2011 TRIP TO ECUADOR, SOUTH AMERICA
This trip was from January 18th to March 30st, 2011. We flew into Quito and then
flew to Cuenca the next day. We rented an apartment for 2 months. While in Cuenca we
visited near by towns as well as Loja, Zamora and Vilcabamba. On March 23 and 24 we traveled
north to Quito through the Andes mountains via bus and spend a few days in Mindo, 2 hours NW of Quite before
flying back to South Dakota on March 30th. The total trip was 72 days.
Double click on thumbnail photo to get a larger picture.
Most famous landmark in Cuenca
Famous marble building in Cuenca
Trying to make money at a stop light in Cuenca
Steps from the Tomibamba river to down town in Cuenca
Church Door
Our apartment building in cuenca
Fixing the cobblestone street in historical downtown Cuenca
Tomibamba river which went by our apartment and is the south edge of the historical section of Cuenca
Steps with paintings from the Tomibamba river to down town in Cuenca
Flower market in downtown historical Cuenca
Roses in flower market
Lady making a Panama hat which really came from here and not Panama
Panama hat factory in Cuenca
Clown working for money in Cuenca, pretty impressive
Carnaval Parade in Cuenca, lots of string spray and water fights
Carnaval Parade in Cuenca
Banos a thermal area near Cuenca
Famous over hanging building being restored along the Tomibamba river in Cuenca
View from historical Cuenca looking south over the Tomibamba river
Indigenous Market in Cuenca
Whole roasted hog at the Indigenous Market in Cuenca
Window and where the pork is served in the Indigenous Market in down town in Cuenca
Meat in the Indigenous Market in Cuenca
Vegetables in the Indigenous Market in Cuenca
$5.50 worth of produce we bought from the Fiere Libre, much bigger market, the biggest in Cuenca
Bridge over Rio Tomibamba
Maria our Spanish teacher for 5 weeks
Our friend Nelly who speaks good English on the left, her daughter and a friend
Chicken feet soup
Country home of our landlord Rapheal
Upper Waterfalls near Giron south of Cuenca
Lower Waterfalls near Giron south of Cuenca
Statues in Loja in southern Ecuador, the oldest city in the country
Castle in Loja, used by the city for art displays
The main square in Loja
The authentic Spanish colonial calle in Loja
Caja National Park west of Cuenca, about 14,000 feet
Caja National Park scenery
Caja National Park where rock looks like a face
Caja National Park scenery
Clock at Zamora in the Amazon district, the biggest one in South America
River front park in Zamora
Statue in Zamora
Indigenous dress in Zamora and southern Ecuador
Flowers at Vilcabamba the longevity city in southern Ecuador
Flowers at Vilcabamba
Scenery near Vilcabamba
Scenery north of Loja
Plaza in Vilcabamba
Flowers at Vilcabamba
Roses Cuenca near our apartment
Marble building in Cuenca
Church in Cuenca
Often drive above the clouds, north of Cuenca
Statue south of Riobamba in the Andes
Town in Andes south of Riobamba
Snow on Mountain near Ambato, one of eight in Ecuador that have snow on them
Hummingbird at Mindo in Rain forest NW of Quito about 2 hours
Main street Mindo, lots of birds, flowers, butterflies, rain forest and rivers
Rain forest near Mindo
Broom salesman in Mindo
Owl Butterfly at Mindo
Butterfly at Mindo
Butterfly at Mindo
One of many Hummingbirds at Mindo
Butterfly at Mindo
Hummingbird at Mindo