Traditional Foods in Ecuador and Peru

Got a hankering for something sweet? Buy a hunk of sugar cane and chew out the cane juice
This entry is part 11 of 12 in the series Peru

As a vegetarian, the traditional foods in Ecuador and Peru presented a challenge, as they focus heavily on meat. The national dish of Peru is “cuy chactado,” or fried guinea pig. Most Peruanos and Ecuadorianos who live in the highlands raise guinea pigs in pens beneath their homes in order to have a ready supply … Read more

Safe Passage at the Border between Ecuador and Peru

My guide Maikol, who handled the border crossing for $12
This entry is part 1 of 12 in the series Peru

As my time in Ecuador grew to a close I vacillated over the best way to make the land border crossing between Ecuador and Peru. Although it was possible to take a bus directly south from Cuenca to Peru, the trip would have required an eight to ten-hours bus ride to Zumba, changing to a … Read more

Sometimes the Old Ways are the Best Ways

Custom inlaid guitars, handmade by Jose Uyaguari in San Bartolome, one of the artisan villages near Cuenca, Ecuador
This entry is part 18 of 18 in the series Ecuador

Gravel spit from beneath the van’s wheels as we climbed into mountains erupting with picture-postcard spring colors. Though I enjoyed my time in Cuenca, it had been difficult to connect with the local culture in a city of half a million people, so I had opted for a day tour to explore tiny artisan villages … Read more