Ecuador
Ecuador is a Andean nation of about 13 million people. It is located on the Pacific Coast of South America between Colombia and Peru and is roughly the size of Nevada. Its capital is the highland city of Quito, but much of the country's political and economic power is also located within the coastal city of Guayaquil.
I have visited this unique and beautiful, yet extremely poor country a total of five times, most recently in July of 2001. I consider it a home away from home.
Features
Dollarization - In 2000 Ecuador ditched the hyperinflated Sucre and adopted the US dollar as its official currency. What kind of effect has it had so far?
The 2001 trip - Pictures and narrative of my most recent trip. Who knows when I'll get to go again?
Otavaleños - The Otavalo indians are my favorite indigenous tribe.
Links
ecuadorexplorer.com - a rather good and comprehensive website related to tourism within Ecuador
ecuador.org - the official website of Ecuador's embassy in Washington, D.C.
ecuadordaily.com - current news about Ecuador and South America in English
elcomercio.com - one of Ecuador's major newspapers; it's all in Spanish, though
The photograph is of Marisol Martinez at the Mitad del Mundo equator monument in May of 1993. Marisol now lives in Spain with her husband and child.