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.)

old-Quito

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

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

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-Y-Gaston-Restaurant

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

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.

Doreen Pendgracs

Known throughout the Web as the "Wizard of Words", I've been a freelance writer since 1993. I researched and wrote Volume I of Chocolatour that won a Readers' favourite Award in 2014. Always enjoy experiencing new destinations and flavours.

37 Responses

  1. Jacobo says:

    You have an amazing talent for capturing fleeting moments. Every photo is a beautiful snapshot of life.

  2. Rasel says:

    I love your photos. Having visited Ecuador I also enjoyed seeing your take on the country. Now I’m inspired to see what I can do with mine.
    Rasel recently posted…WildLife Best Photography in MirsaraiMy Profile

  3. Bowral Accommodation says:

    2017 is almost done, i love reading your blog and your shots was fantastic!

  4. Wes says:

    Great pictures, I really like the one overlooking the mountains.
    Wes recently posted…Ecuador Eats Monday: Cafe’ Ricooo Pan, BañosMy Profile

  5. Sandy says:

    Wow! I love your photos! All of them are fascinating, but the last one is my favourite! That one makes me calm.
    Sandy recently posted…Stay healthy, stay fit! Summer tipsMy Profile

    • Doreen says:

      Thanks so much, Sandy!

      Yes, that shot of Virginia overlooking Quito from atop the hill is truly beautiful and illustrates how, just minutes from the hustle and bustle of the city, one can find true bliss and serenity.

  6. Doreen says:

    Thanks so much, Pat! I always enjoy your visits to the blog.

    Photography is a great way to capture memories and to share them. Slowly, but surely, my skills as a photographer are growing. Glad you’re enjoying the pics that I’m sharing here.

  7. Pat Bodman says:

    You are a great photographer – your pictures enable us to feel we were there with you and Virginia!!! Great choices in the matching of the two!!! Good luck!!!

  8. Jeri says:

    Sweet contest and the deadline is Aug. 29. I can feel a blog entry coming on already. Now I must start pouring through my travel photos. I like the one you chose for the color white the best. It gives a real flavor of the people and the locale. Good luck!
    Jeri recently posted…On my Mind: All for ShowMy Profile

    • Doreen says:

      Thanks for dropping into the blog, Jeri. Interesting how everyone seems to be attracted to a different photo. Yes, that Ecuadorian band was awesome. Really enjoyed their music!

      I hope you’ll drop in again later this month when we start talking about Ecuador — and its delicious CHOCOLATE!

  9. Kenneth says:

    I love those photos. It is not as obvious as the other entries but they are really good!
    Kenneth recently posted…the v2 cigs reviewMy Profile

    • Doreen says:

      Thanks so much, Kenneth! Yes, I’ve seen some other entries where people have accumulated their best pics and strung them together with no real thread. What I tried to do was combine 2 birds with one stone. i.e. I needed to introduce Ecuador to my audience, as I’ll be doing a series of posts about Ecuador and this seemed like a great opportunity to do so.

      Glad you enjoyed the pics. I hope you’ll return later this month for more!

  10. Gayle Keck says:

    Good luck in the contest, Doreen!

    The chocolate lodge sounds wonderful!
    Gayle Keck recently posted…Lyon, France: Lyon Bouchons … continuedMy Profile

    • Doreen says:

      Thanks, Gayle! And thanks for stopping by the blog.

      Yes, I’ll be devoting a post to Elizabeth and her Chocolate Jungle Lodge in the weeks to come. Please stay tuned!

  11. Happy memories, Doreen. It’s great for me to have this ongoing, long-lasting record of our trip. Peruvian food is the perfect choice for yellow because they put aji chilli peppers in just about everything. Yum.

    • Doreen says:

      Thanks, Virginia. Such a pleasure having you discover the pleasures (and challenges!) of Ecuador and Peru with me. Stay tuned for more on Ecuador in the weeks to come.

  12. Adeline says:

    Great pictures, Doreen. I love the red entry. Bright and cheerful, and the explanation you gave makes it even more beautiful for me. Good luck in the contest, and I hope you win.
    Adeline recently posted…The Dark Side of Discounted Airline TicketsMy Profile

    • Doreen says:

      Thanks so much, Adeline! It’s always great having you drop by the blog as a fellow lover of chocolate and travel. Have a super day!

