Author Archives: bruno

Climate change comes to the Andes

Posted on March 28, 2013 by bruno

Today we saw firsthand some of the effects that climate change is already having in the Ecuadorian Andes. We are staying in a tiny town called Chugchilan, in a remote area of the western Andes. We love the hostel we … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecuador, Nature, the environment & landscapes | Leave a comment

Disculpen!

Posted on November 28, 2012 by bruno

(Excuse us!) It’s been a while since our last post. We’ve been quite busy, actually. We have more to post soon, but in the meantime I wanted to share some of the funny names (at least, funny to an American) … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecuador | Leave a comment

Part 8: Mind your Manners

Posted on October 24, 2012 by bruno

Social customs and manners are different in this country, naturally. It is at times exasperating to navigate them, and you have to remind yourself that Ecuadoreans DO have manners and etiquette – sometimes very formal and prescribed – but they’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Bureaucracy, Culture, Ecuador | Leave a comment

Welcome to Quito, Part 7: Bureaucracy

Posted on October 12, 2012 by bruno

I didn’t want to write too much about Ecuadorean civil-service bureaucracy because it’s somewhat painful to recount. It’s not as bad as in, say, Italy (based on what I’ve recently heard), but it can be Kafka-esque nevertheless. You want to … Continue reading →

Posted in Bureaucracy, Our Daily Life | 1 Comment

Welcome to Quito, Part 6: ‘Whining’ and dining

Posted on September 27, 2012 by bruno

Quito has some very good restaurants, at least if you A: prefer Ecuadorean food or B: don’t mind spending a lot of money. We have eaten at some of the fanciest joints in Quito: The food is exceptional, and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecuador, Food & Drink | Leave a comment

Welcome to Quito, Part 5: Food

Posted on September 24, 2012 by bruno

Well, I talked about the beer. Now let’s talk about food. Way up in the Andes, some crops grow better than others. But what grows well up here isn’t always the kind of thing an American craves to eat. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecuador, Food & Drink | Leave a comment

Welcome to Quito, Part 4: Beer

Posted on September 21, 2012 by bruno

Several of my buddies have asked me about the beer situation in Ecuador (I love it that this is what my friends consider to be important). If you are into quirky imports and microbrews, the situation is grim. But if … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecuador, Food & Drink, Our Daily Life | Leave a comment

Welcome to Quito, Part 3: Crime

Posted on September 20, 2012 by bruno

Many have asked, so here it is: Crime is a problem in Quito, but not unlike anywhere else. Theft and robbery are the two things you have to worry about the most, which is no surprise in a country with … Continue reading →

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Welcome to Quito, Part 2: Money is important

Posted on September 14, 2012 by bruno

Things that are generally expensive in the U.S. are comparatively cheap in Ecuador. Things that are generally cheap in the U.S. are comparatively expensive in Ecuador. A men’s haircut in Quito sets me back $3. A beer — either Pilsener … Continue reading →

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Welcome to Quito

Posted on September 13, 2012 by bruno

Since I moved here in June, we have had a pretty interesting time. So far, we have hiked/climbed to the top of a volcano; we have hiked down (twice) to the bottom of the crater of another volcano (it’s an … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecuador, Our Daily Life | 1 Comment