Capturing the Colours of Ecuador

I admit to not having a clear idea of what to expect from Ecuador during our chocolate travels. It seems to be a quieter cousin to Peru, whose vibrant images are quite widely broadcast around the world. I knew I was on a chocolate quest, and that Quito-based chocolatier Jeff Stern had lined up a pretty exciting itinerary for me. And I knew (via warnings I’d received) that there was a high risk of being pick-pocketed in Quito if I was careless with my belongings. But other than that, I was ready for a week of new experiences and a chocolate journey that would blow my mind. And the photography of Ecuador certainly didn’t disappoint. It is a country filled with vibrant colour.

I’ve chosen to use this introductory post about Ecuador as my entry to the “Capture the Colour” contest being sponsored by TravelSupermarket. Our mission in the contest is to feature five photos — each displaying one of the five chosen colours in the contest criteria:

• blue
• white
• yellow
• red
• green

We must then describe the scene in which each photo was taken. And we must recommend five other travel bloggers whose photos are noteworthy. First prize is a healthy cash prize (which I would use to carry forward the ongoing chocolate research.) Secondary prizes are new iPads, and as I don’t yet own an iPad and am always in need of travel funds, I couldn’t resist introducing you to Ecuador via this method. I hope you’ll enjoy the ride! (Unfortunately brown was not one of the colour criteria, so I’ll have to save the chocolate of Ecuador for our future posts. (The next one will be shared with you the week of July 30th.)

I love this pic as it reminds me of our day of moseying through Old Quito, and just enjoying the sights!

This is my entry for the colour blue. The picture shows the bright blue sky of Quito above the water booth’s brilliant blue shelter in Old Quito’s central square. We were fortunate to be visiting Old Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, World Heritage City, and World Heritage Centre, on a Sunday when there was lots happening! A free Zumba class, a assortment of musicians and artisans, fine fresh food and historic architecture made this one of my favourite days in Quito.

Ecuadorian musicians in Old Quito.

This is my entry for the colour white. I loved standing in the streets of Old Quito among the locals, listening to the fantastic music of this band of Ecuadorian musicians.

Elizabeth Hendley, owner of the Chocolate Jungle Lodge in Misahualli, Ecuador welcomes us to her world.

This is my entry for the colour red. The picture shows the warm and inviting smile of our hostess, Elizabeth Hendley, owner of the Chocolate Jungle Lodge near the small village of Misahualli, Ecuador. Elizabeth uses this boat to transport herself, guests and smaller supplies to her lodge along the Napo River.

Astrid & Gaston Restaurant in Quito offers Peruvian cuisine

This is my entry for the colour yellow. We decided to splurge on our last night in Quito and visit the exclusive Astrid & Gaston Peruvian restaurant as we’d loved the food in Peru so much. Although the meal had some tasty moments, it wasn’t our favourite.  Pictured here is is an appetizer selection that included a touch of curry, corn, and banana to provide various splashes of yellow.

Virginia at 13,500 feet elevation overlooking Quito

This is my entry for the colour green. It is my travelling partner Virginia overlooking the city of Quito — which you can’t see in the picture, but it sprawls extensively below in the valley. We are standing at the top of the mountain just soaking in the beautiful fresh air and ambiance and knowing that we soon have to take the Teleferiqo (cable car) back down to the city and head to the airport for our return journey to Canada.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this introduction to Ecuador. Be sure to return the week of July 30th for our next enticing post. And yes, there will be chocolate!

In the meantime, I recommend you check out these 5 travel blogs for more great pics:

1) Euro Travelogue by Jeff Titelius of Mount Dora, Florida, USA. Jeff’s blog is always filled with great pics to inspire you.

2) Breathe Dream Go by Mariellen Ward of Toronto, Canada. Mariellen’s beautiful blog focuses primarily on India.

3) Boldly Go Solo by Ellen Perlman of Washington, DC, USA. I love the way Ellen inspires us to get out there and see the world.

4) Your Life is a Trip by Judie Fein and Ellen Barone. Judie is based in Santa Fe, NM, USA and also authored a book called “Life is a Trip” about transformative travel.

5) More Time to Travel by Irene Levine of Chappaqua, New York, USA. Irene is a recently retired psychologist who now has more time to travel and is having the time of her life.

I hope you’ll drop in and check them out as each of these bloggers truly has a zest for travel and a love of life. And I hope you’ll wish me luck in the “Capture the Colour” Contest. I love photography and rarely go anywhere without my camera! See you soon.