sábado, 26 de junio de 2010

Quito

Below, Quito looks like a large city inside the mountains. Quito is Ecuador’s capital and its main city. It offered lots of tourist attractive because of its culture, restaurants and interesting places to visit.

The churches and the downtown are the “european” part of Quito, but it doesn’t represent all our culture. We have also an “Indian” part that is hidden in the churches, this is called “barroco” . And is the mixture of two cultures reflected in the art. That’s Quito, that’s our churches, where next to Jesus you can find a sun, a moon (Indian gods).

Also in Amazonas avenue, you can find a really big variety of restaurant from all over the world, with Arabic, Asian, Japanese, Ecuadorian, Chinese, Amercian and Mexican food.

There are also many museums you can visit, Quito it’s a good alternative to know more about culture.

Cotacachi

It is located between Otavalo and Ibarra in the province of Imbabura. This little city earns a living from leather and wool crafts.

Most of the leather chackets and shoes- of a very high quality- are from Cotacachi, and every year people organized fashions shows. A big part of what is produce is exported to the United States.

Wanting to have an economic development- Cotacachi started the business of exporting flowers and products made of milk.
One touristic place is Cuicocha lake. This is a lake in side a volcanoes crater. When I went there, scared by the comments of my cousin, I didn’t go by boat to the lake.

The landscape its really amazing, inside the crater its the lake, and in the middle of it you can find an Island. There are lots of animals and a big variety of plants. There also you can find souvenirs and enjoy of the traditional food as frittata, yapingachos and corn.

Papallacta

Papallacta is located one hour from Quito. There you can enjoy a really amaizing climate and landscape. Papallacta its in the mountains, but theres a hot climate with mist.

Alternatives to chill out- hot springs, pools, spas, good restaurants- all of this can be found in Papallacta.
I have visited the hotel called: “Termas de Papallacta” its really good, with a big variety of pools, spa activities and a good restaurant with a big menu.

It’s a good chance to enjoy the nature, and also to care your health. The pools are of two kind, hot and cold, and its said that to help your bloodstream, your should first go to the hot pool, and then in the cold one, after that you should returned to the hot pool. The temperature variety helps your stream

The volcano water- called hot springs- helps to your health and most of the time is always warm. There are a big variety of prices, so, if you had the time, if you had the money, and if you want to chill out, you can visit Papallacta.

Baños

The complete name of the city its Baños of Holly water. Its located in the province of Tungurahua near Ambato city.

The waterfalls, the hot springs, the volcano and the tourist attractions, are all good reasons to visit Baños of Holly water.

The city has a population of more or less 18.000 persons. And there are lots of things to do, when I went there I was in the deal, hot springs or the spa, eat fruit or fish, go cycling or swimming.

Canyoning, trekking, or swing jump- all are high risk sports in Baños. Because of the waterfalls, there are lots of high risk sports, the city is improving the eco tourism, selling to the world the image of Ecuador’s nature and ecologic alternatives.

Theres also an hotel, which ownwer is from germany, he and his wife has built an hotel, where cabins are in the top of the trees, and its next to the water fall.

This is a good chance to relax, chill out, have fun and take some risks.

Ambato

Ambato is one of the most important cities in Ecuador, its located in Tungurahua province. Its very famous because of its carnival, which is celebrated every year.

In carnival, cities like Guaranda people celebrate by throw water; In Ambato flowers and fruits.
There are lots of parades and a festival with music, artist and dances. It’s a very cultural city because their traditions are still alive in each festival. There you can enjoy of the election of the queen of the city, the interparochial queen and catholic rites as the bread blessing.

One thing you will love about Ambato is: it´s gastronomy. There´s an important dish its cuy. In Some European countries cuys are pets, so tourist do not like so much to eat them, but I have tried and its really delicious.

Quito it’s a big city; Ambato a tiny one. Along it´s history, Ambato has been destroyed many times because of the earthquakes. The last earthquake was in 1949 and the city take 2 years, in honor to this perseverance of the people to rebuild their city, each year Ambato organize the party of flowers and fruits.

