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Ecuador, Land of Malaria, Iguanas, Mangoes and Mountains
This sign just north of Tumbes is a clear sign, if the mangroves aren’t, that one is entering the muggy, and in some ways dangerous, tropics. Photo by Alastair Bland. We Enter Malaria Country The...
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Things to Do in Quito While Nursing Achilles Tendonitis
Quito, Ecuador, is a beautiful city both up close and from afar. This photo was taken from the towering slopes just west of the city, accessible by a chairlift. Photo courtesy of Flickr user jrubinic....
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Much Ado About Nothing at the Equator
About 15 miles north of Quito, a yellow line representing the Equator runs up a long, regal walkway to the base of the Mitad del Mundo monument, built in 1979. The thing is, they built the structure...
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Bike, Bark, Bite, Blood: The Perils of Cycling in Rabies Country
The intent stare of an unknown dog strikes dread in the experienced cycle tourist. Most healthy-looking animals, no matter how mean, probably do not have rabies, but if bitten one must receive...
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What Makes the Trout in Ecuador Look Like Salmon?
Billboards and advertisements depicting huge and beautiful rainbow trout announce to travelers in much of the Ecuadorian Andes that fishing is one reason to come here. Photo by Alastair Bland. A...
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When Cane Juice Meets Yeast: Brewing in Ecuador
A juice vendor near Paute, just east of Cuenca, grinds sugarcane—the main source of sugar and alcohol in Ecuador—on a busy Sunday afternoon. The sweet and delicious greenish-blue juice runs out a...
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Vilcabamba: Paradise Going Bad?
The beauty of Vilcabamba and the Valley of Longevity has entranced many, inspired legends and attracted eccentrics, but the town may not quite live up to the lore. Photo courtesy of Flickr user...
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Biking Ecuador’s Spectacular Avenue of the Volcanoes
Lake Quilotoa is gaining a reputation as one of the most attractive destinations in Ecuador. The surrounding area, of rugged mountains and dirt roads, offers some of the most rewarding cycle touring...
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Cold, Hungry and Happy in the High Andes
The quiet highway that leads through Cotopaxi is a bike-friendly route. Photo by Alastair Bland. I had only $40 in my wallet, but cash doesn’t help a person much on the freezing Andean tundra....
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Travel Photography: A Discussion With a Pro About Ethics and Techniques
Asking this Laotian woman in advance for permission to take a photo might have spoiled the shot. Photo by Matthew Kadey. In late February, I attempted to photograph a group of schoolchildren hiking...
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