The Inca Culture Amélie As soon as you spend even five minutes searching about South America, you will immediately come across the word “Inca” several times, often without any further explanation. So you naturally ask yourself: “Inca, what is that?”. Most people probably know that they are an indigenous, pre-Columbian nation. But do you know […]
Travel tip Peru – the Nazca Lines Amélie The mysterious origin and meaning of the Nazca Lines Lines, shapes and figures – meters long and sometimes only visible from the air. Centuries old in the Peruvian desert. These are the Nazca Lines. But who drew them in the first place? How did they come to […]
Floreana – the small Galapagos island with an exciting history Maria S. Floreana in the south of the archipelago is the smallest of the inhabited Galapagos Islands, but certainly the one with the most varied history in terms of its settlement. Several books have been written about it, which we will refer to later. In […]
A stroll through the museums in downtown Quito Maria Come with me to A STROLL THROUGH THE MUSEUMS IN DOWNTOWN QUITO. There is a lot to see and experience in the Ecuadorian capital Quito. In various blog articles we have already presented some sights, especially in the old town. But Quito has not only many […]
The unexplored north of Esmeraldas – A region worth seeing Maria S. The Ecuadorian province of Esmeraldas is known to tourists mainly because of its beach and seaside resorts like Atacames, Mompiche or Tonsupa south of the city of Esmeraldas. These places are easy to reach, for example, it takes only about five to six […]
Guided city tour Quito: Ruta Romance y Libertadores EMILIA Last week we had the opportunity to take part in a guided tour through the old town of Quito, Ecuador’s capital. The theme of the route is “Romance and Liberators” and takes its guests to the city’s historic churches and squares. Everything revolves around the love […]
a tour through quito’s historical city center MICHELLE If you have just arrived in Ecuador, you will be interested in visiting the best places in Quito. But even if you have already spent a few weeks in the country, there are still corners that have remained hidden. Therefore, we decided to do the Quito City […]
cuenca-our WEEKEND TRIP Dominik Read what there is to do on a trip to Cuenca and about my weekend trip. Cuenca is Ecuador’s third largest city. Also it is known for the unique heritage, the churches and the architecture. Herewith comes the Nickname Athens of Ecuador. I wanted to know how the City handles all […]
Carnival in Ecuador: How to celebrate in Ambato SOLEQMASTER There are two cities in Ecuador where carnival is a must: Ambato and Guaranda! The two cities are so to speak the capitals of carnival in Ecuador. But carnival here in Ecuador is not celebrated as you might maybe know it… This blog is about Ambato: […]
Ecuadorian Coffee History – 4th largest amount of coffee in the world DAYANA If you’ve visited Ecuador, you might have been served the type of instant coffee that is popular among Ecuadorians; Nescafe. I’ve been a proud drinker of good coffees since I was sixteen, so I almost spit out the first coffee I bought […]
CHICHA: ECUADOR’S ANCIENT BEER DAYANA Chicha is a drink native to Latin America that first appeared during the aboriginal/pre-Colombian period, around 5000 BCE. It is essentially a corn-based beer, although corn can be substituted for quinoa depending on the region in Ecuador. The Incas discovered that saliva could be used to trigger the fermentation process […]
THE FIRST CALL FOR INDEPENDENCE ASTRID On August 10, 1809 Quito was the place of the first revolt against Spain in Latin America. A group of criollos (people of Spanish descent but born in the South American colonies) declared their independence from the Spanish. They formed an independent government junta and signed a document which […]
ECUADORIAN DANCES – have a passion for dancing! DAYANA Ever since I was little, I have always loved to dance. When I was a teenager I danced especially Standard, Hip Hop and Jazz. When I finally knew that I will go to Ecuador, I was willing to learn the Ecuadorian dances and traditional music. The […]
TRÁNSITO AMAGUAÑA – A FIGHTER FOR INDIGENOUS RIGHTS ASTRID Tránsito Amaguaña – a fighter for indigenos rights, was one of Ecuador’s most important indigenous leaders, who is until today remembered and honored. She was born on September 10, 1909 close to Cayambe. Her parents lived and worked on a hacienda. They worked for the owners […]
OUR FAVORITE MUSEUMS IN ECUADOR SOLEQMASTER You can find many different museums in Ecuador. From tiny community-run exhibitions to pompous art museums of the so-called Quito school, there is a museum for every taste. The staff of SOLEQ.travel ranked their favorite museums in Ecuador. Unfortunately the National Museum with the famous Gold Room is currently […]