Now, lots of tourist goes to visit Tungurahua volcano, people sold volcanic rocks and pictures of the explosions. The person from the city has learned to be with the threat of an explosion.

Ambato is a cultural city that I recommend everyone to visit.

domingo, 20 de junio de 2010

Salinas

Salinas it’s located in the coastal part of Ecuador, years before it was part of Guayas province, but the people fight for the autonomy and made up a new province called “Santa Elena”, so now, they can manage their own resources.

Salinas has a beach, but the interesting part is that crossing the beach you have a very beautiful and developed city that earn a living from tourism and events of different kinds, for example surfing, tennis, concerts, fashion and yachts shows.

In Salinas there is a beach called chipipe, where most of people of Cuenca spend their vacations. In Salinas your have lots of alternatives; to have fun, bars, clubs, or just a moment to chill out.

You can also try traditional dishes as ceviche, shrimp rice, roasted shell and a lot of variety national and international gastronomy.

There are big hotels, and buildings, on the other hand you can find lots of museums and cultural alternatives.

Every year people have a big event called “Salinas Fashion Week”, where national and international designers show their work to the world. There are fashions shows and lots of parties.

Salinas it’s an important city that continues growing and attracting lots of tourists. You should visit it!

Cuenca

Cuenca it’s located in the mountain region of the country. It s known because of its historic center, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999.

Actually the city lives in the conflict of old versus modern, on the one hand they want to preserve its historic center, but on the other hand, people want more urban development in their city, for example: new buildings and better streets.

However, people are proud of their culture. For example the churches, the national “Catedral”, it’s the biggest church of the city, it has an European gothic style, but inside, the church it’s covered with beautiful paints and gold.

People still very close to their catholic traditions, all the days in the church some people leave a candle at the foot of the Virgin Mary or Jesus as a symbol of their devotion and faith.

Each December, to celebrate the born of Jesus, people organize an event called “Pase del niño” which consist on a representation of the story of Jesus. People wear costumes of Virgin Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, angels and to show the other part of the culture, the Indian part, people also wear traditional costumes of “chola cuencana” skirts called “polleras” whit folkloric blouses, shoes called “alpargatas”. And all together walk in the main street of the city singing traditional Christmas songs and it ends whit a pray in the church.

The food it’s really different from the northern part of Ecuador. In Cuenca they eat a grain called “mote” with scrambled eggs, that dish is called “dirty mote”. They also have a special soup called “caldo de patas” which is made whit pigs meat.

Cuenca has big variety of traditions and food. My family is from there.
I recommend you visiting the city: the museum, the “Cajas” national park and the history of a colonial modern city.

Manta

Manta is located in the costal part of Ecuador, in the province of Manabi. It’s a big city where people earn a living from tourist activities as: hotels, bars, restaurants, etc.

The main attraction are the beaches, among which we find “Murciélago”, “Tarqui” “San Lorenzo” and “Canoa”.

Murcielago is the most important beach; it’s located in the city and attracts lots of tourist. There you can find traditional dishes as ceviche, bollos and others made of verde. However, food, hotels, bars and restaurants are kind of expensive, but you can have other alternatives as Canoa.

Canoa it’s a beach near San Lorenza, were most of foreign people spend their vacations. It’s a very relaxed place, which it’s not crowded of people. Tourist there can surf and enjoy of traditional food or amercian one.

In Canoa there’s an ecologic restaurant which its walls are made of glass bottles, inside you can find games as “domino” and monopoly, so you can spend and enjoy your time better. The owner its an American guy that now lives in Canoa. There you can find hamburgers and pizza.
But the interesting thing of this place is the decoration, for example the seats are made of wood, and the tables also. The ash try and the curtains are made with shell.

San Lorenzo it’s a little city that for attract tourist they have a special law, which consist on capture all the thieves and burn them. People said that one of the reasons that foreign tourist have to not return to Ecuador its crime, so they have that law to protect their work and their families.

Its really interesting kwon how in little country you can find so much places, people and ways of thinking, cooking and living.

Guayaquil

Guayaquil it’s located in the coastal region of the country, next to the Pacific Ocean. It’s the biggest city of Ecuador whit the biggest amount of population.

