedglass windows are beautiful works ofart. It is located on the corner ofChimborazo and Clemente BallénAvenues. Visiting hours: 9h00-12h00, and14h00-17h00 everyday.
SANTO DOMINGOThis church is the oldest inGuayaquil, built in the 16 Century. Itwas later restored in 1938. It is dec-orated with the famous paintings ofSalas. It is located on Rocafuerteand Coronel Ave. Visiting hours:8h00 to 18h00.
LA MERCEDIt has a gothic style and a gold cov-ered altar. It is located on Rendónand Pedro Carbo Ave. Open Mondaythru Friday 7h-12h00 and 18h-19h30. Saturdays 7h-10h00 and18h-20h00. Free admission.
MUSEUMSCENTRO CULTURAL SIMÓN BOLÍVARThe Centro Cultural Simón Bolívar ofthe Ecuadorian Central Bank guards acollection of 50.000 archeologicalpieces and a modern art collection of3.000 works. It also houses a library of20.000 publications specializing inart, archeology and anthropology.
Additionally, the museum has sixexhibit halls, a multipurpose roomfor conferences and workshops, adocument center, a bookstore and ahandcraft shop, as well as a cinemawith a capacity for 380 people. Freeoutdoor movie projections are pre-sented periodically.
Open Tuesday thru Saturday from10h00 to 17h00, Sundays and holi-days from 11h00 to 15h00. Address: Malecon Simon Bolivarand Loja (at the Northern part of the
Malecon 2000, next to the Imax the-ater). Admission fee: Wednesday-Saturday $1.50, Sundays free
CASA DE LA CULTURAThis museum holds the most valu-able pre-historic gold work collec-tion in Ecuador. Most pieces weremade by the indigenous inhabitantsof our coast. You will see ceremoni-al pots, snake-shaped bracelets,nose rings, gold pieces that wereused on the lips and cheeks, elabo-rate pins used to fasten clothing,chest shields, ceremonial masks andearrings. The abundance of gold pro-voked the greed of the Spanish con-querors, who hoarded and sent vastquantities of this precious metalback to Spain. Thus, gold workman-ship disappeared due to theIndigenous belief that gold was evil,being the main cause of havingSpaniards come to their lands.Archeological objects such as the“Ocarinas” (clay whistles), stoneheadrests, molds for gold masks andclay seals, apparently have Egyptianinfluence. There are many colonialpaintings from anonymous authorsand from well-known artists of thisperiod (such as Goribar andRodriguez). Address: 9 de Octubre1200 & Pedro Moncayo.
Open Tuesday thru Friday from10h-18h00, Saturdays 9h-15h00.Admission fee: $1 adults, $0.50
SANTA ANA HILL
48
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:08 Page 48
hours: Tuesday thru Saturday 9h00to 17h00.
Free admission. Identification docu-ment is required. Phone: 2599100.
NAHIM ISAIAS MUSEUM Located at the Plaza de laAdministracion and part of theprocess of urban regeneration, theNahim Isaias Museum’s vision is topromote colonial art through its cul-tural funds. The complete collectionof the Museum includes 2.179works of art.
The second floor holds a permanentexhibition of colonial art. The exhibitis called “Cosmognias”, and is adidactical sample that integrates themost representative works of colonialculture. This exhibit consists of 100pieces: sculptures, paintings, clothesand accessories of the colonial peri-od. The exhibit is divided into fourcategories: Fire, Earth, Water and Air.
Open Tuesday thru Saturday from 9h00 to 16h30.Sundays and holidays from 10h00 to 15h00.Free admission.Address: Pichincha y Clemente BallenPhone: 2324182, 2324283www.museonahimisaias.com
PRESLEY NORTON MUSEUM“Villa Herlinda”, a two floor manordating back to 1942, houses thedelightful exhibition of “Life andCustoms of the Settlers of AncientEcuador”. The charming setting andapproachably small size of theexhibit, combined with the friendlydidactic resources of touch screensand a video, make a visit to thisunique museum a most pleasantexperience. The museum holds asample of 129 selected archeologi-cal pieces from a collection of over8,000 artifacts that belonged toPresley Norton, a passionate afi-
MALECÓN SIMÓN BOLÍVARcionado of Ecuador’s archeology.The pieces belong to three historicalperiods: Formative (4,200 B.C. –500 B.C), Regional Development(500 B.C. – 500 A.D.) andIntegration (500 A.D.- 1530 A.D.).
Open Tuesday thru Saturday from9h00 to 17h00. Holidays from 10h00to 15h00. Free admission. Guideservice both in English and Spanish.Address: corner of 9 de Octubre andCarchi. Phone: (04) 229 3423.
NAVAL MUSEUM “ALMIRANTE ILLINGWORTH”Malecon & Clemente Ballen (Buildingof the Provincial Government ofGuayas). Open Monday thru Fridayfrom 8h00 to 12h30 and 14h00 to16h00. Free admission. Phone:2324274.
THE FIREFIGHTERS MUSEUM“FELIX LUQUE PLATA” Located at the old water distributorin Plaza Colon, close to “Las Peñas”neighborhood.
Open Tuesday thru Saturday from10h00 to 17h00. Admission fee:$0.75 adults, $0.25 children.Phone: 230 8565.
SURROUNDINGS
BOTANICAL GARDENThis garden holds approximately 700plant species that have been cultivat-ed to resemble their natural habitat.Among these are trees used forwood, fruit trees, ornamental andexotic plants. More than 80 speciesof orchids, both native and intro-duced from other tropical countries,can be observed. An exhibit of nativemedicinal plants of the Coast is alsofound. Approximately 75 bird speciesof the dry tropical forest fly freely inthe garden. Jardin Botanico alsohouses a butterfly-breeding center,with approximately 27 species.
Representations of the Valdivia,Manteña and Jama-Coaque culturesare exhibited along the internal roads.
49
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:08 Page 49
Located at “Cerro Colorado” in north-ern Guayaquil, Ciudadela LasOrquideas, Av. Francisco de Orellana.Open every day from 8h00 to 16h00.Entrance fee: $3.00 adults, $1.50 stu-dents, children and senior citizens.Guide service is $5.00 for groups upto 20 people. Phone: 2899 689.Workshops and conferences on plantcultivation are offered.
CERRO BLANCO PROTECTED FORESTProtected by governmental decree andrun by the Pro-Forest Foundation,Cerro Blanco protects one of the fewremaining areas of dry tropical forest inEcuador with a rich biodiversity, includ-ing jaguar, puma, howler, and capuchinmonkeys, white-tailed deer, collaredpeccary, coatimundi and crab-eatingraccoon. Cerro Blanco is a bird watch-er’s paradise, with 211 species includ-ing 22 species of birds of prey and asmall population of the threatenedGreat Green Macaw, the symbol of thisProtected Forest. Cerro Blanco’s facil-ities include an outdoor amphitheatermuseum, 4 nature trails, picnic andcamping area, and the Great GreenMacaw Captive Breeding Center.
From January to May, the view iscompletely green and abundantwater allows bird nesting. From Juneto December is the dry season: theleaves’ colors change to brownishred, and trees flower. Don’t miss vis-iting one of the last remains of thisunique ecosystem!
Located at km 16 on the way fromGuayaquil to Salinas, in front ofRoosevelt Academy School, it can beeasily reached by buses of ChongonCompany buses or buses that runfrom the land terminal to the coast, aswell as by taxi. Open every day from8h00 to 16h30. Previous reservationis required for visits during week days.Phone: 287 4946 / 7 – 09 4135 730Entrance fee: $4 adults, $3 children.Guide service is $10 for groups of upto 8 people.E-mail:[email protected] Visits Monday thru Sunday from 8h30to 15h30 without prior reservation.
HISTORIC PARKA natural habitat of mangrove trees,fresh waters of the Daule River, andtropical climate make this 20 acre parkthe perfect setting to bring the pastback to life. In a single day visit, onecan encounter the fauna and flora of theregion in the “wildlife zone”, the histo-ry, cultural manifestations and rural lifein the “traditions zone”, as well as the“urban-architectonic zone”, whichholds original pieces from Guayaquil’santique architecture destroyed by firesin the XIX century, bringing the city ofthe past back to life.
On Sundays the Historic Parkbecomes livelier with cultural andfestive activities. Music, traditionalfood, people dressed up in antiqueclothes, among other activities, addcolor and flavor to this cultural set-
ting. Located only 10 minutes fromthe city, across the Daule River,close to the residential neighbor-hood of Samborondon #3.
Free admission. Open Wednesday toSunday from 9h00 to 16h30. Guideservice is available. You can arrangegroup visits by calling 283 2958ahead of time. Transportation serviceis available next to the entrance ofthe MAAC parking lot in Malecon2000 (Malecon & Loja St.).
PUERTO HONDO MANGROVES Through the formation of anEcological Club, the community ismaking a united effort to conservethe remaining mangroves in the area.Among its projects, the club offersecotourism opportunities. Visit thisbeautiful natural site with exotic floraand fauna!
It is located 17 km away fromGuayaquil, on the way to Salinas.Open every day from 9h00 to 17h00.Prior reservation is required for vis-its from Monday thru Saturday.Phone: 091400186. The visitor canchoose between a 45 minute tripthrough the water ($10) or adding ona visit to the Environmental Edu -cation Center ($15).
E-mail: [email protected]
Photos courtesy of: Municipio de Guayaquil &Parque Histórico.
HISTORIC PARK
50
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:08 Page 50
CULTURE + ENTERTAINMENT - GUAYAQUIL
MUSICTuesday, September 4th – 19h00 SOFÍA: Ecuadorian Singer* Place: Teatro Sanchez Aguilar Admission fee: $15
Tuesday, September 11th – 19h00 VAM Jazz Quartet
* Place: Teatro Sanchez Aguilar Admission fee: $15
Tuesday September 18th – 19h00Le Tango - Coffee Concert* Place: Teatro Sanchez AguilarAdmission fee: $15
Tuesday, September 18th – 20h30Violin Concert - Hilary Hahn
* Place: Teatro Sanchez Aguilar
Tuesday, September 25th – 17h00Guayabera Blues
* Place: Teatro Sanchez Aguilar Admission fee: $15
THEATERWednesday, September 12th andThursday, September 13th – 20h30Oriental Antigone - Uruguay
With traces of classical tragedy andtestimonial theater, this work showsthe Greek myth about Sophoclestreated by one of the conflicts of theUruguayan society.* Place: Teatro Sanchez Aguilar
Wednesday, September 19th untilSaturday, September 22ndSunday, September 23rd – 19h30The Doctor of his Honor- SpainUnsettling and disturbing, this one ofthe most popular dramas of Calderonde la Barca.* Place: Teatro Sanchez Aguilar
Wednesday, September 26th – 19h00Tales of Don Pascual (Oral tradition from theprovince of Manabi)
* Place: Teatro Sanchez AguilarAdmission fee: $15
Wednesday, September 26th untilSaturday, September 29th – 20h30Sunday, September 30th – 19h30The Olmedo Knight - Drama* Place: Teatro Sanchez Aguilar
EXHIBITSOpen throughout the month Light, Color and Design: A Pre-Columbian Vision 33 archaeological pieces belongingto pre- Incan cultures of theEcuadorian coast. * Place: Centro Cultural LibertadorSimón Bolívar / Free admission
Open throughout the monthUnlivable Cities
This exhibit reflects the violent andstrident component of modern cities.* Place: Centro Cultural LibertadorSimón Bolívar / Free admission
SPECIAL EVENTSWednesday, September 5th untilSaturday, September 8th – 20h30Sunday, September 9th – 19h30XV International PerformingArts Festival* Place: Teatro Sanchez Aguilar
* ADDRESSES:
• Teatro Sanchez Aguilar: Av. RíoEsmeralda Km. 1,5 on the way toSamborondón. P: (+593 4) 209 7447
• Centro Cultural Simon Bolivar:Malecón Simón Bolívar & Loja(next to the Imax Theater) P: (+593 4) 230 9384 ext.221
51
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:08 Page 51
TOURISTATTRACTIONS1. Malecon El Salado2. Las Peñas neighborhood3. Santa Ana hillMalecon 2000:4. IMAX5. Moorish Clock Tower6. Crystal Palace
PARKS &MONUMENTS7. Historical Park8. Centenario Park9. Seminario Park10. La Rotonda
MUSEUMS11. Casa de la Cultura
12. Municipal13. Nahim Isaias14. Naval Museum15. MAAC16. The Firefighters Museum
CHURCHES17. Cathedral18. La Merced19. Santo Domingo
PUBLIC SERVICES20. Post Office21. Communications22. Guayas Province Government23. Municipal Palace
TELEPHONE CO.
BANKS & EXCHANGE
HOSPITALS24. Kennedy25. General Hospital
AIRPORT
SHOPPING & HANDICRAFTS26. Aventura Plaza27. Mall del Sol28. Garzocentro29. Plaza Quil30. San Marino Shopping
31. Policentro 32. Las Vitrinas33. Handicraft Market Malecon 200034. Handicraft Market Loja
HOTELS35. Sheraton36. Hilton Colon37. Howard Johnson38. Sonesta39. Oro Verde40. Grand Hotel Guayaquil41. Mansión del Río42. CityPlaza43. Palace44. Unipark45. Continental46. HM
NORTHERN GUAYAQUIL
52
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:08 Page 52
DOWNTOWN GUAYAQUIL
53
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:08 Page 53
54
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:08 Page 54
PREMIUM HOTELS - GUAYAQUIL
55
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:08 Page 55
www.thisisecuador.com
• hotel reservations• domestic e-tickets• premium services• articles• maps
Ecuadora click away
56
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:08 Page 56
GUAYAQUIL-ECUADOR
Avenida Boyacá 922 y Víctor Manuel RendónTel: +593-4-2309209 • Fax: +593-4-2309209
E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]
★ Cable TV★ Individual aircon control★ Minibar★ Safe box★ Electronic key card★ Medical assistance★ In house restaurant★ Airport shuttle★ Free wireless internet ★ Laundry service★ Free parking★ Meeting room★ Event room★ Limousine service
PREMIUM HOTELS - GUAYAQUIL
57
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:08 Page 57
58
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:08 Page 58
RESTAURANTS AND CAFETERIAS - GUAYAQUIL
59
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:08 Page 59
point on the planet’s surface (becausethe Earth is wider at the Tropics).
Ecuador has twelve peaks over16,000 ft. The country offers oppor-tunities to hike, trek and mountainclimb for all skill levels. Ecuador’sAndes hold numerous breathtakingview sites: lagoons, extensiveparamos (moorlands), and mysteri-ous cloudforests… Moreover, theindigenous communities of theregion are known for their colorfulfolklore and remarkable weavingabilities. Several activities can beenjoyed: birdwatching, biking, watersports on the lakes, interacting withindigenous communities, visitingrose plantations, savoring delicioustraditional dishes, and much more.The colonial cities of Quito andCuenca have both been declaredWorld Cultural Heritage Sites. Withineasy reach from these cities you canvisit impressive natural sites.