QUITO’S AMAZONAS AVENUE DAYANA History of the Amazonas Avenue Before the 19th century, what today is the Amazonas Avenue were ample green areas that were used to cultivate Andean crops. With the population and businesses growing, wealthy families started moving to the areas north of the city center and the sector of the Amazonas Avenue […]
THE GOLD HILL OF ZARUMA SOLEQMASTER Pre-colonial times Let’s dive into the history of THE GOLD HILL OF ZARUMA together. The beginning of the exploitation of gold in the province of El Oro goes back to pre-colonial times. In Zaruma, located in the province’s highlands in Ecuador’s coastal region, the discovery of gold veins brought […]
VOLCANOES IN ECUADOR DAYANA Being among the summits of the volcanoes in Ecuador is no doubt an unforgettable experience. Perhaps you don’t know that each mountain is hiding curious legends, and that those have been told by grandparents from generation to generation. We believe that the mountains are not simple land formations, but more than […]
JEWISH EXILE IN ECUADOR ASTRID The well-known destinations for German Jewish refugees during the Holocaust were the United States, England, Switzerland, or other neighboring countries that seemed safe before the war began. However, it was actually difficult to get a visa for the US, and with the beginning of the war it became even harder […]
A JOURNEY TO THE SOUTH OF ECUADOR SOLEQMASTER Working and living in the northern part of Ecuador we are sometimes not that aware of what the southern part of the country has to offer. So I started exploring. Cuenca A long weekend is a good starting point to head south, for example to Cuenca. It […]
highly rated SPORTS IN ECUADOR DAYANA ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE HIGHLY RATED SPORTS IN ECUADOR Concerning Sports in Ecuador, there is a lot to say about. Haske tells us about his experiences in Quito.“Ever since I was a little kid, I have loved watching and participating in sports. Several times per week […]
OTAVALO – FAR MORE THAN JUST A MARKET SOLEQMASTER The market Spices, food, jewelry, leather bags, belts, scarfs, and other clothes in every imaginable color – you can find all of this at the huge indigenous market in Otavalo. It is a daily market held on Poncho Square, but on Saturdays it also expands to […]
HOLIDAYS: CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S IN QUITO DAYANA Christmas in Quito After a hopefully successful year for all of you, it is time to find a relaxing end of 2015. Here in Quito we have our own traditions concerning holidays. The “Quiteños” – citizens of Quito – already at the beginning of December take time […]
The Cacao Boom in Ecuador ASTRID Cacao had been known and used by the indigenous cultures of South and Central America for centuries. In 1502, Columbus saw his first cacao beans. Thinking they were almonds he was not really interested in them. It took almost 50 more years, before the first cacao beans reached Europe and […]
FESTIVITIES OF QUITO DAYANA The festivities of San Francisco de Quito … are celebrated to remember the foundation of the city. It was on December 6 in the year 1534 that Quito was founded by Sebastian de Benalcazar, in the same place where it is today. In August of the same year, a city was […]
THE DAY OF THE DEAD IN ECUADOR – TRADITIONS DAYANA For the Ecuadorians, each year November 2 is the day to commemorate in different ways the Day of the Dead. The “Día de los Muertos” which was celebrated in Ecuador last week is an old tradition since pre-Inca times. In pre-Inca times In pre-Inca times […]
THE KICHWA LANGUAGE official language in many Latin American countries ASTRID Today, as many people celebrate the “Indigenous Peoples Day” we want to give you an insight a language spoken in the Amazon of Ecuador: The language of the Kichwa. The indigenous people of this culture, who originally are from the highlands, have lived for […]
AFRO-ECUADORIAN HISTORY ASTRID Today we want to share information with you about Afro-Ecuadorian history. Especially the Northern Ecuadorian Coast is home for many Ecuadorians of African ancestry. Their history is quite fascinating and their cultural roots can be found until today in their traditions and customs. Many of today’s Afro-Ecuadorian population are still descendants of […]
ANOTHER HERITAGE OF HUMANITY FOR ECUADOR, THE INCA TRAIL DAYANA Another heritage of humanity for ecuador. The Inca Trail or also named as Qhapaq Ñan is be declared as a World Heritage Site. It is therefore the fifth destination of Ecuador which is recognized by UNESCO. This Andean Route System was built by the Spanish […]
DAYANA’S FAMILY ON TOUR IN QUITO DAYANA Sunday, the day for resting, and 18th of May, International Museum Day, a beautiful morning in Quito. Which museum should we pick to visit? We decide on Yaku. What is Yaku? Yaku is a word from the indigenous Kichwa language which means “water.” We leave for the city […]