The name becomes from a traditional legend that said that a “shaman” called Guayas, and his wife: Quil, were an example of indigenous resistance against the Spanish conquest. This oral tradition has been passed from generation to generation, and is now part of our history and represents the name of the city.

Guayaquil has always been known as a commercial city. It’s the most important port of the country. Most of the people there earn a living by making business: buying or selling things.

One part of the city that has been growing in the last ten years is tourism. The government has invested a lot in infrastructure and the restoration of the city, they built the Malecon 2000, as principal attraction, there are also full neighborhood's restored for example: las Peñas. All of these has given a new face to the city and have attracted many visitors from home and foreigners.

How ever Guayaquil it’s a beautiful city with a warm climate, its heart is the people. The people there its known for been very talkative, cheerful, generous and warm especially with those who visit their city.

About the food, there are coastal dishes made up whit verde and yucca. They cook balls made of verde and hot cheese, shrimp or fish inside. But there is also restaurants that offers different food, for example, when I visit Guayaquil I eat a sandwich of turkey, bacon, with walnut, celery and apple. It was delicious.

Guayaquil it’s a city with lots of things to do, lots of dishes to try and lots of people to know.

domingo, 6 de junio de 2010

Ibarra

Ibarra its a city in the northern part of Ecuador, it’s also called “the white city” because all the houses are that color.

There its an amazing landscape to take lots of beautiful pictures. There you can visit not only the down town, you can also go to San Pablo Lake, theres a wonderful places surrounded by nature. There are also some hotels where you can go to rest the holyday. “Cabañas del lago” is one hotel in which you can do water sports, sleep in cabins.

There are also some restaurants that offer traditional food as fritada, which is red meat prepared by Otavalo women, its served whit corn, mote and yapingachos, which is made of mashed potatoes.

The traditional desert from the place is “helados de paila”, which is an ice cream made of fruit. There are different flavors as: blackberry, milk, chocolate, and flavors of Ecuador as: passion fruit or lemon.

Visiting Ibarra its an amaizing experience, you can also learn more about our culture, everywhere you can find crafts and lots of things made by hand and materials of the place.

domingo, 30 de mayo de 2010

Esmeraldas

“Green province” another name for Esmeraldas, its located in the northern part of Ecuador. The name given it’s because of its wonderful nature. The people of Esmeraldas earn a living from fishing and tourism.

The most important beaches are: Atacames, Ton Supa, Sua and Same.
In Atacames you can find a big variety of hotels, otherwise, most of people of Quito prefer going to Ton Supa or Same. There are lots of tourists attractive as hotels, the cobachas, which are cabins, in front the sea, made of reed and bamboo. There you can find traditional cocktails whit alcohol and fruits, for example: “piña colada” “caipiriña” “sex and the city” or an ice cream served in a pineapple. On holidays there are a lot of people, so the cobachas put a lot of tropical music or regeton to encourage people to dance and drink.

The beach is wonderful, and in front the sea you can eat a cebiche, a traditional dish made of sea animals as: shells, shrimp, lobster or fish, whit onion, tomato and served with pop corn. You can eat it sitting down in the sand with an orange juice.

Its not only a chance to relax and rest, you can also go party and enjoy the beach, the climate, the people or go shopping. Something special about Esmeraldas is the souvenirs and crafts, they are made of things and shells people find in the sea. You can buy also necklaces, bracelets, earrings and lots of accessories made of coconut.

Some places to visit.

This semester I am going to write about interesting places on Ecuador.
There are lots of amazing places, hotels that have lots of things to offer the Ecuadorian tourist and the international ones.

Nature, landscape, fresh air, people and food, are some attractive things you can find in our country. From Quito, you can travel to the beach, to the jungle or to the south in only one or two days.

The part of Ecuador which I like the most is the beach. The climate, the food its really wonderful. However you can buy lots of souvenirs made by shell or organic materials as tahua or coconut.

There are some other cultural places, for example in Quito, visiting the churches, museums; you can learn more about our culture and traditions. Other wise are other places, for example restaurants that are traditional because of serving Ecuadorian food.

I hope to write a little about my favorite places and why I like them, so recommend other people of visiting them.

viernes, 5 de febrero de 2010

feature

insecurity afeects specially Quito.