MOUNTAIN CLIMBINGASEGUIM is the association ofmountain climbing guides ofEcuador. We recommend that if youplan to do mountain climbing at anylevel, you contact them to accessprofessional and certified guides.They also offer rescue operations.Phone: (02) 222-2954, cell: 099 822 363; www.aseguim.org
Many of the provinces in Ecuador’shighlands are named after the mostimportant mountain or volcano inits territory: Imbabura, Pichincha,Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, andChimborazo. Most of the names ofthe mountains have their origin inan indigenous tongue, mostlyQuichua. The word “Andes” itselfcomes from ANTI, which means“where the sun rises”.
The Ecuadorian Andes include sev-eral active volcanoes. Ecuadorianshave witnessed and still can experi-ence numerous volcanic eruptions.“Tungurahua” comes from “Tunguri”(esophagus) and Awa (fire); andindeed this volcano spits fire! It is anexciting experience to observe thevolcano in action, and as for now it issafe, from a distance, of course. Thetown of Baños, a favorite spot fortourists, is located on the outskirts ofthe volcano.
The Ecuadorian Andes are the onlysite on the planet where theEquatorial Line crosses over high-lands; in the rest of the world, theEquator crosses through densetropical forests or the ocean. Thepre-Incan cultures that inhabitedQuito and its surroundings devel-oped their astronomical knowledgewith the help of the clear landmarkssurrounding the city.
Alexander von Humboldt explored theEcuadorian Andes and their valleys in1802. He named them “The Avenue ofthe Volcanoes”. He believed that hehad reached the highest point in theworld when he attempted to climb theChimborazo volcano (20,702 ft), sincethe Himalayas were still unknown inEurope at the time. If measured fromthe center of the Earth, the peak of theChimborazo is indeed the furthest
60
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:08 Page 60
Day Trip to theCotopaxi:Under theGlance of theColossus
Text and pictures by Luis Alberto Cruzatty,national tour guide
It is 7am in Quito and it is a wonder-ful day: a stunning blue sky, not acloud in sight. We hope the weatherstays like this for our Cotopaxi day tripis about to begin. Backpacks, bottlesof water, cameras, jackets, everythingis ready for us to take off on theunique experience of visiting thehighest active volcano in the world.
Parting from the city of Quito, theroute offers an impressive centraland southern view of the city alongthe Oriental Avenue. Soon, the citydisappears and the landscape invitesus to admire and smell the freshgreen pastures of the MachachiValley, one of the main dairy suppli-ers for the city. One hour later, we areat the entrance to the CotopaxiNational Park, where a native guide iswaiting for the group.
Suddenly, the sky turns gray as wedrive from 2700m (8850 ft) to the3500 m (11500 ft) above sea level.Trees vanish, and the “páramo”(Andean ecosystem found above3500m) appears. The native guideexplains to the group that there isno need to be disappointed with theweather: there is an air current atCotopaxi’s Northern slope with a90% possibility to see the entiremountain. She is right! Once in thearea, the view of the volcano andthe Limpio Pungo Lake is outstand-ing! The name of the lake stands for“clean doors”, and is known foroffering a clear sky spot. There itis… the Cotopaxi colossus, in frontof us, imposing presence thattempts visitors to climb.
On a sinuous road up to 4500m(14760 ft) we finally arrive to thehighest spot reached by car, close tothe base camp. Fromthis point an hour hiketakes us to the basecamp. At this altitude,the air is thin, so it isrecommended to walkslowly. We arrive feel-ing the satisfaction ofour achievement!
On our walk back tothe cars we run into a
unique surprise: an Andean Wolf(Lycalopex culpaeus) walkingaround, afraid of humans, butclose… We are excited until werealize that the reason for this ani-mal’s closeness is that it wants tobe fed. It is certainly not allowedhowever people have been doingit. It is sad to see how human pres-ence can change the habits ofthese animals. A park ranger tellsus that some of them have diedwith indigestion, and some of themare not hunting anymore.Therefore, it is very important toremember never to feed wild ani-mals in natural areas.
The Cotopaxi area, easily accessiblefrom Quito, is a magical place…let’s enjoy it and conserve it so thatfuture generations may also enjoythis spectacle of nature!
61
THIS MONTH’SRECOMMENDED
ANDEAN WOLF (LYCALOPEX CULPAEUS)
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:08 Page 61
HACIENDA PINSAQUI(OTAVALO - IMBABURA)First constructed in 1790, with threecenturies of history, romanticHacienda Pinsaqui invites you to bea part of its magic and legends…
Hacienda Pinsaqui offers all thefacilities for an unforgettable visit:30 luxurious suites with fireplaces(some with Jacuzzi bath), restau-rant, 200 year old gardens with anartificial lake, horseback riding, his-torical chapel, and a reading roomwith fireplaces.
Reservations & Information:Phone: (593-6) 294 6116 / 117Cel phone: (593-9) 972 7652Address: Panamericana Norte Km 5 [email protected]
HACIENDA CUSIN (SAN PABLO - IMBABURA)Preserving a historic ambiance,Hacienda Cusin’s new Englishowner established a country inn of45 guestrooms, suites and garden-cottages. Cusin’s terracotta rooftiles, white walls, towers, cobble-stone and fountain courtyards nestlebeneath a deep-blue sky in a wide,pastoral, lake valley. Nearby LagoSan Pablo reflects the 15,000 feethigh Imbabura mountain. Located 90minutes North of Quito and 15 min-utes South of Otavalo, it offers: val-ley/mountain trails, horseback riding,mountain climbing, bird watching,volleyball and squash courts, gameroom, children’s playground, library,extensive video library, craft & marketvillage tours, and Spanish lessons.
Reservations & Information:Phone: (593-6) 291 8316 / [email protected]
HACIENDA LA COMPAÑÍA(CAYAMBE- PICHINCHA)One of the outstanding features ofHacienda La Compañía is the housebuilt in French Republican style, whichdates back to 1919 and has been in thehands of the same family for genera-tions. The charm of the house is com-plemented with the striking decorationsof thousands of roses which are broughtfrom the Flower Farm belonging to thesame family. The owners greet visitorspersonally and serve breakfast or lunchwith traditional ingredients and ahomey feel. Visitors are then invited tothe Rose Farm to admire the wondersbehind all of those flowers back at thehouse: the people, the methods, thecare in each detail, and moreover, thespecial awareness involved in thesocial and environmental processes.
Prior reservation is required for a visit.Phone: (593 2) 224 7825Cel phone: (593 9) 769 4174 [email protected]
62
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:09 Page 62
HOSTERIA UZHUPUD(AZUAY)A wonderful place in the highlands ofEcuador. Hosteria Uzhupud is locatedalong the banks of the Paute River,thirty minutes from Cuenca.Traditional colonial architecture andnature blend together to remind vis-itors of the pleasure and privilege ofliving. Uzhupud means “Hot ChiliPepper Valley”. Hostería Uzhupud isa delightful place to visit and stay.The “Hacienda” has a wonderful his-tory and dates back over 100 years.Eulalia Vintimilla de Crespo, one ofthe family matriarchs, also produceda recipe book named “El Sabor delos Recuerdos,” quite famous inEcuador. Enjoy her recipes in therestaurant Doña Eulalia.
Reservations & Information:Phone: (593-7) 222 8339Fax: (593-7) 222 8373 Address: Km 32 Cuenca-Paute roadwww.uzhupud.come-mail: [email protected]
PREMIUM HACIENDAS - ANDES
POSADA INGAPIRCA(CAÑAR)Located in the most beautiful and mys-terious region in the Province of Cañar,it is a charming and old country housesituated 500 meters from the mostimportant archeological complex inEcuador. You can also explore theIncan and Cañaris ruins, where you canenjoy the Andean landscape, as well asthe peace and harmony that nature hasto offer. It is an unforgettable experi-ence. Our establishment and staffstrive to meet all the needs and anyspecial requests of our clients. It spe-cializes in traditional Ecuadorian cui-sine. All rooms are carpeted, with heat-ing & private bathroom. There is also agame room with a fireplace, greenareas, bar and restaurant.
Reservations & Information:Phone: (593-7) 282 7401 / 283 1120Fax: (593-7) 283 2340Cuenca office: Calle Larga 693 &[email protected]
HACIENDA SAN AGUSTIN DE CALLO (COTOPAXI)One hour south of Quito nestledwithin the Avenue of the Volcanoesstands this unique hacienda, SanAgustin de Callo, built on the site ofan Inca palace, and one of the mostimportant archaeological Inca sitesin Ecuador. It is the point furthestnorth from Cusco of Imperial styleconstruction and constitutes the onlylived-in museum of Inca Imperial andSpanish Colonial style. The locationof the site at the foot of Cotopaxi,highest active volcano in the world,near Indian villages and local mar-kets, with its historical significanceand archaeological value and itsarchitectural blend of unusual stylescontribute to make San Agustin aunique and magical place to stay.
Reservations & Information:Quito - (593-2) 290 6157 / 8Hacienda - (593-3) 271 [email protected]
63
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:09 Page 63
THE NORTHERNANDES
early in the morning in their strawcanoes, and also bathe and washtheir clothes in this lake during theday. There are inns, farms andrestaurants where you can spend aweekend or just a day full of enter-tainment around the lake. You canalso take a boat ride around the lake,or enjoy other water sports such assailing, water skiing, jet skiing, etc.
OTAVALO INDIGENOUS MARKETOtavalo is a small city of about50,000 inhabitants. It lies at 8,300 ftabove sea level in a spring-like val-ley, situated between the Imbaburavolcano (15,118 feet) and theCotacachi volcano (16,200 feet).The most famous indigenous marketin Ecuador is held here. Although themarket is bigger on Saturdays, youcan visit it any day and find animpressive variety of all kinds of
Mountains, Lakes& FolkloreThe Northern Sierra offers magnifi-cent scenery of volcanoes, sparklinglakes and patchwork-covered hills.Taking the Panamericana highwaynorth of Quito, the first highlight isthe Cayambe volcano (18,997 ft),crossed by the Equator. This snow-peak overlooks the city with the
same name, which in the last decadehas grown in importance because ofthe rose plantations. Flowers areEcuador’s fourth largest export.Renowned in Cayambe are thehome-made cheese and bizcochos(buttery biscuits).
Further north is the province ofImbabura (see map on next page). Avisit to Ecuador is never completewithout at least a few days spenthere, the province of lakes andmountains, inspiring landscapes andfolklore. This province is only 50miles north of Quito on the Pan-American Highway.
ATTRACTIONS IN IMBABURASAN PABLO LAKE This is the largest lake in theprovince. Indigenous people fish
OTAVALO
64
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:09 Page 64
Tumbabiro
Gas stationSightseeingAirportArchaeologyHandicraftsTypical foodThermal SpringsCapital of ProvinceCities / townsPan- American HighwaySecondary road
LEGENDS TOURIST SITES . LODGING
Mojanda Lake
Hacienda Cusín
Hostería Puerto Lago
San Pablo lake
Yaguarcocha Lake
Hacienda La Compañía
Otavalo Indigenous Market
Cuicocha lake
Cotacachi Leather Market
Peguche Waterfalls
Hostería Hacienda Pinsaquí
Hostería La Mirage
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
15
NORTHERN ANDES
65
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:09 Page 65
Ecuadorian handicrafts. At dawn youmay see indigenous people arriving atthe market place from many mountaintrails surrounding the city. They comefrom nearby villages and towns suchas Peguche, Agato and Iluman, to selltheir products. One may visit theworkshops of these local weaversworking on back strap and Spanishtreadle looms, as well as other arti-sans at work making felt hats, knittingsweaters or weaving straw mats.
COTACACHI VILLAGEThis village is known for its leather-work. You can find an excellent choiceof jackets, skirts, boots, briefcases,bags, riding equipment and wallets.Cotacachi is home to the only highschool in Ecuador that teaches leatherwork. They specialize in shoes, how-ever, they teach the students to makeall leather products.
CUICOCHA LAKE The crater lake has an impressivelandscape of deep blue waters sur-rounded by hills. Take a hike aroundthe lake (4 to 5 hours). If you arelucky, you will see a condor.
CONDOR PARKJust 3 miles away from Otavalo, theCondor Park was laid out. This thirty-acre park is managed by a foundationdedicated to the care and rescue ofpredatory birds such as hawks,eagles, vultures and owls.
This park is unique in many ways. Itis located on a hill known as the“Pukara Alto”, an energetic centersince pre-Columbian times, whereruins remain of a religious pre-Inca
temple. The sights are amazing, 360degrees around of mountains, lake,valleys and towns.
Large cages are distributed along acobblestone walk through the park toadmire a variety of birds such as theBarred Hawk, the King Vulture, theGreater Red-Headed Vulture, theSpectacled Owl, the Arctic Owl, theMottled Owl, among others. Finally,you will run into the large cage of theimpressive but endangered AndeanCondor (Vultur gryphus), now easilybred in captivity. Open from Tuesday thru Sundayfrom 9h30 to 17h00. Admissionfee: $3,50 for adults, $1,75 childrenand senior citizens. Phone: 08 [email protected]
SAN ANTONIOShortly before entering Ibarra, aright-hand turn leads into SanAntonio, the home of expert woodcarvers. As you visit the variousshops, you will marvel at their talent.Visitors can watch some of thecraftsmen at work in their studios.
IBARRA CITYThis clean, freshly painted colonialcity, capital of the province, is alsoknown as the white city. It lies at7,000 ft, and has a population ofapproximately 110,000. Ibarra enjoysone of the best climates of the Sierra.Typical products include arrope demora (blackberry syrup) and nogadas(a sweet made with walnuts). Don’tmiss the delicious “paila” ice creams(whipped natural fruit).
YAGUARCOCHA LAKEThis lake is only a short distancefrom the center of Ibarra. Its namemeans “blood lake”. Years ago, abloody battle among indigenouspeoples took place at this lake, thusthe name. Now Yaguarcocha ishome to an auto racetrack. Every sooften international car racing eventstake place here.
ATTRACTIONS IN CARCHICarchi is the northernmost provinceof the Ecuadorian sierra. TheProvince borders with Colombia.
EL ANGEL ECOLOGICALRESERVEThe 15,715 hectares of this EcologicalReserve lie at 11,950 to 15,640 ft. Theparamo in El Angel is covered bygigantic “Frailejones” (Espeletia pyc-nophylla), a plant specie that is onlyfound in the high paramo ecosystem.
Another plant species in the reserveare the Polylepis trees, which havemany layers covering their trunks forinsulation. Given that the layers ofthese trunks are thin and can be tornlike paper, they are locally known as“arboles de papel” (paper trees).
El Angel is considered a water spongeas the area provides water for theentire province. Several rivers havetheir origin at El Angel and jointogether to form the basin of the Miraand El Angel Rivers. Beautiful lagoonsare also found at this Reserve.
Photos by: Ministerio de Turismo& Gustavo Vallejo.
66
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:09 Page 66
PREMIUM SERVICES - NORTHERN ANDES
Reservations: (593-6) 2915-237 / 2915 -077Cotacachi-Ecuador
LA MIRAGE - EL COLIBRI
Gourmet Restaurant
Superb National and International Cuisine
67
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:09 Page 67
sites that date back to 1500 BC.These archeological remains arealigned with the summer solsticeand the winter equinox, demonstrat-ing that the native people had animpressive knowledge of the courseof the sun. These cultures arebelieved to have migrated from theEcuadorian Coast.