  13. Wonderful pictures to accompany your post Doreen. I always enjoy going on an adventure with you. Good luck in the contest. How do they pick the winner. Let us know if we can help in any way.
    Sherryl Perry recently posted…Do You Use Google Webmaster Tools Bing or Both?My Profile

    • Doreen says:

      Hi Sherryl, and thanks for dropping into the blog.

      I’m glad you’re enjoying my adventures. They’ve certainly been fun to write about and have formed the foundation for my book. So excited! I’m now on Chapter 4 and the writing is going well.

      Regarding the contest, it is judged by pro photogs. So I’ll need all the luck and good wishes I can get! Thanks!

  14. Doreen says:

    Thanks, Laura. Yes, that truly was a magical place. We felt like we were on top of the world. Would have been nice to have had time to take the trail ride there, but never enough time …

    Cheers, and happy travels.

  15. Fun photos, Doreen. Those mountains in the “green” photo look stunning!

  16. Thanks for nominating me! I loved choosing the photos — the colour idea made it fun and creative. But I still wish they included orange and pink!
    Mariellen Ward recently posted…A Fashion Show and Royal GalaMy Profile

    • Doreen says:

      You’re welcome, Mariellen. And thanks for finally getting to my blog. I hope you’ll return again soon and peruse some of the posts.

  17. Doreen says:

    Thanks, Linda! I love the fact that you find my writing filled with clarity, truth, passion and warmth. We’ll talk about the charity part when I launch my Kickstarter project next month. Stay tuned, as I’ll be looking for your support! Thanks again for being a terrific supporter of my writing and both my blogs.

  18. Linda Strange says:

    Blue for clarity; white for truth; red for passion, green for charity; yellow for warmth.
    Sounds like you and like your writing. Good pictures and great idea for a contest. Best of luck.
    LL

  19. Absolutely beautiful pictures and so enjoyed your style of writing. Would enjoy going on a Chocolate adventure after reading a winning article : )
    Martha Steward recently posted…Not to late to join Bloggers for Dog RescueMy Profile

    • Doreen says:

      Thanks very much, Martha. I believe it’s your first visit to the blog! Have a look around as there are many chocolate adventures around the world that we have covered. Please stay tuned for more. You may want to subscribe so you don’t miss any!

  20. Catarina says:

    Agree with everybody else that the photos are good and you are, at least should be, a winner!

    Maybe I made a mistake not going to Ecuador when their government invited me. Looks like a nice place.

    Comment Luv didn’t work (happens now and then) so my latest post is
    “North Korean strategy – Mystery woman and Mickey Mouse new chapter?”

    • Doreen says:

      Thanks a lot, Catarina. Yes, I think you would enjoy Ecuador. It’s quite a fascinating place filled with loads of natural beauty. Stay tuned for lots more in future posts.

      I will try and visit your blog and catch up on your latest post as soon as I get finished with the writing of the day.

  21. Geek Girl says:

    I must agree with Susan. You are already a winner!. Fingers crossed for you.. 🙂
    Geek Girl recently posted…Organize Your Gift ListsMy Profile

    • Doreen says:

      Thanks so much, Cheryl! I really appreciate your support. And thanks for subscribing to the blog. It’s great having you along for the journey.

  22. Ellen says:

    I love those photos – what a great idea for a contest. And, having visited Ecuador I also enjoyed seeing your take on the country. Now I’m inspired to see what I can enter! Thanks…

    • Doreen says:

      Thanks for joining us here, Ellen.

      I’ll have several more posts on Ecuador in the weeks to come, so do stay tuned and share your thoughts as they arise.

      I’m sure you have some amazing photos as well. Cheers!

  23. Susan Cooper says:

    I loved your photo picks for the contest and the explanation as to why you choose them. You are already a winner in my eyes. My hope is you win the top prize so that you can continue traveling and sharing your chocolate adventures. 🙂
    Susan Cooper recently posted…Sometimes You Have To Dance: by Dan MeyersMy Profile

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