Ecquador and Peru

Several year ago, my friend Rachel moved to Ecuador. She invited me to come down and visit. She lured me with expectations of travel and exploration. A friend moves to a far away country I have never visited... I was there!

I flew into Quito and stayed at this little hotel, tucked into the mountain. All I really remember was that it was 2$ a night. I was a little light headed on my arrival- the altitude is quite high. It was chilly- even though it was the middle of summer and we were so very close to the equator.

We went to Santo Domingo where she was living and working with farming communities. Then we headed to Banos- volcanic hot springs. We went to Las Esmeraldas- a beach community in the north. We traveled to Otavalo- that had the best outdoor market.
Half way through my trip- my friend Rania and my other friends Andy and Sandra- were coincidentally flying to Cuzco to hike Machu Pichu. I decided that I would join them and bring us all together.

I flew to Lima- stayed with another friend who was born and raised in Lima. I toured around Lima for a couple of days. Then I flew to Cuzco. We took a couple of tours around the valley. As soon as we assimilated to the climate and altitude, we took the train to the entrance of the trail that would take us to Machu Pichu.

We hiked a couple days in the wonderful mountains to the cloud forest of Machu Pichu. I am afraid of heights- but my friends helped me along the Inca Trail. When we finally got there- after sleeping in the wilderness- it was early morning and the moon was rising above the ruins. We toured around the grassy ruins and finally hiked to the little town below the ruins.

We went the hot springs near by. We stayed one night and then headed back to Cuzco and Lima. Once I got back to Cuzco I threw out my disgusting hiking clothes and packed up to go back to Lima. We spent one evening out- and then I headed back to Quito.

South America is a beautiful place and easy one to travel by bus, train, and plane.

Buen Viaje.

Ooohh Denver

Guest Blogger, Lori Sabian, writes about her city- Denver. What a great place to visit! If you are in the area and need some good places to eat or visit, check out Lori's suggestions. Happy travels to you.

While the mountains and the outdoors are huge draws, I prefer a more urban experience in Denver. And “urban” for Denver still requires a car, a good sense of direction and a little adventure.

Typical experiences include the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Zoo and the Botanical Gardens which all have a strong sense of Denver culture. These are interesting local and well organized places. Slightly off the traditional path is the Denver Firefighter’s Museum, the Colorado Railroad Museum , the Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art , and MCA Denver.

Denver’s city also encompasses many interesting neighborhoods for exploring. Lodo, RiNo, The Golden Triangle and The Art District on Santa Fe offer great ways to experience the local arts, shopping and dining communities. Park Hill, Cherry Creek North, Old South Gaylord, Highlands and Old South Pearl are other places to explore Denver’s commercial hot spots. In these neighborhoods small boutiques, art galleries and interesting restaurants dot the streets. Each district plays its own riff on the local scene.

The performing arts community has main stream to local as well. In the Denver Performing Arts Complex you can find theatre, ballet, orchestra and opera. Local performing groups include Buntport Theater and Curious Theater .

The Stapleton and Lowry neighborhoods are Denver’s classic examples of urban redevelopment. Both areas within the city limits were built from airports. Lowry used to be an air force base and Stapleton used to be Denver’s airport. Open spaces and eco-conscious living are their hallmarks. They each have small commercial districts with shops and restaurants.

There are hikes, biking trails and beautiful state and national parks just outside the city area. Boulder, where the University of Colorado lives, has its own set of outdoor experiences, funky shopping and delicious eats.

Sprinkled among the galleries, neighborhoods and outdoor experiences area plethora of great places to eat and enjoy the whole Denver vibe. Oh, and the BEST independent bookstore is The Tattered Cover. Just explore.

Here is my shout out list of favorites for eats in no particular order:

Fuel Cafe

Solera

Phonecian Kabob

Tables

Cake Crumbs

Zengo

Il Posto

Berkshire

Udi’s

Chile Verde

Big Hoss

Upstate NY

February I've done some quick little trips:

Chappaqua- home of our former president and current secretary of state.

It is a small quaint town in Westchester county. Very woodsy with a little town to shop in and a few cute restaurants. Neighboring Mt Kisko as well has shops and movie theater and more eateries.

A lovely place to visit.

I also have been up to RocklandCounty a few times.

These little towns, nestled next to the Palisades and the river are often picturesque.

Nyack is a cute little town just north of NYC. As you ride the Palisades Highway north, you will hit Bear Mountain, just 45 minutes from the George Washington Bridge. This is a beautiful park and mountain area to visit!

Also, a nice little getaway weekend location.

Enjoy the short trips along with the longer ones!