Quitsato, the original name of thecity, means “Middle of the Earth” inthe ancient ‘tsafiqui’ language. Quitois the only site on the planet wherethe Equator crosses over highlands.On the rest of the Earth’s surface, itcrosses through jungle or ocean.Therefore, the pre-Inca cultures wereable to develop their astronomicalknowledge with the help of the clearlandmarks surrounding the city: thePichincha volcano (15,000 ft) to theWest, the Antisana (18,700 ft) to theeast, and the peak of the snow-capedCayambe (18,725 ft) to theNortheast, almost precisely on theEquator. The city itself emerges over
Quito:First World Heritage SitePhotos courtesy of: Quito Tourismwww.quito.com.ec
Besides its amazing landscapes,Quito is known for its treasures ofcolonial churches, paintings, sculp-tures and carvings. The SpanishColonial Period extends from the XVIto the XVIII Century. Ecuadorian colo-nial art combines the EuropeanRenaissance and Baroque styles withthe indigenous and mestizo influ-ences. With the arrival of theSpaniards, the Roman CatholicChurch became the center of religiousinstruction and the largest patron ofthe arts. As part of the acculturation ofthe indigenous people, the Spanishestablished painting and sculpture
schools where Spanish artists trainedthe indigenous population in the arts.As a result, the Quitenian School(Escuela Quiteña) became famous inLatin America for its talented artists,including Bernardo de Legarda and theindigenous artists Caspicara andPampite. Miguel de Santiago, Javierde Goribar, Manuel Samaniego andPadre Bedón were othe outstandingrepresentatives of this art school.Scholars consider their contributionsto colonial art as some of the mostvaluable in America. Thus, theUNESCO declared Quito a “WorldCultural Heritage Site” in 1978.
However, the history of Quitostretches far beyond the arrival of theSpaniards. Before the SpaniardSebastian de Benalcázar conqueredthe city in 1534, the Incas had con-quered it in the XV century. At thetime when the Incas arrived, theyfound an organized civilization: theShyris. Furthermore, recent discov-eries have uncovered archeological
QUITO
68
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:09 Page 68
chair, the central painting by ManuelSamaniego and the statues byCaspicara are in neoclassical style.A museum that displays the clothesused by the priests on the XVII cen-tury (“casullas”), choral books andsilver pieces of the church is openMonday thru Saturday from 9h30 to17h30. Guided tour is $1.50 foradults and $1 for children. Phone:257 0371.
CENTRO CULTURALMETROPOLITANOThe cultural centre is located on thecorner of the Main Square, next tothe Government’s Palace. TheJesuits originally constructed thisbuilding in the XVII Century. In 1767,when Charles III of Spain banishedthe Jesuit Order from the colonizedterritories, the buildings became apublic University. In the last decadeof the XVIII century, the buildingsbecame the army headquarters of theSpanish Royal troops sent from Limato repress the early independenceefforts. Thus, the building wasknown as the “Royal Barrack ofLima”. In this building, the heroicefforts for independence ended up ina massacre of a number of patriotsfrom Quito on August 2, 1810. TheAlberto Mena Caamaño Museumdisplays this massacre with life-sizewax sculptures, as well as otherimportant scenes of Quito’s history.The Cultural Center also holds amuseum of colonial art and theMunicipal Library as well. There isalso a Contemporary Art exhibitroom, which houses temporary exhi-bitions. Open Tuesday thru Sundayfrom 9h00 to 18h00. Admission feeto the museum is $1.50; studentsand senior citizens $0.75; children$0.50. Phone: 295-7062.
EL SAGRARIOThis church was originally the mainchapel of the Cathedral, built for thecult of the Holy Sacrament. It has beenkept for this service to this day. Thestone facade with its ornamentedSalomon columns is an excellentframe for a high Baroque that leaves
9,184 ft above sea level; it is the sec-ond highest capital in the world. Thus,Quito could be considered the bestnatural astronomical observatory.
Quito extends along the Eastern sideof the Pichincha volcano. The city islong and thin, with a length ofapprox. 22 miles and a width of 2-3miles. The temperature in the cityvaries along the day… in the earlymorning and at night it can bearound 10ºC, and at noon it canreach up to 25ºC. The geographicalconditions of the zone give place toa number of ecosystems, thus,Quito’s surroundings offer a diversi-ty of landscapes, each with uniqueflora and fauna.
SIGHTSEEINGWe suggest that you to begin yoursightseeing at “La Plaza de laIndependencia”, from where you canwalk to most of the downtown sites.This main plaza is surrounded byfour buildings that represent the fourruling powers of the colonial period:the Government Palace to the west,the Municipal Palace to the east, theArchbishop’s Palace to the north,and the Cathedral to the south.
THE GOVERNMENT PALACEIt is not possible to visit the interiors ofthe palace, however, from the entrancedoor one is able to appreciate the
Andalusian patios that have half-point arches and water fountains in thecenter. You can see a scale model ofthe Independence Square displayedat the entrance to the Palace.
THE CATHEDRALThis church holds an interesting col-lection of sculptures and paintingsfrom the Escuela Quiteña. Among themost important is the “Descending ofChrist” by Caspicara. It is a master-piece of expressionism. As in mostEcuadorian and Latin Americanchurches, many styles are used inthe construction of the Cathedral:late Gothic in the arches, Moorish inthe ceilings and Baroque in the mainaltar. The choir, the stone Episcopal
LA COMPAÑIALA COMPAÑIA
INDEPENDENCE SQUARE
69
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:10 Page 69
the renaissance stairway, the cho-rus and the exposition lounge arenow the site of a number of select-ed works of the Franciscan collec-tion. You can find works of AndrésSánchez Galque (of indigenous ori-gin), Miguel de Santiago, MateoMexía, the European authorsZurbarán and Bernardo de Bitti,with their respective schools,among others of the XVI-XVIII cen-turies. Among the sculptures, youcan find the glass eyes characteris-tic of the XVIII century. You will alsofind pieces of furniture from theXVIII century. The museum is calledFray Pedro Gocial in honor of thefirst painting instructor. OpenMonday thru Saturday 09h00 to17h30, Sunday 9h00 to 13h30.
Admission fee: $ 2 adults, $1 chil-dren. Phone: 295 2911.
MUSEUM OF COLONIAL ARTAfter half a decade of refurbish-ment, one of Quito’s oldest andmost emblematic museumsreopened at the end of April 2010.The Museum of Colonial Art hous-es a fantastic collection of worksfrom the 16th to 19th centuries,ranking among the most important
practically no space without ornamen-tation. This style is typical of Bernardode Legarda’s sculpture. It is locatednext to the Cathedral. Visiting hours:Mon–Fri: 9h-17h00, Sat: 07h-20h00,Sun 07h-13h00. Admission is free.For more information, call 228 4398.
SAN FRANCISCO CHURCH AND PLAZAThis complex gave the capital ofEcuador its proper name: SanFrancisco de Quito. It is the oldest inQuito, built in 1536-1580. SanFrancisco is the biggest religiousarchitectonic complex in America,with over 8,670 acres, including theconvent with 6 internal patios. Theatrium running along one side of theplaza opens in the middle to giveway to a beautiful staircase. Thefacade has a style similar to that ofthe Escorial in Spain. The inside isBaroque style. The coffer ceiling inthe narthex has rich Moorish styleornamentation with paintings byMiguel de Santiago. It is interestingto note among the ornate detailsimages of the sun god, the Incadivinity. The main altar holds theoriginal masterpiece by Legarda: “LaVirgen de Quito” (Quito’s Virgin).This sculpture is the only winged
image of Virgin Mary in colonial art.The San Francisco Plaza was anantique “Tianguez”, which means‘market’ in the native Nahuatl lan-guage. During Pre-Columbian times,Plaza San Francisco was a lively com-mercial center, hosting approximatelyten ethnic dominations from theneighboring valleys. San Francisco islocated between Sucre and BolívarStreets. Church visiting hours: Fridaythru Sunday 17h00-18h00. Freeadmission. Phone: 2959911.
CANTUÑA CHAPEL Located at one side of the SanFrancisco atrium. The Calvary wood-carvings on the main altar are someof Legarda’s most outstanding mas-terpieces. A legend of the chapelsays that Francisco Cantuña (theindigenous man that paved the atri-um with arge stone blocks) con-structed the chapel with the treas-ures saved from the Kingdom ofQuito. Visiting hours: Tuesday thruThursday 8h00 - 17h00. Free admis-sion. Phone: 2281124.
SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUMLocated next to the church at theSan Francisco Square. The zaguan(entrance hall), the main cloister,
SAN FRANCISCOSAN FRANCISCO
70
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:10 Page 70
Salomon columns of the facade, theincredible clustered Baroque on thetribunes on both sides of the mainaltar, in the pulpit, and in the lateralchapels. Everything is covered withgold leaf. It is a magnificent exhibit offoliage, vines, fruits, birds and cary-atids. The Holy Trinity in the mainaltar and the images of Saint Francisand Saint Ignatius in the side altarsare works of the famous Legarda.Paintings of the prophets and worksof Goribar hang in the majesticarchery that divides the aisles. It islocated at Benalcazar St. OpenMonday thru Friday 09h30 to 17h30,Saturdays and holidays 09h30 to16h30, Sundays 13h30 to 16h30.Phone: 2581895. Admission fee isUS$ 3, and includes guide service.
MARÍA AUGUSTA URRUTIA MUSEUMLocated at García Moreno 760. Followthe life and activities of a wealthy andvery generous woman of Quito’s earlyXX century. Observe the architectureof a typical house in colonial Quito.Enjoy the beautifully decorated inte-riors (especially the Frenchantiques), and the distinctive cloth-ing and artifacts of the time. Open
in the country. The museum ishoused within a beautiful colonialmansion, which dates back to thelate XVI century.
Located at the corner of Cuencaand Mejía St. Open Tuesday toFriday 9h-17h00, Sat 10h-14h00.Phone: 2282-297. Free Admission.
CASA DEL ALABADO MUSEUMOF PRE-COLOMBIAN ARTThis private museum is housed withina colonial mansion in the Old Town. Itis worth visiting just to admire theincredible restoration and regenera-tion work. It acquired its name fromthe inscription on the lintel of the frontdoor, which carries an ‘alabado’ orprayer to the house, and states that itwas built in 1671 – making it one ofthe oldest surviving edifications in thecapital and in the country.
The museum is divided into severalspaces and is not ordered chrono-logically, but rather by themes thatfocus on pre-Colombian Man’s con-cept of the cosmos. It’s a true muse-um-journey through the ancient spir-itual past of the country: stimulating,challenging and surprising. Guided tours are available at 10h30,
12h30 and 15h00 in English,Spanish and French (Approx. 45 min)with additional cost. Audio-guidesare rented for $2, with explanationsboth in English and Spanish, plus aselection of music especially com-posed for the museum.
Located at Cuenca N1-41 &Bolívar. Open Tuesday to Saturday9h30-17h30 Sunday: 10h00 to16h00. Phone: 228 0940.Admission fee: $3. For childrenuntil 12 years old $ 1.http://alabado.org
LA COMPAÑÍA DE JESÚSCHURCH This is one of the richest churches inAmerica. The extraordinary facadecan be described as a lacework onstone. Six Salomonic columns in thelower part support a second body ofdifferent widths, reminiscent of theChurch of Gesu in Rome. Thecolumns are a copy of those byBernini in the Vatican. The splendorthat meets your eye as you go intothe church is unforgettable: the vault-ed ceiling and the walls with beauti-ful Moorish ornamentation, the per-fect harmony and the richness of themain altar, the reproduction of the
LA COMPAÑÍA DE JESÚS CHURCHCOURTESY OF FRANCISCO CAIZAPANTA J.
71
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:10 Page 71
Guayaquil Streets. The construction ofthis church was finished in 1538 andhas been remodeled due to earth-quake damage. The vault underneaththe chorus, the wood carved columns,and the gilded altars are the onlyremains of the original construction.
SAN AGUSTIN CONVENTThe first thing to admire here are thebeautiful cloisters in three different lev-els, the fountain in the colonial patiocarved from a single block of stone,the coffer ceiling in the lower cloister,and the huge collection of paintings bythe artist Miguel de Santiago. Theartist spent most of his life working inthe convent to finish the task of paint-ing the scenes of St. Augustine’slife.Open Monday thru Friday 09h00-12h30 and 14h30-17h00. Saturday9h00 to 13h00. Admission is $2, chil-dren is $0.50 and senior citizens $1.Phone: 295 5525.
SALA CAPITULARIn this same convent you will findone of the most important historicalsites in Spanish America. The firstAct of Independence was signedhere on August 10th, 1809. TheCalvary masterpiece by a XVII centu-ry Quitenian artist named Olmos islocated to the right of this largeroom. Entrance fee: US$ 1.
JUNÍN STREETThis charming street is in the down-town colonial district of Quito.Colorful houses and decorated bal-conies together with a peacefulatmosphere make it a place worth vis-iting. Along the street you can visit:Manuela Saenz Museum, theEcuadorian Architecture Museum, theNational Watercolour Museum, theXVI Century San Marcos Church,Engravers from the Quitenian Schoolof Art, and a famous guitar factory.
LA MERCED CHURCH AND CONVENTOne can admire a stone-carved pagangod, Neptune. Also noticeable areBernardo Legarda’s main altar wood-carvings and the beautiful image of
Tuesdays to Fridays from 10h00 to18h00, weekends 9h30 to 17h30.Admission fee: $2 for adults, $1senior citizens and $0.50 children(includes a guided tour). For moreinformation call: 258-0103.
MUSEO DE LA CIUDADLocated at García Moreno 572 andRocafuerte, this museum is openTuesday thru Sunday from 9h30 to17h30. Follow everyday Quito lifethrough the centuries in this beauti-ful colonial building that once wasthe San Juan de Dios Hospital(1565). Entrance fee: $3 adults, $2
students, $1 children and senior cit-izens. Nighttime tours with theatricalrepresentations upon request. Price:$5 per person (includes a cocktail).Phone: 228 3882/3.
LA RONDA A stroll through La Ronda is a great wayto get a feeling of traditional life incolonial Quito. Within only two blocks,one finds artisans working on tradition-al handicrafts such as candles andembroidery, many “tiendas” (smallstores), bakeries and traditional restau-rants. Moreover, a variety of culturalactivities are organized both on thestreet and inside the different bars andcafeterias. During the late XIX and earlyXX Centuries, La Ronda was home toseveral musicians, poets, historiansand other important figures of Quito’shistory. This neighborhood inspiredpoetry and some of the most romantic“Pasillos” (traditional music).
BENALCAZARHOUSE-MUSEUMThis museum displays paintings ofthe XVII century and sculptures of theXVII and XIII century. It is located atOlmedo and Benalcazar St. OpenMonday thru to Friday 09h30 to13h00 and 15h30 to 19h00.
SAN AGUSTIN CHURCHLocated at the corner of Chile and
LA MERCED
LA RONDA ST.
