Delhi is like no other place on earth. The capital of India and home to 20 million, all of whom crowd the streets, souk-like bazaars, sidewalks and roads day and night. There are no signs, no traffic rules, no order. The chaos is both overwhelming and glorious; a sensual assault. Dive in with a cycle […]
Delhi’s Cultural Cacophony: A Rich Feast of Sights, Sounds and Flavors Read More »
The Incas are noteworthy for their contributions to religion, architecture, and their famous network of roads throughout the region I recently visited in South America. The country’s name means “Equator” in Spanish, an abbreviation of the Spanish official name, República del Ecuador. Likely you’ve heard of Cusco, Machu Picchu, The Lost City of the Incas, The Sacred
Beating Heart of the Inca Empire: History of Ecuador’s People Read More »
The answer to this burning question is at the end of this post. Enjoy the visual feast until you get there…. The country ranks #2 to the world wide leader, the Netherlands, in the export of this flower. Here, roses grow longer, thicker and heartier stems, with larger buds and fuller blooms making them the
Where Can You Find the World’s Most Beautiful Roses? Read More »
I’ve visited many beautiful cathedrals but this one one stands apart from the rest for its incredible beauty and mind-boggling excesses! Competition Between Orders During the 16th century, religious orders were busy building churches in Quito. Franciscans, Dominicans, Augustinians and finally, Jesuits. Last in, the Jesuits were determined to build the MOST impressive church in
Be Dazzled! Don’t Miss Quito’s Shimmering Golden Cathedral Read More »
On a recent Saturday afternoon I visited market square in Otavalo, Ecuador, two hours from the larger city of Quito. Textile arts and fabric creation is integral to South American culture, especially in the Andean region. Here, indigenous vendors dress in traditional outfits in a comfortable, easy to navigate setting. Saturday is the biggest day
Must See to Believe! The Luxurious Textile Art of Otavalo Read More »
Let’s start with breakfast. And plantains or “platanos” which are an Ecuadorian culinary staple. Plantains are also used to prepare many popular street food dishes like emborrajados and platanos asados. But first thing in the morning, we start with Bolón de verde. Bolón de verde This classic Ecuadorian breakfast dish is made from green plantains fried
The Most Delicious and/or Unusual Dishes to Try in Ecuador Read More »
At sunset, the jungle comes alive just as the day’s blistering heat is fading. It signals with sound and movement. Black-masked capuchin monkeys crash through the palm canopy, flying recklessly overhead. Insects thrum, click and buzz. Then the birdsong. Kiskadees, caciques and tanagers harmonize with yellow billed toucans. Our Kichwa guide is the only one
The Incredible Kichwa: Indigenous People of the Amazon Jungle Read More »
Getting there is an odyssey of its own! A flight from Guayaquil to the Baltra Airport, water taxi to Santa Cruz Island, half an hour hike with backpacks to the speedboat dock, three hours on the waters to the small village of Puerto Villamil on Isabela. Largest of the Galapagos and considered the “gem” of
Galapagos Paradise : Six Things to See on Isabela Island Read More »
I wasn’t expecting “holy ground” when we stopped in the tiny town of Stöðvarfjörður (pop.184), tucked between Iceland’s eastern-most fjords and mountains. But that’s the way it felt. One woman’s collection of stones, cleaned and on display outside the home where she’d lived and raised four children. Where now ten years after her death, her
Not to Miss! One Woman’s Lifetime Collection of Iceland’s Gems Read More »
Filling the valley between the mountains with blue-white light. Vatnajökull Glacier in Iceland is the largest glacier in Europe, covering eight percent of Iceland’s landmass. This glacier looms in the distance. It appears to breathe, a living organism. I can imagine it shape-shifting under its own weight, a moving sea of many century’s old ice.
Blue is the Color! Iceland’s Monumental Glaciers Read More »