abroadtravelingabroad

Must See to Believe! The Luxurious Textile Art of Otavalo

posted on : September 19, 2023

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 of the week. All works are on full display. Despite its small size, the country …

The Most Delicious and/or Unusual Dishes to Try in Ecuador

posted on : September 17, 2023

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 over medium heat until very tender, then mashed into dough, stuffed with cheese or pork, …

The Incredible Kichwa: Indigenous People of the Amazon Jungle

posted on : September 16, 2023

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 able to distinguish between their calls. Sunset Hikes We climb ten flights of stairs on …

Galapagos Paradise : Six Things to See on Isabela Island

posted on : September 13, 2023

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 the archipelago. Then a bus ride to Scalesia Lodge, situated in the highlands of Isabela …

Taste These Favorites: Delicious and Just Plain Weird Foods of Iceland

posted on : August 16, 2023

Iceland’s gastronomy is inventive. A function of it’s extreme climate, Norse/Irish influences, rich natural resources and creative food culture. Until very recently, fishing was the primary industry, now second only to tourism. Sheep outnumber the Icelandic population. Not a single citrus fruit can be grown but root vegetables are abundant. Winters are long, dark and cold and summers are brief and cool. Here are my top tasting recommendations if you’re …

Not to Miss! One Woman’s Lifetime Collection of Iceland’s Gems

posted on : August 12, 2023

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 family welcomes visitors to view their mother and grandmother’s life’s work. “Petra was sincere and …