72
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:10 Page 72
of TeleferiQo you can enjoy VulQanoPark, offering carts, roller coastersand other exciting games for childrenof all ages. Phone: 222 2997
GUAYASAMÍN MUSEUM AND “LA CAPILLA DEL HOMBRE”A stop at Guayasamin’s house-museum is a must for any visitor toQuito. This museum exhibits anexcellent sample of pre-Columbian,colonial and contemporary art fromthe private collections of thefamous Ecuadorian artist OswaldoGuayasamín (1919-1999). Shortly before his death, OswaldoGuayasamín donated these collec-tions and his works to the city ofQuito. The museum is open Mondaythru Friday from 10h00 to 17h00.Entrance fee: $4.00 adults. Close to the house-museum, is “LaCapilla del Hombre” (Man’s Chapel). Guayasamín dreamed that his chapelwould pay tribute to the American pre-Columbian man. It is a rectangularconstruction of two floors, with astrong similarity to Incan temples. Partof the roof is a dome covered with cop-per plate. Inside it is covered with anunfinished mural of the artist, whichwas left intact. The altar of the Chapelholds an eternal flame in defense ofpeace and human rights. Open Tuesday thru Sunday from 10h00to 17h00. Entrance fee: $4.00 adults,$2.00 senior citizens & students.Phone: (593-2) 333-0722 / 723.
Our Lady of Mercy in stone. Visitinghours: Monday thru Saturday from7h00-12h00 and 14h30-17h30. Freeadmission. Phone: 2280743.
CAMILO EGAS MUSEUMThis museum was created to honorone of the most celebratedEcuadorian artists of the XX century.It holds a permanent exhibit ofCamilo Egas’ paintings, in a displaythat allows one to learn about the dif-ferent phases in which the artistworked (indigenism, expressionism,surrealism, cubism and abstractionof the shape) in a didactical andhands-on manner.Address: Venezuela 1302 andEsmeraldas. Open: Thursday - Friday9h-13h00/weekends and holidays10h-16h00. Free Admission. Phone: 257-2012
CASA SAN LUCAS This antique manor that dates back tothe seventeenth century offers an artgallery with itinerary exhibits, acafe/bar, a musical room with a largescreen where visitors can enjoymusic videos, and much more.Visitors can take a tour through thewhole house, appreciating antiquefurniture, silverware and pieces of art. Open Tuesday – Friday 11h00 -18h00, weekends 10h30- 19h00.Address: Venezuela 1283 andEsmeraldas. Phone:2950923
SAN DIEGO CONVENTThe Saint Francis congregation builtthis church to provide the priests andlaymen with a place of retreat. Alongthe corridors are paintings datingback to the XVII C, which had beencovered with lime for years and arenow being restored. A genuine mani-festation of syncretism! Open every day 09h30-13h00 and14h30-17h00. Phone: 295 2516.Admission fee: $2.00.
EL PANECILLOMany historical happenings took placeon this natural hill that stands in Quito.“Panecillo” means “little bread” refer-ring to its peculiar size and shape. The
Virgin that stands on the hill, whichconsists of 7,000 pieces of aluminum,is a modern representation of thefamous “Virgen de Quito”, the uniquewinged dancing Virgin conceived byBernardo Legarda in the XVII century.(The original masterpiece can be seenat the main altar of the San FranciscoChurch). There is a balcony in theupper part that provides a beautifulview of the city. Open Monday thruThursday 9h00-18h00, Friday thruSunday 9h00- 21h00. The entrancefee to the interior of the monument is$1 for adults, $0.50 for children.
INTERESTING PLACES INTHE NORTH OF QUITOTELEFERIQOQuito’s TeleferiQo (cable cars) islocated on Cruz Loma, one of thehills on the slopes of the activePichincha volcano (15,000 ft). Thecable cars take off at 9,680 ft andreach 13,287 ft in 8 – 10 min! Onthe way up you can observe how thevegetation changes rapidly with theincreasing altitude. If you are luckyenough to get one of those clearsummer days, you can see the cityat your feet and the Andean moun-tain range in all its splendor! Whenreaching the top, because of thealtitude, make sure to take it easy! Agreat idea is to drink a hot “te decoca” (coca tea) or get some oxy-gen at the oxygenbar. In any case besure to rest beforehiking, horsebackriding, or any otherof the excitingoptions you have ontop. If you areadventurous, youcan climb to thesummit of the“Rucu Pichincha”. The cost of thecable car is $8.50roundtrip. OpenMon day thruSunday from 8h00to 20h00. At the foot
73
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:10 Page 73
ANHALZER-VALDIVIESOCOLLECTIONThe showrooms of the Anhalzer-Valdivieso Collection offer visitorsan image of the splendor of ancientEcuador, with a selected presenta-tion of archeology, popular and colo-nial art. Open Monday thru Fridayfrom 9h00 to 19h00. Saturday from10h00 to 18h00. Address: ColónAve. E10-53. Phone: 25-41315.
QUITO BOTANICAL GARDENExplore the fascinating world ofplants! This garden displays morethan 1,200 orchid species, along withother unique flora species of Ecuador!It is located at Rumipamba St. inside“La Carolina” Park. Open Monday thruFriday from 8h00 to 17h00.Weekends 9h00 to 17h00. Admissionfee: $3.50 adults, $2 children.
LA MARISCAL“La Mariscal” can be considered theentertainment district of Quito, whereyou find a variety of restaurants,bars, cafes, internet cafes, Spanishschools, and a large range of hostingoptions. This area is highlighted onthe Quito map in a red square. PlazaEl Quinde (Reina Victoria and Foch)is one of the most popular meetingpoints for both Ecuadorians andtourists. Every Wednesday night at20h30 live music presentations takeplace at this charming Plaza.
GALERIA ECUADOR GOURMETThis unique Galeria holds exclusivequality products 100% made inEcuador. It also includes a cafeteria.Address: Reina Victoria N24-263 &Lizardo Garcia. Phone: 2239469 / 2258440.E-mail: [email protected]
MERCADO ARTESANALThis typical handicraft market offers avariety of handicrafts from all over thecountry for excellent prices, dis-played in more than 100 colorfulstands. If you are not able to visit theOtavalo indigenous market in the
GUÁPULO CHURCHThis sanctuary is located in a littlevillage 1.5 miles heading down fromthe Hotel Quito. The sanctuary canbe reached by car in about 10 min-utes or you can walk down a colonialstone paved path which was theroute followed by Francisco deOrellana on his exploration that leadto the discovery of the AmazonRiver. The facade and the dome ofthe church have a simple neoclassicstyle. The main altar painted byMiguel de Santiago and the imageof our Lady of Guadalupe by Diegode Robles are original masterpieces.Many consider the pulpit carved bythe indigenous sculptor Menacho asthe most beautiful in America. OpenMonday thru Saturday 09h00 to12h30 and 15h00 to 18h00. Phone:256 5652. Entrance fee: US$1.50.
CENTRAL BANK MUSEUMThis museum is located at the “Casade la Cultura” on 6 de Diciembre andPatria Avenues. Pre-Colonial, Colonialand contemporary art appear in 1,417pieces exhibited permanently and intemporary displays. It also presents anopportunity to learn about the origin,evolution and history of Ecuador.
Visiting hours: Tuesday thru Friday09h00 to 17h00/ Weekends and hol-idays 10h00 to 16h00. Free Admission. Guide service avail-able. Phone: 222-3258.
MODERN ART AND MUSICALINSTRUMENTS MUSEUMAs you enter the museum, you firstencounter an important collection ofEcuadorian paintings from the XIXcentury with a variety of themes andstyles: religion, portraits, landscapes,among others. Continuing the visit,you can find important works of art bysome of the most renowned Ecua -dorian artists: Oswaldo Guayasamín,Eduardo Kingman, and Camilo Egas,among others. Following this is theMusical Instruments Museum. Manyof the displayed instruments date topre-Columbian times. Next to thisexhibit you can find an importantethnographic display of the differentindigenous communities of theEcuadorian Andes.Address: Los Espejos Bldg, locatedbetween: 6 de Diciembre, 12 deOctubre and Patria Avenues. There isan entrance at each of the avenues.
Open Tuesday thru Friday from 9h00to 13h00 and from 14h00 to 17h00 /Saturdays from 10h00 to 14h00.
EL EJIDO PARKIt is located at the intersection ofPatria and Amazonas Avenues. If youlike contemporary art, this is theplace to be on weekends. A walk inthe park will bring you face to facewith beautiful paintings and otherhandicrafts. You may bargain withthe artists to get reasonable prices.
MINDALAE- ETHNO-HISTORIC MUSEUM
74
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:10 Page 74
“robot” that reproduces images fromthe original walls of one of the burialchambers on a screen so that visitorscan closely admire the traces of theoriginal structure of the chambers.The complex includes a small muse-um that exhibits original objectsfound in the burial chambers. Someof the most impressive pieces arethe spondylus ponchos, which wereworn by only a few of the buried bod-ies of hierarchical importance.Address: Calle Antonio Costa,between Román and Fernando CorralSt., at the San Vicente de La Floridaneighborhood in Northern Quito.Open: Wednesdays thru Sundaysfrom 8h00-16h30. Free admission.
SURROUNDINGSTHE MONUMENT ON THE EQUATORIt is located approximately 20 min-utes away from Quito, at San Antoniode Pichincha. The “Mitad del MundoCity” surrounding the monumentincludes several restaurants andfolklore shops, museums about themissions that measured the Earth,the “Solar Culture Museum” (with adisplay of the latest investigationsabout the real middle of the world),and a Planetarium. Inside the monu-ment is an interesting EthnicMuseum. You can shop and placeone foot on the northern Hemisphereand the other on the southernHemisphere. Entrance fee to the
Imbabura province, this market inQuito is a must. It is located at JorgeWashington St. between ReinaVictoria and Juan Leon Mera St. Openevery day from 10h00 to 19h00.
MINDALAE - ETHNO-HISTORICMUSEUM OF HANDICRAFTS“Mindalae” is the pre-Hispanic nameof the indigenous tradesman who,with his basket tied to his back,walked long distances carrying mer-chandise to offer at the popular mar-ket called “tianguez”. The secondfloor of the museum holds an exhibitof utensils from Amazonian cultures,as well as handicrafts are availablefor sale. The third floor presents adisplay of the origins of the naturalfibers used in textiles, such as seedsand wood from native trees. Finally,at the fourth floor, the museum holdsa demonstration of indigenous skillsin textile production.
Open Monday thru Saturday from9h30 to 17h30. Sundays from10h30 to 16h30. Located at the cor-ner of Reina Victoria and La Niña St.Admission fee: $3 general, $1.50students and senior citizens.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITESRUMIPAMBAARCHAEOLOGICALAND ECOLOGICAL PARK The most antique stone walls foundin Quito are those of RumipambaPark, a 32- hectare complex locatedin a former private hacienda, now inthe heart of the city of Quito. Thewalls date back to 400 AD. Rumimeans stone and pamba, pampas orplains. Rumipamba has some hugestones from the last important erup-tion of the nearby Guagua Pichinchavolcano, which took place in 1660.The Rumipamba site includes a gullythat has become a niche for flora andfauna, especially birds. Several floraspecies including trees, medicinalplants, fruits and others, are foundinside the park. It also includes a“culunco”, which is an antique roadconnecting the highlands with thecoast for the commercialization of
products. These roads date back tothe Yumbo culture, a pre- Incan civi-lization that inhabited the cloudforests surrounding Quito.Address: between Occidental,América and Mariana de JesúsAvenues (North West)Open: Wednesdays thru Sundaysfrom 8h00-16h00. Free admission.
LA FLORIDA BURIALCHAMBERSLa Florida Burial Chambers dateback to 220 – 640 AD, belonging tothe Quitus culture.
To this day, the FONSAL has excavat-ed 10 burial chambers, which are15- 17 meters (49– 56 ft) deep and2 meters (6.5 ft) in diameter. Largeamounts of amazing ceramics,spondylus and other shells, jewelry,wooden objects and gold were foundin the chambers alongside hundredsof bodies. The funeral architecturereflects the cosmovision of theQuitus: the human bodies were givenback to Mother Earth’s womb.
In order to present the archaeologicalfindings in a didactic manner, theFONSAL has done a great job ofreproducing one of the burial cham-bers with 16 bodies and their respec-tive ritual objects. The replica of thefaces was done by experts through asystematic reproduction based on theskulls called “forensic medicine”.Moreover, the FONSAL has placed a
LA FLORIDA BURIAL CHAMBERSLA FLORIDA BURIAL CHAMBERS
75
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:10 Page 75
“Middle of the World City” is $2.00,to the Ethnic Museum $3.00, to thePlanetarium $1.50. Visiting hours:Monday thru Thursday 09h00-18h00, Friday, Saturday and Sunday09h00-19h00. Phone: 239 4804
INTI-ÑAN SOLAR MUSEUMLocated 200 meters (650 feet) northof the Middle of the World roundabouton Autopista Manuel Córdova Galarza,this didactic in situ museum allowsfor visitors to witness and participatein several experiments that give evi-dence to the fact of being exactly atLatitude 0. Visitors can stand an eggon a nail, witness firsthand theCoriolis effect in the Northern andSouthern hemispheres only a fewmeters away, feel the loss of balancewhen walking along the Equator line,along with other entertaining andimpressive experiences, possible onlyat the Middle of the World! You canalso stamp your passport to docu-ment your visit to Latitude 0.
Furthermore, the museum alsoholds a Solar Clock, anAnthropological Totemic Forest ofthe Andean cultures, typical huts ofpre- Hispanic cultures of theregion, didactic samples ofEcuadorian cultures, as well asnative flora and fauna.
Open Monday thru Sunday from9h30 to 17h30. Phone: 2395122.English speaking guides are avail-able. Guided visit: $3 adults, $1.50children. For more information visitwww.museointinan.com.ec
SURROUNDING VALLEYSThe mountains and cliffs surroundingQuito make it difficult for the city tospread out to the sides, thus, it hasexpanded to the surrounding valleys:Cumbaya, Tumbaco and Los Chillos.Little more than a decade ago, thesevalleys consisted mostly of open pas-tures and country cottages. Now theyoffer all the commodities of a moderncity: supermarkets, malls, schools,universities, hospitals, restaurants,good lodging and even movie the-aters, but they fortunately have main-tained their rustic charm and decid-edly slower pace than Quito.
Only a few kilometers from thebustling city, but several hundredmeters below, the valleys providewarmer weather and a relaxed ruralfeeling, preferred by young familiesand many foreigners who live andwork in Quito.
TULIPE ARCHAEOLOGICALSITE-MUSEUMTulipe was built by the Yumbo peo-ple, who inhabited the north andnorthwestern valleys and mountainsaround Quito from around 800 to1660 AD. It’s thought that the Yumbopeople migrated to the Amazon after
a great eruption of the PichinchaVolcano in 1660, and this theory iscurrently being investigated.
