WORDS I MALCOLM GINSBERG


‘Ecuador’ means ‘centre of the earth,’ but in English, ‘on the Equator’ is a better translation. The Galapagos are a group of islands 500 miles off the coast of Ecuador and are famed for their vast number of endemic species, which were studied by Charles Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle in 1835.


every day at 6.00am and goes down at 6.30pm. There are no seasons as such, although there is a rainy period and the capital city Quito is 9,000ft above sea level. The highest point of the whole trip touched 15,000ft, and while a coat was not essential at that height most sea-level dwellers will notice the thin air. The whole country sings the environmental tune with very little litter around. Spanish is the official language but English is widely spoken. Quito dates back to the 15th century and


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in 1978 became the first UN World Heritage Site. Ecuador is very much a north to south


24 the north magazine


isitors to Ecuador need to know that because of its location the sun rises


country with a narrow extremely fertile central strip surrounded by mountains on both sides, often called ‘The Avenue of Volcanoes.’ There is also a slender coastal plain boarding the Pacific and to the east massive Amazon rain forests. Self-sufficient in food it has huge oil reserves and is one of the world’s largest producers of both roses and bananas. It is also prone to revolutions and changes of government, with seven Presidents appointed over the last ten years. During my stay there was a minor insurrection. People just got on with life and normality returned within 48 hours. My initial residence was the Patio Andaluz, a fine boutique property very near


Independence Plaza and the Presidential Palace. Nearby was the Monastery of San Francisco, one the of great religious buildings of the New World with its impressive façade and atrium that leads to its fine Baroque interior. After one day’s rest to recover from the


journey we ventured along magnificent valleys and mountainous scenery to the Cotopaxi National Park and the volcano of the same name, where we observed high- altitude birds around the Limpiopungo Lagoon. That evening our residence was at the Hacienda Manteles, a 300-year old hacienda hidden among the mountains. Absolutely magical.


TRAVEL


ECUADOR AND THE GALAPAGOS


Images: www.galapagosconnections.com


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