Insecurity has become the daily bread, both in daily life and to the media. Daily we hear about assaults, murders, kidnappings and cars robbery. But in most of the times there´s a common fact: impunity. One year ago, my Car was stolen, but the strangest thing was that it happens not on the streets, it was in my urbanization, which it was supposed to had a very good security, there`s only one door for going in or out, and it is always controlled by some guars, who are provided with motorcycles to control all around the place, so every body asks how did it happen?


One morning guars stamped in our house and tell us that the car has been stolen. I life in “Balcón del Norte”, a private urbanization in the northern part of the city. We went out side to see what was happening; we found the car there, but the glass were broken, they have stolen the radio, for a second time. But that was not all; they have also taken away the “brain”, the on-line processors of the cars. That was nothing; we have never imagined what we were going to see next. When we open the capot to check the motor, we found only the floor. They have taken most of it. However, the story doesn’t finish there, when we called the authorities was the worst part of all.

According to a local news paper, Diario Hoy, 58% of car`s robbery happens in Quito and Guayaquil, and in the first city the most dangerous part is the center and the north. Other wise, the police says that robbery of car`s “brain” are a very “lucrative business”, because only in the dark market they are sold in more or less $1 500.
But the worst thing happened when the guard appeared, the delegate of the security agence, said that they have nothing to do because they take care about houses only, not cars. As me, many people have been stolen and anybody does nothing.

The police said to the on- line newspaper, Ecuador inmediato, that acording to the goverment, 150% of the stolen cars and its pieces were recuperated. I`m sad that Im not part of that 150%. The police never finish the investigation and didnt have nothing from my car back.

domingo, 24 de enero de 2010

leads.

Third - degree burns suffered a pipe fitter employed by Acme Engineers, Ralph Lincoln, who touched a power line carrying 15.000 volts, now he is in intensive cares in the Des Moines Regents Hospital.


A car accident in Barton County, the Sheriff Bill Griggith said that Ronald Stevenson´s car apparently crossed the center line and struck Myra Jones vehicle, she is serious condition while the driver was free.


Sheila Richards body was found dead by his neighbor, she suffered of a gunshot, the police doesn´t realized the official causes of her dead, although, she is the third body founded in the last three days, said the police.


NASA gets a Record-breaking for the big demand of press credentials, 3.000 journalists have been garanted for the historical launch, werw John Glenn would be the first citizence in space, otherwise the controversy is about the show host, Matt lauer, who is accused of securing a press credential for his wife, the model Annette Roque, who is a NBC Make up artist.

news article.

Police doesn’t worked because they don’t have enough money for gasoline
A grandfather and his granddaughter were stolen next to the police station of Carcelen, Police didn´t help him “because he didn´t gave them money for the gasoline” said the grandpa.

Yesterday in the afternoon, Marco Paz was walking with his six years old granddaughter, Ani, near the police station of Carcelen, when suddenly three Negro guys appeared; Marco refused to give them all his money, so they started hitting him and pulling the hair of Ani, because she was crying. Desperate, the grandfather gave the thieves all his money and they run away. The police doesn´t realized what was happening, so Marco asked them for help and they respond that they can´t go to catch the thieves because they do not have enough money for the gasoline.

Indignant, Marco went to: El Comercio, a local news paper to tell his story, “I was stolen in the middle of the day and police didn´t help me because I don´t have money to give them, this is unbelievable!” said Marco Paz to the editor in chief.

After being stolen near a police station that refused to helped him alegating do not having money for the fuel, Marco Paz made the accusation to a local news paper that starts investigating about and asked the policed of Carcelen what happened, they said it was not true that they were doing the investigation in the area but they haven´t found nothing yet.

Marco Paz accepted that he is not going to have his money and his celphone back, “ All I want is people know my story so this do not happen again, It cannot be possible that we have that quality of security and still that, an attacked has to pay for the gasoline, we have a terrible police system”.

In Ecuador up to $624 is consider an infraction, passed this quantity is already robbery, so people can go to jail. The general district attorney, Washington Pesantes admits the system needs some changes.