Although disregarded by the Spanishchroniclers and subsequent histori-ans, the site at Tulipe, as well as the2,000 pyramids and mounds nowunearthed, point to an importantnation. It’s thought that it controlledthe crucial trade route between thePacific coast, the Andes and theAmazon to the east. The remains atTulipe suggests it was the civiliza-tion’s main ceremonial site. It ismade up of eight structures, one ofwhich one is of Incan construction,as the conquering Incas built theirtemple on top of the existing one.Water played a primordial role atTulipe, with many pools reflecting itsceremonial importance.
The “Yumbo People InterpretationCentre” houses didactic informa-tion on the site and the Yumbos,and is the starting point for futureinvestigations.
Open Wednesday thru Sunday from09h00 to 17h00. Located betweenthe towns of Nanegalito and Gualea,on the main road Calacali-LaIndependencia, which heads north-west from Quito. Take the sign-post-ed road on the right soon after thesmall town of Nanegalito.
Phone: 285-0635. Admission fee:$3 adults, $1 children and students.
TULIPE ARCHAEOLOGICALSITE-MUSEUM
INTI-ÑAN SOLAR MUSEUM
76
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:10 Page 76
CULTURE + ENTERTAINMENT - QUITO
MUSIC
Tuesday, September 4th – 19h30Israel Chamber OrchestraConcert
* Place: Casa de la MusicaAdmission fee: $60
Wednesday, September 5th – 19h30Piano Recitalby Emilio Villacis * Place: Casa de la MusicaAdmission fee: $5
Thursday, September 6th – 19h30“Eugrafías”Dance and Music* Place: Casa de la MúsicaAdmission fee: $5
Sunday, September 9th – 18h00“Strings and Rhythm Machines Concert” by Gilberto Gil
* Place: Teatro Nacional SucreAdmission fee: $25 - $60
Sunday, September 9th – 17h00“Pablo Held Trio”Piano, bass and drums
* Place: Casa de la MúsicaAdmission fee: $5
Wednesday, September 12th – 19h30Singing Recital Gabriela Chiriboga, vocalsDaniel Brown, piano* Place: Casa de la MúsicaAdmission fee: $5
Thursday, September 13th – 20h00Maria Tejada and Ronald Regnier New album release * Place: Casa de la MúsicaAdmission fee: $10
Friday, September 14th – 19h30Singing and Piano Recital David Fruci, vocalsDaniel Brown, piano* Place: Casa de la MúsicaAdmission fee: $5
Saturday, September 15th – 19h00National Symphonic OrchestraConcertRussian program* Place: Casa de la MúsicaAdmission fee: $5
Wednesday, September 19th – 19h30Folk Music Series* Place: Casa de la MúsicaAdmission fee: $5
Sunday, September 23rd – 17h00Concert in Tribute to theMaster Gerardo Guevara* Place: Casa de la MúsicaFree admission
Wednesday, September 26th – 19h30Piano, Viola and Horn Recitalby Alarcon trio* Place: Casa de la MúsicaAdmission fee: $5
77
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:10 Page 77
CULTURE + ENTERTAINMENT - QUITO
Tuesday, September 27th – 20h00Mantra Music Concert byMirabai Ceiba* Place: Casa de la MúsicaAdmission fee: $25
Thursday, September 27th – 19h30Popular Singing Recital Gabriela Gomez, vocals * Place: Casa de la MúsicaAdmission fee: $5
Friday, September 28th – 20h00National Symphony OrchestraContemporary Music* Place: Casa de la Música
EXHIBITS
Open until Sunday, September 9thMonday thru Sunday – 9h00 to 17h30
“LightIntuition” Painting exhibitby Jaime GarcesMolineros* Place: CentroCulturalItchimbíaFree admission
Open until Monday, September 17th Thursday thru Saturday09h00 until 17h30Sunday - 10h00 until 13h00Mexico Amongst Us
76 black andwhite imagesfrom theNationalPhotographicLibrary collec-tion of theINAH and theNational
Autonomous University of Mexico* Place: Centro CulturalMetropolitano Free admission
Tuesday, September 11th untilSaturday, September 29th Monday thru Friday – 10h00 to 18h00Saturday – 10h00 to 14h00Fantasy- Encounters
Rosario Burbano- Carlos CastilloTwo Ecuadorianpainters with awide and recog-nized career
* Place: Aso. Humboldt Free admission
THEATER
Tuesday, September 4th untilSaturday, September 8th – 19h30“Sudaka, 5th Latin AmericanTheatre Festival”* Place: Teatro Variedades Ernesto Albán Admission fee: $6
Wednesday, September 5th andThursday, September 6th – 18h00 “Father Mother Infernal Train”Heckmanns's work generates ques-tions that must be answered by look-ing at what we have done and fromthat generate a more consciousfuture.* Place: Aso. Humboldt Free admission
Thursday, September 13th untilSaturday, September 22ndThursdays thru Saturdays at 20h00“The Revolt of the Idiots”
Inspired by themyth of fallenangels byRafael Albert.Eros andThanatos can’tfind peace onEarth; they aredestined foreternal dis-
grace in this tragicomedy.* Place: Aso. Humboldt
Admission fee: $8, Students $6,Children and seniors $4
Thursday, September 13th andFriday, September 14th – 19h30“Music for Wigs”This play is divided into four sepa-rate but complementary scenes,each one of them represents a par-ticular micro-universe includesdance, music, theater, circus ele-ments, scenic and audiovisuals.* Place: Teatro Variedades Ernesto AlbánAdmission fee: $9
Sunday, September 16th – 18h00 “Oriental Antigone - Uruguay”
With traces of the classical tragedyand testimonial theater, this workshows the Greek myth aboutSophocles treated by one of the con-flicts of Uruguayan society.* Place: Teatro Nacional Sucre Admission fee: $10
* ADDRESSES:• Casa de la Música:
Valderrama s/n & Av. Mariana de Jesús(Hosp. Metropolitano)P: (+593 2) 226 1965
• Fundación Teatro Nacional Sucre:Manabí N8-131 between Guayaquil &Flores. P: (+593-2) 295-1661.
• Centro Cultural Itchimbía: CalleIquique and José María Aguirre.
• Centro Cultural Metropolitano: GarcíaMoreno & Espejo, Historic Center
• Aso. Humboldt:Vancouver E5-54 & Polonia. P: (+593 2) 223 6910 / 254 8480
• Teatro Variedades Ernesto Albán:Manabí Oe2-04 between Guayaquil &Flores. Plaza del TeatroP: (+593 2) 295 1661 / 2570 299
78
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:10 Page 78
PREMIUM SERVICES - QUITO
Whymper 777 y 6 de Diciembre
(593 2) 323 8648 / (593 9) 872 [email protected]
Visit theART WORKSHOP
of the author ofTHIS IS ECUADOR’s
covers and get a first hand view of
her work!
79
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:10 Page 79
• CITY TOUR PASS (Daily- Semi private ) $ 35.00(5 hours) Guapulo + Plaza Grande + San FranciscoPanecilo hill + Line Equator + Teleferico
• COTOPAXI or OTAVALO or MINDO or PAPALLACTA $ 65.00(8 Hours - Daily- Semi private)
• OVER NIGHT TOURS (2 Days-Daily ) $ 240.00RIOBAMBA with train and HighlandsBAÑOS with Cotopaxi and waterfallsOTAVALO with Ibarra and CotacachiMINDO with Cloud Forest and Cannopy
* Allways will pick you up in your hotel..!
PREMIUM SERVICES - QUITO
80
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:10 Page 80
Diego de Almagro 822 & Luis Cordero | Quito - Ecuador | Tel: (593-2) 2222 400E-mail: [email protected] | Webpage: www.hotelsebastian.com
In Quito, your home away from home...
Now offering FREE best-in-class Wireless Internet!
Stubel Suites & Cafe is strategically located in Quito, just a few minutes from the historical down town area, as from the shopping and bank areas. We offer a homely, modern and relaxing experience to the guests that visit us either for business or pleasure.
We offer an ambience of relaxation for all your most important senses from the vision, with the best view of the oriental valley, to your palate with our delicious menu of national and international cuisine in the Cafe Stubel.
We invite you to enjoy our facilities and the warm service of our staff.
Pasaje Stubel Nro. 1 y León Larrea Tel.: (593) 2 601 3499 • Fax : (593) 2 601 3514
E-mail: [email protected] • www.stubel-suites.com
PREMIUM HOTELS - QUITO
81
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:10 Page 81
A colonial treasure preserved for you...
Venezuela 1041 – Quito, Ecuador Tel: (593-2) 228 9120 / 228 5917
Fax: (593-2) 226 5764 E-mail: [email protected]
www.hotelrelicariodelcarmen.com
B.I.D. Diamond Award - London 2011
82
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:10 Page 82
PREMIUM HOTELS - QUITOPREMIUM HOTELS - QUITO
88 8387
PREMIUM HOTELS - QUITOPREMIUM HOTELS - QUITO
88 8387
PREMIUM HOTELS - QUITOPREMIUM HOTELS - QUITO
88 8387
PREMIUM HOTELS - QUITO
89
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:15 Page 89
IN DON PORFIRIO EVERY DETAILHAS A SCENT OF TRADITION
lunch & dinner* private parking
Orellana 1172 & Av. AmazonasReservations: 297 2000 Ext. 6178
90
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:15 Page 90
RESTAURANTS - QUITO
91
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:15 Page 91
RESTAURANTS - QUITO
Juan Rodríguez 282 y Reina Victoria, Sector la Mariscal
(Plaza Foch)Telfs.: (593) 2501 743 • 510 4066
cel.: 093 388 489Quito - Ecuador
OPENMonday - Sunday:12h00 a 22h00
The best Ecuadorian experience!!!
The greatest national cuisine with live music...
OPENMonday - Sunday:12h00 a 22h00
The best Ecuadorian experience!!!
The greatest national cuisine with live music...
Portugal 440 & Francisco CasanovaReservations: 333 1943 / 333 1944
E-mail: [email protected]
The best steaks in town!
CC. Megamaxi Local 106-110Av. 6 de Diciembre y Calle AlemánCel: 09-8362-159 Fax: 2923-958Tels: 2241-210 / 213 / 214 / 319
Sector La FlorestaCalle Julio ZaldumbideN24-763Tels: 2220-318 / 2220-408
Traditional food
92
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:15 Page 92
93
FOOD & DRINKS - QUITO
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:15 Page 93
FOOD & DRINKS - QUITO
94
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:15 Page 94
photograph: PETE OXFORDcourtesy of HACIENDA YANAHURCOQUILINDAÑA VOLCANO - YANAHURCO
CENTRALANDES
Cozy hostels and beautiful tradition-al haciendas in the region offer com-fortable lodging and numerous activ-ities such as horseback riding, bik-ing, trekking, and visits to typicalcountry villages, nearby rose planta-tions and local markets.
The Saquisili weekly market (closeto Latacunga) is the one of the mostexhilarating in the region. EveryThursday hundreds of indigenouspeople fill the streets to sell theircolorful handicrafts as well as theirfresh crops and livestock.
Further south, taking a right from thecity of Latacunga, riding through anextraordinary view of dense patch-work fields, the imposing Quilotoacrater strikes the visitors’ eye with itsextraordinary turquoise water. Thehike from the border of the crater(11,840 ft) to the lake at the bottom
The Avenue of the Volcanoes South of Quito, the two parallelchains of the Andes that crossEcuador from north to south rise totheir most dramatic peaks. Duringhis visit to South America in 1802,the German explorer Alexander vonHumboldt (XIX C) called this sectionof the Ecuadorian Sierra “TheAvenue of the Volcanoes”. Eight ofEcuador’s ten highest summits arefound in this part of the country.
COTOPAXI PROVINCEOn a clear day, from Quito you can seethe perfectly symmetrical coneshaped Cotopaxi (19,347 ft), the high-est active volcano in the world. Thissnow-capped volcano and its sur-
roundings make up the CotopaxiNational Park. This park offers numer-ous activities for adventurers andnature lovers, all immersed in animposing geological landscape.
Although Cotopaxi has had at leastten major eruptions since 1742, it’sbeen fairly quit since its last burst ofactivity in 1904.
Today, it is Ecuador’s favorite climb.Some of the highlights in thisNational Park are: the Rumiñahuivolcano (15,600 ft.), and theLimpiopungo and Santo Domingolagoons. In both lagoons it is possi-ble to see the reflection of the sur-rounding volcanoes.
The Cotopaxi National Park is hometo white-tailed deer, rabbits, lamas,Andean foxes and pumas, and overninety species of birds.
96
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 96
97
16
1718
19
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
101113
14
15
12
Gas stationSightseeingAirportArchaeologyHandicraftsTypical foodThermal SpringsCapital of ProvinceCities / townsPan- American HighwaySecondary road
LEGENDS TOURIST SITES . LODGING
Luna Rutun Adventure Spa
Tungurahua Volcano
Samari Spa Resort
Chimborazo Volcano
Hostería Andaluza
Sangay National Park
Sangay Volcano
Alausí Train Station
Hostería La Quinta
Devil’s Nose
Los Illinizas
Cuello de Luna Hotel
Cotopaxi National Park
Cotopaxi Volcano
Hacienda San Agustín de Callo
Saquisilí Indigenous Market
Quilotoa lake
Pujilí Indigenous Market
Centro Artesanal Rumipamba
de las Rosas
123456789
10111213141516171819
CENTRAL ANDES
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 97
population. The Religious ArtMuseum “Madres Conceptas” andthe Science Museum of theMaldonado School are definitelyworth visiting.
The history of Riobamba is markedby the fact that it is the link betweenthe Coast and the Highlands.
Riobamba's importance in the lastfew centuries was highly due to thepresence of the train station, themain means of communication inEcuador at the time.
Today, the train is no longer animportant means of transportation,but is a unique tourist attraction.From the Riobamba station, thetrain departs to the most impres-sive track of the railway through the“Avenue of the Volcanoes”, whichends up at the “Nariz del Diablo”(Devil’s Nose).
(7,446 ft) is approximately 30 min-utes; we recommend that you hire amule on the way back. The nearbyZumbahua town has a very interestingSaturday morning market. Close tothe town of Pujilí is the village ofTigua, where many artisans aredevoted to the naive art painted onsheep hides, depicting daily lifescenes, legends and village fiestasagainst a bright background of col-ored mountains and fields. Thesenaive paintings can be found forsale mostly all around the country,and are locally known as Tiguapaintings.
TUNGURAHUAPROVINCEThe town of Baños is probably themost charming tourist destinationin this province. It is located at thefoot of the Tungurahua active vol-cano (16,500 ft). The town ofBaños is a favorite spot for nationaland international tourists. Its pleas-ant sub tropical climate and itsextraordinary landscape and vege-tation are very welcoming. Baños isconsidered the gate to theEcuadorian Amazonia, as it is nes-tled between the volcano and therain forest. The city has plenty oftourist information, and severalagencies offer adventure sports.For years, Baños has been theplace where Ecuadorians make pil-grimages to honor “Our Lady of theHoly Water”. The walls of theBasilica are covered with paintingsdepicting miracles that are creditedto this Virgin.
The town has several hostels foryoung adventure tourists, but thebest accommodations are offered bySamari SPA Resort and Luna RuntunAdventure SPA.
CHIMBORAZO PROVINCEChimborazo is the highestEcuadorian peak (20.702 feet), andthe third highest in America.
