17 days in Ecuador and we have packed in as many experiences as we could. Now that the dust is settling and we are getting back to a normal-ish day-to-day life, I’d like to share some of the highlights of the last few weeks.
Day 1 in Parque La Carolina
The first place we checked out was the park that’s 2 blocks from our apartment, Parque La Carolina. This park is huge and houses several playgrounds, water fountains, paddle boats, a skate park, botanical garden, reptile house and an area devoted to all things fitness. We actually go to this park about every other day just to get some outdoor time and enjoy the perfect 70 degree weather.
Next on our list was the Teleferico. This is a gondola that takes you from the edge of the city center to the east side of Pichincha Volcano. It starts at 10,226 ft high and rises to 12,943 ft high! It is much colder up that high and windier. The scenery is beautiful. There are natives that have llamas and horses you can take pictures with or ride. There’s a swing that proves to be one of the most Instagrammable swings on earth. You can hike another 2 hours to summit Pichincha Volcano.
Another great park in Quito is Parque El Ejido. This place has a market, street vendors, play grounds and you can rent old-timey metal pedal cars to cruise around with your kids. We snacked on choclos which are corn pancakes stuffed with different cheeses. They are sweet, salty, crunchy and soft and all-around amazing.
For a more kid-centric experience, we hit up the Yaku Water Museum. This place is worth the trip for the view alone. A glass box of a building set up high, has sweeping views of the city and the surrounding mountains/volcanos. There are several stations educating kids on all things water. (what it is, what animals live in it, how to keep it clean)
My very favorite activity I’ve done thus far, was the cooking experience with Chef Sebbastian. My mom and I were taken to a local market and introduced to vendors and all sorts of unique and new foods. We picked our menu and picked out all of the ingredients. We then went to his house and he guided us in making a very delicious and memorable meal, ceviche with plantains and native carrots. He is a professional and I will always remember this experience. Just lovely.
And our most recent adventure was a road trip to Mindo. We hired a driver for the day and trekked out on the 2 hour drive through the mountains into the rainforest. I definitely got car sick but it was totally worth it! When we got to Mindo, which is a cute village in itself, we headed straight to the cable car. This cable car takes you high above the forest over to the hiking trails that lead to 6 waterfalls. Most of the activities in Mindo are not in town and require driving on an extremely basic/dirt path. I was shocked at first by this road, but you quickly see that there is a fair amount of traffic on it including several taxis!
The hiking was stellar and bucket-list worthy. Lots of birders are in this area so it’s a good idea to keep your eyes up! We spotted a Choco Toucan.
After the hiking, we headed over the the butterly garden, Mariposas de Mindo. This place was beautiful and there are butterflies everywhere. You can even put mashed banana on your finger and hand feed the butterflies. We were able to see butterflies emerging from their cocoons and flying away. Truly a beautiful experience.
So that’s our first 17 days in Ecuador, stay tuned for more!