Moreover, the summit ofChimborazo is the furthest pointfrom the center of the Earth, as it iscrossed by the Equatorial line,where the Earth is wider.Chimborazo is the “Colossus” ofthe mountains of the region, but ona clear day, other impressive snow-capped mountains can be admired:the Altar, the Carihuairazo, and theSangay volcanoes.
Chimborazo province has the largestconcentration of indigenous peoplein Ecuador. These communitiesworshiped the Chimborazo as a god.Many of them still preserve their wayof life, dress, food, and traditions.
Riobamba is the capital city of theprovince. From here, it is possible toarrange trips to the surroundingmountains. In the city, one encoun-ters indigenous people sharing withmestizos and a minority of white
98
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 98
Inti Sisa Guesthouse“…after travelling around Ecuador for six weeks, mywife and I agreed that Guamote and the Inti Sisa gaveus the most unique and "authentic" look into the dailylives of indigeneous Ecuadorians. All this for a veryreasonably priced accomodation option. Go for themarket but stay longer for what the travel guides can'tconvey to their readers on paper– the feeling of dis-covery when there are so few other tourists around.”
“simple but clean place, very good value!”
“Inti Sisa is an excellent guesthouse, simple cleanand comfortable. However it is so much more thanthis. The proceeds from the guesthouse are used tofund the Inti Sisa project which has been set up foreducational purposes.”
(taken from tripadvisor)
INTI SISA is a nonprofit foundation that organizes work-shops in Guamote, a small Andean village at 3056 masl, centrally situated on the Andes Avenue in theprovince of Chimborazo. INTI SISA was born out of a liv-ing and working experience with the indigenous popula-tion who found their secondary education too theoreticand wanted to learn more practical skills. INTI SISA wascreated with the objective to create opportunities offeringhigh quality training at a low cost. INTI SISA works non-stop with volunteers from Belgium and the Netherlands(volunteers from other countries are welcome too!).
INTI SISA joins the local development plan of Guamotethat consists of seven strategic areas, amongst themeducation and tourism. The workshops are given bylocal teachers, charismatic people who put heart andsoul into their job. Following the demand of the localpopulation, INTI SISA has organized the followingworkshops: computer, sewing and embroidery- fashionand design, Kindergarten, game hall, homework guid-ance, pedagogic materials, and indigenous music.
In order to be largely SELF-SUSTAINABLE, INTI SISAchose the following solution: Do something uniqueand avoid the already flattened tourist paths!The doors of the INTI SISA guesthouse opened in June2004. The guesthouse has 8 rooms with private bath-room, a dormitory for 8 people, a local kitchen and afireplace. They offer hiking trails and horseback riding.Nearby tourist attractions include the train to the“Devil’s Nose” and the Guamote indigenous market.
COMMUNITY- BASED TOURISM
99
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 99
• hotel reservations• domestic e-tickets• premium services• articles• maps
Ecuadora click away
www.thisisecuador.comEloy Alfaro 121 y Paraguay • Tel: (593 3) 293 0247
E-mail: [email protected] • Alausí - Ecuadorwww.hosteria-la-quinta.com
Feel at homein one of themost charmingtowns of Ecuador.
2905-939
PREMIUM SERVICES - CENTRAL ANDES
100
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 100
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 101
SOUTHERNANDES
the city in 1548 at the “Cuxibamba”valley. “Cuxibamba” is the indige-nous name of the valley.
Loja’s indigenous population main-tains ancestral traditions and cus-toms. The city of Loja has an impor-tant cultural community.
Musicians, poets and other writersare nestled within the city. Loja had alarge affluence of scientists duringthe XVII – XIX century, and so itappears in old European maps as“Nambixa”.
Surrounded by rivers that flow to theAmazonia or the Pacific Ocean, onefinds several green valleys withwarm, fresh and dry weather (64degrees Fahrenheit and higher),such as the Vilcabamba, Malacatos,Quinara and Catacocha Valleys.
The southern sierra is made up ofCañar, Loja and Azuay Provinces.
Some of the reasons for visitingthese three provinces are the Incanruins of Ingapirca, the valley ofVilcabamba and the historic districtof Cuenca.
The Southern Sierra of Ecuador is afavorite spot for birdwatchers, espe-cially the Cajas and PodocarpusNational Parks.
CAÑAR PROVINCE Cañar is rich in history. This regionwas inhabited by the Cañari culturefrom which it took its name. Cañarboasts the most important prehis-panic monument of the country, theIngapirca Inca Vestiges. Locatedabout an hour and 45 minutes fromCuenca, these ruins are the most
important architectural legacy of theIncas in Ecuador. Ingapirca means“Incas stone wall”. The vast archeo-logical complex includes a rooflessfortification, courtyards, terraces,temples, houses and a “castle,”possibly the “Temple to the Sun.”The entrance fee is 5 dollars. Amuseum is now open at the site, withboth archeological and ethnographicdisplays as well as a scale model ofthe ruins. Entrance fee is US$6. Anexcellent option is to stay overnightat the charming Posada Ingapirca(see page 63).
Phone: (07) 2827-401/ (07) 2831-120.
LOJA PROVINCEBoth the province and its capital cityowe their name to the SpaniardAlonso de Mercadillo, who founded
PHOTOGRAPH: FRANCISCO CAIZAPANTA - FPTECOURTESY OF MINISTRY OF TOURISMALAUSI
102
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 102
6
7
Gas stationSightseeingAirportArchaeologyHandicraftsTypical food
Thermal SpringsCapital of ProvinceCities / townsPan- American HighwaySecondary road
Sangay National ParkIngapirca RuinsPosada IngapircaEl Cajas National ParkHostería UzhupudEl Cisne SanctuaryPodocarpus National Park
1234567
LEGENDS TOURIST SITES . LODGING
SOUTHERN ANDES
103
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 103
CUENCA
perched along the banks of the fourdifferent rivers that run through andaround the city (Tarqui, Yanucay,Tomebamba and Machángara).
One of the highlights are the beau-tiful handicrafts that can be foundthroughout the city, includingembroidered blouses, woolsweaters, gold and silver filigreejewelry and weavings with tie-dyedpatterns called ikat. Cuenca is alsoknown for its elegant ceramic dish-es and pottery. Crafts and freshproducts can be found on sale atthe weekly Thursday fair, or thesmaller Saturday market, located atthe plazas of 9 de Octubre and 10de Agosto.
A leading industry in Cuenca and itssurrounding areas is the manufactureof straw hats. A common miscon-ception among many people is thePanama hat. Originally made in
A CulturalTreasure inthe Andes
Ecuadorians consider Cuenca themost charming city, located in apeaceful and relaxing setting. Asyou enter the city you can enjoy theoutstanding skyline marked by shin-ing church domes. Cuenca’s cob-blestone streets, winding rivers,graceful ironwork balconies, andbeautiful gardens are part of thepleasant atmosphere of this histori-cal city. UNESCO declared Cuenca aWorld Cultural Heritage Site inDecember 1999.
The city was first called“Guapondelig”, which in the Cañarilanguage means “a plain as big as
the sky”. The Cañaris were theindigenous group that lived in theregion before the arrival of the Incas.In the last decades of the XV centu-ry, the Incas built the city of“Tumipamba” (“Tumi” meaningridge and “pamba” meaning plain),over this Cañari settlement. Thiscity was located along the Incahighway that joined Cusco withQuito. When the Spanish arrived,they called the city “Tomebamba”.Finally, it was baptized as the city of“Santa Ana de los Cuatro Ríos deCuenca” (Santa Ana of the FourRivers of Cuenca). Cuenca stands8,315 feet above sea level, it is thecapital of the Azuay province andthe third largest city in Ecuador.
The colonial past from the days ofthe Spanish Empire are ever presentin the artistry of the churches, con-vents and religious treasures. Manyof the beautiful houses are found
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF VICTOR LARCO ALDAZPHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF VICTOR LARCO ALDAZ
105
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 105
Hermano Miguel streets. Visitinghours: Monday - Friday: 9h00-13h00 and 14h30 – 18h00.Saturday 10h00-12h00.
LAS CONCEPTAS MUSEUMHere you will find a great collectionof religious art. It exhibits 64 paint-ings, and more than 200 sculptures,toys, furniture and other samples ofcraftsmanship.Address: 633 Hermano Miguel St. Visiting hours: Monday to Friday:9h00 -13h00 and 14h30- 18h30Saturday 10h00-13h00. Admissionfee: US$ 2.
MODERN ART MUSEUMHolding a permanent collection ofcontemporary art, there are alsomany artistic activities available forchildren. The museum additionallyhosts the Biannual InternationalPainting Competition.It is located on 1527 Calle Sucre andCoronel Talbot. Visiting hours:Mondays thru Fridays, 9h00 - 13h00and 15h00 – 19h30. Saturdays andSundays 9h00 - 13h00. Free admission.Phone: 283 1027 / 282 0838.
ESQUELETOLOGÍA MUSEUMBolívar 6-57 & Borrero streets.Visiting hours: Monday-Friday:10h00 -13h00 / 16h00-19h00.Saturday 10h00 - 14h30. Entrancefee is $1,50. Phone: 2821150.
NATIVE CULTURES MUSEUMThis museum was built as a homageto the Ecuadorian indigenous cul-tures and their 15,000 years of exis-tence. It holds archaeological piecesfrom the first indigenous civilizationsin Ecuador up to those that lived inthe XVI century, in more than 5,000impressive pieces. The museum works in a one-floorantique house that is a cultural-architectonic heritage of the city,built in the XVIII century. In the backof the house one finds this museum,with a private collection that belongsto Dr. Juan Cordero. There are guidesin English, as well as the explanationof the pieces.
Montecristi, on the coast of Ecuador,the hats were sent north to the work-ers of the Panama Canal and hencethe name Panama hat.
INTERESTING SITESEL BARRANCOThe riverfront of the Tomebamba Riveris the most symbolic site of Cuenca,and serves as the border between thehistorical and the modern city.
The Classical Republican style of thefacades of the constructions thatsurround the river give a special per-sonality to the city. El Barranco is aresidential area, as well as a culturaldistrict. The Pumapungo Ruins, theCentral Bank and Remigio CrespoToral Museums, the “Todos losSantos” vestiges, and other sitesalong this riverfront offer cultural andartistic exhibits.
PUMAPUNGO VESTIGESLocated at the left margin of ElBarranco, the Pumapungo (“Puma’sDoor”) neighborhood was the firstdeveloped zone of the Inca city ofTumipamba. The architectural ele-ments of the vestiges of this neigh-borhood show that it was mainly areligious, military, political andadministrative center. The vestigesof Pumapungo include walls, chan-nels, cobblestone corridors, isolated
enclosed areas, an enormous chan-nel, 1,050 feet of length, with someinternal bathrooms, a mausoleumwithin a tunnel, etc. All this is sur-rounded by terraces that were usedfor agriculture. This archaeologicalcomplex is complemented with gar-dens of native plants and a smalldisplay of birds of the region. It ispart of the Central Bank Museum,located on Huayna Capac Ave.across from Calle Larga.
It also includes an archeological muse-um, a numismatic museum (coins),and a very didactical and up-to-dateethnographic display. Visiting hoursMonday thru Friday 9h00 -17h00.Saturdays 9h00 -13h00. Entrance feeis $3 for adults and $1.50 for children /students / special groups.
THE RUINS OFTODOS LOS SANTOSFollow the Todos Los Santos Streetdown the hill. This site has ruins ofCañari, Incan and colonial Spanishconstructions. Here you will find thefour Incas stonework niches.
CIDAP ARTES POPULARESDE AMERICA MUSEUMThis museum is devoted to thehandicrafts of South America. It con-tains art, crafts and beautiful folklorepieces on temporary exhibitions.Address: 3 de Noviembre and
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF VICTOR LARCO ALDAZ
106
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 106
that belong to the original construc-tion. Priests’ garmets are on exhibit.What calls more the attention arelife-size sculptures of Jesus and his12 apostles, which were manufac-tured in the year 1900 by theCuencan artist Pablo Luis Alvarado.The pieces are light weight becausethey were used for processions.
The pulpit’s handrail is worth admir-ing because it has the shape ofhuman ribs to symbolize Jesus’ pas-sion. It was done by the Cuencansculpturer Sangurima (XIX C).
What also calls one’s attention is the“Piedad”, a copy of the original byMiguel Angel in Rome, done by theCuencan sculpturer José MiguelVélez in the XIX C.
The organ from the back was brought from Germany in 1739.
Open Monday thru Friday from 9h00to 13h00 and from 13h30 to 17h50.Weekends from 10h00 to 13h00.Admission fee: $2Address: corner of Mariscal Sucre &Luis Cordero. Phone: 2834636.
CATHEDRAL OF THEIMMACULATE CONCEPTION(NEW CATHEDRAL)This Cathedral’s construction beganin 1880, and is one of the largest ofAmerica. The Cathedral is made of
Address: Calle Larga 5-24 (7121 &Luis Cordero) / Phone: 283 9181/2841540. Open Monday- Friday8h30-18h00, weekends from 9h00-15h00. Admission fee: $2.
EDUARDO VEGA’S WORKSHOP AND GALLERYOn the hill of Turi, overlooking thecity, 10 minutes by car from down-town Cuenca, is a beautiful placewhere the reknowned Ecuadorianartist Eduardo Vega has his house,workshop and gallery. Visitors canadmire his latest creations in artisticceramics, ranging from mugs,plaques, jewelry, and plates as wellas wonderful murals that show thelushness of the Ecuadorian land-scape & traditional costumes. Youcan also find good books and com-plimentary coffee and biscuits.Open: Mon-Fri 9h00 -17h30, Sat9h30- 13h30.
LA ESQUINA DE LAS ARTES
Is a commercial and cultural centerfor the promotion of the arts.Distinguished designers, artists andartisans have gathered to reveal thedifferent processes involved in thecreation of their products, whichinclude ceramics, wood crafts, tex-tiles, glass, embroidery, jewelrystraw hats and fashion accessories.
Open Monday thru Saturday from10h00 thru 19h30, Sunday from10h00 to 14h00. Address: ElBarranco / Av. 12 de Abril y AgustinCueva. Phone: 099978966. OnSaturdays from 17h00 to 18h00enjoy live music and folkloric dance.www.laesquinadelasartes.com
THE SAGRARIO CHURCH (OLD CATHEDRAL)It is one of the oldest churches inLatin America (1557). Inca blocksfrom the Pomango Palace were usedin its construction. It has marblefloors and a gold-leaf altar. TheGeodesic Mission used this place asa reference point to calculate theEarth’s circumference.
It does not serve as a Cathedral since1981, and now houses a religiousmuseum. You can ask for a guide atthe entrance for an explanation of thedetails. You can observe part of theoriginal frescos, as well as somemetal friezes brought from France
107
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 107
alabaster and marble. Its floor ismade of pink marble imported fromCarrara, Italy. Both Romance andBaroque styles are prominent in itsarchitecture. The stained-glass win-dows stand out for their beauty. Address: corner of Mariscal Sucre &Benigno Malo.
CHURCH AND MONASTERY OF“EL CARMEN DE ASUNCIÓN”Both have been preserved in theiroriginal XVII century condition. Aremarkable treasury of religious artpieces can be found here. TheMonastery is closed to the public,but one can communicate with thenuns at the entrance and buy tradi-tional handicrafts they produce. It islocated near the main square, to theright of the daily flower market.
FLOWER MARKETIt is open every day. Most of thevendors are cholas cuencanas. Themarket is a demonstration of thenatural richness of the areathroughout the year.
TODOS LOS SANTOS CHURCHThis is one of the oldest churches inCuenca. It is also where the firstCatholic mass was celebrated afterthe Spaniards arrived. The statue ofSanta Ana, patron saint of the city, isfound here.
During the end of the XIX century, itwas replaced with the church thatcurrently stands. Address: corner ofCalle Larga and Bajada de Todos LosSantos.
MUSEUM OF THE CONCEPTASThe museum is located in amonastery that dates back to the XVIcentury. It was one of the fist monas-teries that were founded in the city ofCuenca, 42 years after the founda-tion of the city. Its interior gardensare beautiful and peaceful. Currently,the museum holds several exhibitrooms where one finds Nativityscenes, religious pieces and colo-nial time furniture. Many of thepaintings had didactical purposes
for the “unfaithful of the New World”.The Christ sculptures belong to thesculpturer Sangurima, who lived inCuenca at the end of the XIX centu-ry. They have the left over the rightfoot, characteristic of this author’sChrist figures. Also in exhibit is aroom that tells of life in a monastery,close to where a cloister still works.
Address: Hermano Miguel 633 &Juan Jaramillo.Museum open Monday thru Fridayfrom 9h00 - 18h30 and Saturdaysfrom 10h00 - 13h00. Admission fee:$2.50 adults, $1.50 children.Phone: 2830625.
HANDICRAFTS ROUTEPOTTERYA place where potters still congre-gate to work is the “Convención del45”, located at the west side of thecity, on the outskirts of the colonialcask area.
JEWELRYA very important handicraft in thisarea because Cuenca is locatedclose to gold and silver mines.Jewelry shops are located along the“Gran Colombia” street.
WEAVINGSSeveral artisans in Cuenca are dedi-cated to manufacturing traditionalclothing such as ponchos, skirts,flannels, dresses, embroideredblouses, wool sweaters and weavingswith tie-dyed patterns called “ikat”.
BASKET SEWINGBaskets and other utilitarian prod-ucts are displayed mainly in the SanJoaquin Parish.
SMITHYThe workers keep the tradition ofworking the iron directly with firealive. The smithy neighborhood is arecommended place to visit.
TINSMITH’SOn the way up to the “Vado” areasome tinsmith’s workshops can befound. The products have designsthat tell of the blend of cultures thatcharacterizes Cuenca.
TOQUILLA STRAW HATSMost of the “cholas cuencanas” thatlive in Cuenca and its surroundingsstill wear these hats with a black hat-band. Toquilla straw hat workshopscan be found on the way up to the“Vado” area.
COJITAMBOCOJITAMBO
108
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 108
CUENCA’SSURROUNDINGSBeyond Cuenca and its cultural andarchitectonic charms, there are manyplaces to visit nearby. Wonderfulnature as well as small towns andparishes that seem stuck in time,reminding us of their early inhabi-tants: the Cañaris and later the Incas.
CAJAS NATIONAL PARKCajas is located 19 miles northwestof Cuenca, at an altitude of 9,000 to13,000 feet above the sea level. Thisis a place for those who love thegreat outdoors. Some of the manythings to do and see are camping,fishing, hiking miles of trails througha scenic preserve, and enjoyingmore than 230 lagoons of glacialorigin. A guided tour of the areaallows one to admire a breathtakinglandscape and unique fauna andflora. Warm clothing is recommend-ed due to the low temperatures(32°F - 47°F).
COJITAMBOApproximately 30 miles from the cityof Cuenca, surrounded by anextraordinary landscape, are theruins of Cojitambo. These construc-tions belonged to the Cañari indige-nous group, who lived in the areabefore the arrival of the Incas. Theruins lay at approximately 10,000feet above sea level.
BAÑOSOnly 5 miles East of Cuenca, youcan find soothing hot spring waters.These thermal waters of volcanicorigin reach the surface with a tem-perature of 158°F and cool down to95°F -104°F.
GUALACEOThis is a subtropical valley, approxi-mately 22 miles away from Cuencatowards the Azogues town. At “ElDescanso” take a right to reachGualaceo. This town is known for itshandicrafts, folklore and a beautifulriver where you can go for a swim.
CHORDELEGLocated 10 minutes from Gualaceo,it is a pre-Incan town where impor-tant archaeological objects can befound. This brilliant culture inhabitedthe area between the years 500 and1500 BC. The artisans offer Ikat pon-chos, pottery, straw hats and jewelry.
This is the place to buy the finestgold and silver filigree at a very rea-sonable price. There is also anexcellent ethnographic museum inthe square in an old courtyard house,where you can see weavers at workand find good shawls, scarves, beltsand embroidery for sale.
NABÓNThis little town is located an hourand a half south of Cuenca in acharming valley. Colorful fields wel-come visitors to a place where peo-ple are always polite and joyful. TheDuma-Para Cañari Ruins are locatedcloseby. This was the place wherethe Cañari Chief Duma was defeatedby the Incas, who then susequentlyruled the land.
At Nabón one also finds the tradition-al Ecuadorian Tequila or Chahuar - mishqui, a very tasty alcoholic drinkthat is produced in an artisan way bylocals. Another attraction at this siteare fine handicrafts made of reed.
OÑAOña is located 103 km south west ofCuenca, 7,870 ft above sea level. Mayis a special month at this site as theSan Felipe Festival takes place on the3rd and the celebration of the town’sestablishment takes place on the 10th.
One of Oña's highlights is the parishof Susudel where people are mostlydedicated to agriculture and handi-crafts. There is a gallery where skill-ful ladies exhibit clothes and otherhandicrafts made of recycled mate -rials and natural textiles.
Susudel has a XVIII Century church,as well as a colonial house thatserves as a Cultural Center wherechildren learn information scienceand have access to the Internet. It’scalled the “House of Paris,” after itslast owner who was French.
NABÓN
109
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 109
67
49
50
57
59
61
36
7874
Esquina de las Artes ShoppingEsquina de las Artes Shopping
VESTIGES 29. The Ruins of Todos los Santos 30. Pumapungo Vestiges
MUSEUMS1. Modern Art2. Casa de la Cultura3. CIDAP Artes Populares4. Remigio Crespo Toral5. Medicine History6. Toquilla Straw Museum-Homero Ortega7. Esqueletologia8. Las Conceptas9. Central Bank10. Native Cultures11. Agustin Landivar Museum12. Folklore Institute13. Cañari Identity Museum
CHURCHES14. New Cathedral15. Old Cathedral16. San Alfonso17. La Merced18. Las Conceptas19. Todos los Santos20. El Vergel21. San Blas22. Santo Domingo23. San Francisco24. Santo Cenáculo25. San Sebastián26. Corazón de Jesús27. María Auxiliadora28. Turi
HANDICRAFTS31. Casa de la Mujer32. Plaza Rotary33. Mama Kinua Cultural Center34. San Francisco35. Plaza del Otorongo36. Ceramics37. Concuero (Leather Goods)38. Homero Ortega (Toquilla Straw Hats)39. Typical Clothing40. Smithery60. Esquina de las Artes Shopping
PARKS 41. Abdón Calderón 42. Plazoleta Victor J. Cuesta 43. Carlos Cueva Park 44. Luis Cordero Park 45. Mary Corile Park 46. San Blas Park 47. Plazoleta de las Monjas 48. María Auxiliadora Park 49. San Sebastián Park 50. Plazoleta de Cruz del Vado 51. El Paraíso Park 52. Parque de la Madre
OTHERS53. Post Office54. Land Terminal55. Airport56. Milenium Plaza Shopping Center57. Mall del Rio58. 9 de Octubre Movie Theater59. Parroquia Baños60. Esquina de las Artes Shopping
61. And E. Vega Gallery62. Cuenca Municipality63. Azuay Province Government64. Tourism Ministry65. Planetarium66. Amaru Zoo
66
110
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 110
69 7680
41
42
48
51
52
65
56
43
44
45
46 47
77
38
54
39
60
40
37
79
68
71
6
72
73
33
70 81
7553
63
58
62
66
HOTELS67. Oro Verde68. Crespo69. San Juan70. Victoria
FOOD & DRINKS75. Akelarre76. El Pedregal Azteca Restaurant77. Villa Rosa Restaurant78. El Tucuman79. El Jardín Restaurant80. Restaurante Cuatro Ríos
TOURISM INFORMATION81. The Travel Center
71. Carvallo72. Posada del Angel73. Inca Real74. Hosteria Durán
111
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 111
Phone: (593 -7) 409 0000Fax: (593-7) 409 0001
www.oroverdehotels.com / www.oroverdecuenca.com
112
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 112
PREMIUM HOTELS - CUENCA
113
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 113
Padre Aguirre 10-44 next to the Cuenca ParkPhone: 07 2850521 // Cel: 099496281
Calle Larga 693 y Borrero Phone: 2831120/2827401 Fax: 2832340 e-mail: [email protected] / www.grupo-santaana.com Cuenca Ecuador
114
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:16 Page 114
Direcciòn:
Estèvez de Toral 8-91
y Simon Bolivar
Telèfono:
2826233
E-mail:
iòDi
RESTAURANTS & PREMIUM SERVICES - CUENCA
115
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:17 Page 115
LOJA
large portion of the year, but also hasa gothic church dedicated to her, 43miles from the city.
ATTRACTIONS IN LOJAMAIN SQUAREThe buildings of the main civil andecclesiastic authorities: theProvincial and City Governments,the Episcopal House and theCathedral surround the plaza.Although the original architectureof most of these buildings has beenmodified, they still portray a tasteof the Spanish legacy. The buildingthat houses the Central BankMuseum still preserves its originalarchitecture.
CENTRAL BANK MUSEUMThis museum is most interesting. Itholds an archeological display
History and Botanic CenterThere are two daily flights from Quitoto Loja, overlooking the avenue ofthe volcanoes. One can also take abus from the city of Cuenca for a 4-hour drive with a breathtaking view,but through a winding road. The air-port is located at “La Toma” in theCatamayo valley, 15.5 miles awayfrom the city; an approximately 40minute drive. You can share a taxi tothe city that will charge $12. Thebuses arrive in the center of the city.
The city of Loja stands 6,724 feetabove sea level, with an averagetemperature of 60 to 69 Fahrenheit.
Colorful and lively, with a smallpopulation of approximately150,000 the city has an active cul-tural life and several universities.
Two rivers cross through Loja:Malacatos and Zamora, which give aunique personality to the city. It is oneof the cleanest and safest cities inEcuador. The city has streets, plazas,churches and monasteries from colo-nial times, such as the Cathedral andthe Santo Domingo, San Franciscoand San Sebastian churches.
Most Lojanos are extremely religious.It is common to find religious pro-cessions at the Main Plaza, or some-times even popular bands and fire-works. Lojanos are especially devot-ed to the “Virgen del Cisne” (Virginof the Swan), a sculpture by theEcuadorian Diego de Robles (XVI C),which is kept at the Cathedral for a
PHOTO BY ESTEBAN YEROVIPHOTO BY ESTEBAN YEROVI
116
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:17 Page 116
(mainly of the Macara and Catamayocultures), religious art of the XVIIIcentury, an ethnographic exhibit onthe Saraguros, and a small displayon the history and uses of the “quin-ina” plant. The museum also housestemporary exhibits on the first floor,and there is a concert every month.Open Monday thru Friday from 9h00thru 17h00. Free admission. Phone: 2573 004 / 2566 651.
LOURDES STREETA stroll through this street sets you inan old colonial city, especiallybetween Bolivar and Sucre streets.Observe the well preserved woodenbalconies, interior patios, cobble-stone streets… and stop by at thesmall shops where you can find a lit-tle of everything, including handi-crafts. Visit the “Cera” neighborhoodto observe the production of ceramichandicrafts.
MUSEO DE LA MÚSICALocated at Bernardo Valdivieso 09-42 y Rocafuerte. This museum dis-plays musical instruments, notes,pictures and awards of nationallyfamous musicians from Loja. Open
Monday thru Sunday from 8h30 to12h30 and from 15h00 to 19h00.Free admission. Phone: 2561342.
BOTANICAL GARDENAt the South of the city you can finda Botanical Garden that is the onlybotanical garden at 6,560 feet abovesea level in the inter-Andean region.It is over 50 years old and holdsmore than 1.000 plant species. Open Monday thru Friday 8h00-18h00 and Saturdays 9h00 - 18h00.
MALACATOS VALLEYRight to the south of the city, thecharming Malacatos town holds col-orful wooden houses that surround amain square where live music isplayed every Sunday. At this site youcan visit a sugar cane “molienda”.The “moliendas” are open Mondaythru Friday and you can observe theworkers throughout the whole processof manufacturing of raspadura (sugarscraping), using the same machinerythat has been used for generations.
On the way to Vilcabamba, observea hill in the shape of a “sleepingInca”. This hill is called Mandango,
and is believed to have been sacredfor the Incas.
VILCABAMBA VALLEYThis charming valley (at 4,921 ft.)located approximately 1 hour Southfrom Loja city (25 miles) hasbecome a favorite spot for tourists,especially young adventurers ontheir way to or from Peru. The nameVilka Bamba or Huilcopamba means“Sacred Valley” in the indigenoustongue Quechua. This site wasreserved by the Incas for the mainnoble authorities, as it is a peacefuland quiet place. Perhaps this tran-quility is the reason for the old age ofthe valley’s inhabitants. It is com-mon to find healthy people of over100 years of age that live here andstill work in agriculture.
Many investigations have been madeto determine the reason for thelongevity of Vilcabamba’s inhabitants,and some factors have been identified:temperate weather, a water rich inminerals, a diet low in fat and high infiber and magnesium, the peaceful-ness of the valley and extensivephysical activity.
117
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:17 Page 117
1 Puerta de la Ciudad.
2 Parque Simón Bolívar - The Simón Bolivar Park.
3 Iglesia de San Francisco - San Francisco's Church.
4 Museo Matilde Hidalgo de Procel - Matilde Hidalgo de Procel museum.
5 Plaza Central o Plaza Mayor de Loja - The Central Square or The largest square of Loja.
6 Iglesia Catedral - Cathedral Church.
Artesanías Handicraft Monumento Monument
Iglesia Church Museo Museum
Información Information Teléfono Telephone
Información turística Tourist information
HISTORICAL AND CULTURALROUTE OF LOJA CITY
People that suffer from heart diseasemove to Vilcabamba to imitate thelifestyle of its inhabitants.
From Vilcabamba you can arrangehorse and bicycle excursionsthroughout the valley or in the near-by access to the PodocarpusNational Park. The Municipality hasopened an information office at thecorner of the main park.
PODOCARPUSNATIONAL PARKThis National Park is located 11miles South of Loja city. The parkwas named after a tree species com-monly known as “Romerillo”(Podocarpus montanus). This is a
gigantic Coniferous that has adaptedto the tropical Andean forests. Thesetrees can reach a height of 131 ft.and live up to 1.000 years. ThePodocarpus or Romerillos is in dan-ger of extinction because of the overexploitation of its valuable wood.Now the trees can be found at theSabanilla region near Loja and at thePodocarpus National Park.
Podocarpus NP holds 3,000 – 4,000plant species and more than 600 birdspecies (including Macaws, Cock ofthe Rock, hummingbirds, toucans,tangaras, etc). It holds endemic birdspecies such as the Jocotoco Antpitta(Grallaria ridgelyi).The park has anarea of 361,452 acres, and has sever-
118
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:17 Page 118
7 Museo Arqueológico, Histórico y Colonial del Banco Central - The Archaeological, Historical and Colonial Museum of the Central Bank.
8 Museo de Arte Religioso de las Madres Concepcionistas - The Religious art museum of the “Madres Conceptas”.
9 Museo de la Música - Museum of Music.
10 Plaza e Iglesia de Santo Domingo - Santo Domingo Church and Square
11 Plaza de la Independencia o San Sebastián - The Independence Square or San Sebastián Square
12 Iglesia de San Sebastián - San Sebastian Church.
13 Calle Lourdes - Lourdes Street.
al different ecosystems that rangefrom the Paramo or moorlands at12,073 ft, down to the low mountainforest at 2,952 ft, passing through theevergreen high-mountain and moun-tain forests. Among the plant speciesare: bromeliads, orchids and ferns, aswell as the Mascarilla Chincho-na, theCecropias or Guarumos (Cecropiasp.), and bamboo (Chusquea sp.)
From “El Refugio” it is possible tofollow any of the four followingtrekking routes: “Spectacled Bear”437 yards, “Cloud Forest” 765yards, “View Point” 1 mile or 3miles, up to Sabanilla at 11,482 ft.,and “Compadres Lagoon” 9 mileswhere you can find a fluvial system
made up of 105 lagoons, 3 of whichare easily accessible.
From the Podocarpus NP headingtowards the Zamora province, youwill encounter impressive hill forma-tions, created through a process ofwind and water erosion.
Open every day. The entrance fee tothe park is $10 and $5 for childrenunder 12. It is better to hire a guidein Loja, since there is no informationoffered at the park’s entrances.Phone: 3024837.
TAPICHALACA RESERVEA special site for birdwatchers hasbeen built in the Tapichalaca
Reserve that belongs to theJocotoco Foundation. Tapichalacahas an area of 9,386 acres. It bor-ders the Podocarpus National Parkand is located right nexto to theLoja-Zamora Province border. It isnamed after the Tapichalaca hill.Jocotoco is the common name of abird species (Grallaria ridgelyi)that was recently discovered(1997) at this site. This birdspends more time “walking” on thebushes than flying, and makes asound similar to a dog bark. Thereare bird feeders surrounding thehouse at the entrance to thereserve, where an amazing diversi-ty of hummingbirds of all colorsand sizes welcome visitors.
119
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:17 Page 119
Rainfall is seasonal and results inmajor changes for the living organ-isms. Disturbances also add to thehigh dynamics of this ecosystem.
Many hypotheses have been made toexplain the impressively high diversi-ty in tropical rain forests, and eachprovides an insight to better under-stand this complex ecosystem. Thecompetition for resources has ledorganisms to adapt to unique niches,
At first glance, the rain forest is a vastgreen wilderness. However, when oneobserves carefully, this ecosystem isfull of surprises for its visitors. Notonly is each tree very different from thenext, but also for every tree, there arehundreds of other plant and animalspecies in constant interaction.Tropical rain forests occupy 7% of theEarth’s surface, but they hold 50% ofthe world’s biodiversity (Myers 1988;Wilson 1988). These forests are foundin Central America, Africa and Asia,but the biggest area extends through-out the South American Amazon.
To truly take advantage of the rainforest, one must awaken all fivesenses to discover how exotic lifeforms have evolved to live togetherin a minimal amount of land. Theembracing sounds tell of the variousbirds and insects that keep this livingforest in constant change. One mustcarefully observe the many other ani-mal and plant species, as they haveamazing color and texture adapta-tions that can be easily confusedwith the scenery. The various smellstell of the chemicals that the plantshave developed as a defense fromherbivores, and many serve inmedicinal use for humans.
In contrast to what one may think, thesoil of the rain forest is not fertile.The nutrients that supply this exu-
berant ecosystem are the product ofa constant interaction between theliving and dying organisms on thesurface. Decomposition is vital tothe dynamics of the forest. Thus, it isimportant to preserve this ecosystemin its entirety.
The temperature in tropical rainforests is quite stable, with a variationbetween day and night. However, thisecosystem is far from being stable.
120
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:17 Page 120
ties are offered by our sponsors.Contact them to immerse yourself ina splendor of life and discover a dif-ferent way to look at the world!
CLIMATE:The climate is precisely the one youwould expect form the rainforest –hot and humid, with plenty of rain.April to July are the wettest months,but you can expect cloudbursts mostdays throughout the year, especiallyduring the early afternoon.
Typical daytime temperatures fluc-tuate around 25ºC (77ºF), eventhough daily highs can reach over32ºC (90ºF).
thus resulting in a number of special-ized and interdependent organisms.
The overwhelming complexity of theforest makes one wonder about theancestral knowledge of the indige-nous inhabitants. These cultureshave passed their knowledge fromgeneration to generation as a way tokeep the secrets hidden in this mag-ical site.
In Ecuador, the East of the Andesfalls into this exuberant ecosystem.Locally the Amazonia is calledOriente, as it lies on the eastern sideof the country. It occupies almosthalf of Ecuador’s territory, however,
it is home to less than five percent ofthe country’s population.
The Ecuadorian Amazon region isbasically divided into NorthernOriente (Sucumbios, Napo andOrellana provinces) and SouthernOriente (Pastaza, Morona Santiagoand Zamora Chinchipe provinces).
The Ecuadorian rainforest is home tonine natural reserves, including thetwo largest mainland protectedareas, Parque Nacional Yasuni andthe Reserva Faunistica Cuyabeno.
Opportunities to visit primary forestsand to interact with local communi-
WHAT TO BRING:• CASUAL AND LIGHT LONG SLEEVE
SHIRTS AND LONG PANTS (BECAUSEOF THE INSECTS AND THE BOUNTI-FUL VEGETATION)
• HIKING OR COMFORTABLE SHOES • BATHING SUIT • RUBBER BOOTS & RAIN PONCHO
(ALTHOUGH MOST FACILITIES HAVERUBBER BOOTS IN SEVERAL SIZESAND RAIN PONCHOS AVAILABLE FORTHEIR GUESTS)
• SUNSCREEN LOTION• INSECT REPELLENT• A HAT• A BACKPACK• A FLASHLIGHT WITH EXTRA BATTERIES• BINOCULARS• CAMERA• WATERPROOF BAGS FOR YOUR
BELONGINGS• CASH (BANKING FACILITIES ARE
POOR IN THE ECUADORIAN ORIENTE)• EMERGENCY SUPPLIES: MOST
LODGES OFFER FIRST-AID KITS, BUTYOU MIGHT WANT TO CARRY YOURPERSONAL KIT. IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO INSECTS,DO NOT FORGET THE NECESSARYMEDICATIONS IN CASE YOU MIGHTFACE A CRISIS
• ORIGINAL PASSPORT (REQUIRED ATSOME SPOTS AT THE ECUADORIANAMAZONIA)
• VACCINATIONS AND MEDICINES:IT IS RECOMMENDED TO CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN TO GETTHE MOST UPDATED INFORMATIONAND ADVICE. FOR SOME SITES DEEPWITHIN THE RAINFOREST, YOU MIGHT BE REQUESTED A YELLOW-FEVERVACCINATION. YOU MAY ALSO WANTTO TAKE MALARIA PILLS; CONSULTYOUR DOCTOR.
HOW TO GET THERE:FLIGHTS ARE OFFERED TO THE FOL-LOWING CITIES:• COCA – CAPITAL OF THE ORELLANA
PROVINCE – ROUNTRIP FLIGHTAPROX. $120, SERVED BY THE LOCALAIRLINE TAME.
• LAGO AGRIO – CAPITAL OFSUCUMBIOS, THE NORTHERN-MOSTPROVINCE OF THE ECUADORIANAMAZONIA. THE CITY OF LAGOAGRIO IS NOW OFFICIALLY CALLEDNUEVA LOJA. TAME OFFERS DAILYFLIGHTS FOR APROX. $120ROUNDTRIP
• MACAS- CAPITAL OF THE MORONASANTIAGO PROVINCE. TWO LOCALAIRLINES OFFER THIS SERVICE:TAME AND SAEREO- ROUNDTRIPAPROX $140
* THE CITIES OF TENA AND PUYO CANBE EASILY REACHED BY LAND (A 3–6 HOURS DRIVE FROM QUITO).
IMPORTANT TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:17 Page 121
www.manateeamazonexplorer.com
Gaspar de Villarroel 1100 & 6 de Diciembre Edificio Ritz Plaza Esquina Phone: (593-2) 336-0887 / 336-0888 / 336-0889Fax: (593) 2-336-0774 email: [email protected]
INITIATIVE YASUNI- ITT“A Big Idea From a Small Country”
The Initiative Yasuní ITT is the insignia project of theEcuadorian Government in regards to the environ-ment. It aims to prevent the exploitation of an impor-tant oilfield in order to protect one of the richest areasin regards to biodiversity in the world, located in theEcuadorian Amazonia: the Yasuní National Park,declared a world biosphere reserve by UNESCO. Asole hectare in this Park holds more species than thewhole of North America! Moreover, properly conserv-ing the Yasuní Park would also allow the Tagaeri andTaromenane peoples to remain in voluntary isolation.
The Ishpingo-Tambococha- Tiputini oilfield holds areserve of approximately 850 million crude barrels.The exploitation of this material would mean theemission of 407 million tons of carbon dioxide.President Correa presented at the United NationsAssembly, in September 2007, the proposal to keepthe oil of the Yasuní-ITT field indefinitely in theground, if the international community contributeswith at least the 50% of the opportunity cost of oilextraction. For this purpose, a capital fund adminis-tered by the PNUD was created. The state is willingto assume the remaining share of the cost.
The fund’s capital will be invested in renewableenergy projects in Ecuador, taking advantage of thecountry’s vast hydroelectric, geothermal, wind andsolar potential. It will also be invested to promotesocial development in the Initiative’s zones of influ-ence, including health, education, training, techni-cal assistance and productive job creation in sus-tainable activities, such as ecotourism, agricultureand agro-forestry.
The voluntary contributions could come from: govern-ments of partner countries and international multilat-eral organizations, civil society organizations, sociallyand environmentally responsible private sector com-panies, and contributions from citizens worldwide.
For more information visit www.yasuni-itt.gob.ec
YOU CAN ALSO CONTRIBUTE!You can make your donations at: www.yasunisupport.org
FOR SALE
122
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:17 Page 122
PREMIUM LODGING - AMAZONÍA
123
Ecuador a click away
Learn about Ecuadorand book premiumservices
prvices
www.thisisecuador.com
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:17 Page 123
The Railway toDiscover EcuadorThe construction of the Ecuadorian rail-road began in the late XIX century, andby 1908 the stretch Quito- Guayaquilwas completed. Nowadays some ofthe tracks have been refurbished andoffer a unique way to discoverEcuador’s contrasting landscapes.We recommend that you visit theEloy Alfaro train station inChimbacalle (Quito). It includes amuseum (open Mon-Sun 8h30-16h00), and a cafeteria (open Mon-Sun 7h00- 19h00).
The train routes that are openat the moment are:
Machachi Festivo (FestiveMachachi) Quito- Machachi- QuitoItinerary: Thursday to Sunday andholidays/ Departure: 8h15Dist: 40 km / Duration: 1h 45 minExcursion Standard - Roundtrip $ 15Standard Plus- $20Surrounded by gorgeous landscapesand diverse ecosystems, this trainride ends at the fertile valley ofMachachi, where tourists can enjoy avariety of recreational activities in anumber of haciendas and lodges.
Páramo Infinito (Infinite Moor)Machachi- Boliche- MachachiDistance: 19 km/ Duration: 4 hours
Itinerary: Saturdays, Sundays andholidays / Departure: 10h45Excursion standard- $10Taking off from Machachi, this excur-sion enters the Cotopaxi NationalPark, crowned by the outstandingvolcano with the same name.
Camino al Boliche (On the wayto Boliche) Quito- Boliche- QuitoDistance: 59 km/ Duration: 8 hoursItinerary: Thursday to Sunday andholidays / Departure: 8h15Excursion standard- $20Standard plus- $25This excursion includes the com-plete journey from Quito to Boliche(a combination of the two mentionedabove).
Nariz del Diablo (Devil’s Nose)Alausí- Sibambe- AlausíItinerary: Tuesday to Sunday and hol-idays / Departures: 8h00 / 11h00 /15h00 / Dist: 12 km / Duration: 1 hExcursion Standard - Roundtrip $ 25Standard Plus- Roundtrip $35This route through striking Andeanlandscapes includes a zig zag rail-road that at the time of its construc-tion was one of the most demandingengineering works. Although short,the ride is fascinating!
Tren de la Libertad (Liberty Train)Ibarra- Salinas- IbarraItinerary: Wednesday to Sunday andholidays / Departures: 10h30
Dist: 30 km / Duration: 1 h 30 minExcursion Standard - Roundtrip $ 15 Express Travel (Autoferro Trip/ auto-guidance) - Roundtrip $ 6.50This fascinating journey crossesthrough a number of bridges andtunnels built by pickaxe and shovelthrough the mountains and hills. Inonly 30 km, one passes through avariety of contrasting landscapes,which are home to different cultures.
Sendero de los Arrozales(Ricefields Journey)Durán- Yaguachi- DuránItinerary: Thursday to Sunday andholidays / Departures: 9h00 / 13h15Dist: 22 km / Duration: 3 h 45 min Excursion Standard - Roundtrip $ 10Express Travel (autoguidance) -Roundtrip $ 3.50This is the only route that operatesin the Coast. Tourists are able toappreciate the local agriculturalproduction, as well as a variety ofbird species. The passengers arereceived by a dance and music pres-entation by the “montubios”, tradi-tional inhabitants of the region.
TICKET POINTSQuito: El Quinde Store / Venezuela &Espejo/ P: 2288696Guayaquil: Malecón & Calle AguirreYou can also make reservations andbook tickets at: www.ecuadorbytrain.comphone: 1-800- TRENES (873637)
ECUADORBY TRAIN
NARIZ DEL DIABLO (DEVIL’S NOSE)
124
TIE REVISTA 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 13:17 Page 124
SEPT
EMBE
R 2
012
www.thisisecuador.com
THE MOST COMPLETE GUIDE OF ECUADOR SINCE 1968
SEPT
EMBE
R 20
12TH
IS IS
ECU
ADOR
No 5
06
Portada 506_Layout 1 23/08/12 17:01 Page 1