In retrospect, I shouldn’t have wasted the week before our departure folding and rolling every outfit I have ever owned in attempt to make it fit into my small suitcase. Because the beauty of the small suitcase is that if it fits once, consider yourself lucky, because it will never fit again. To make my…

Every time we take a family vacation, we make sure to pack our sets of watercolor sketchbooks and paints. For as long as I can remember, the pile of watercolor books and paintings on our family room shelf has been growing. As many of you know, each book makes for some unique memories and a…

We were happy to meet Dr. Sonia Garcia, a family practice doctor with an office on the stately Plaza Bolivar in Otavalo, who also singlehandedly staffs the health center in Mojandita, a small village outside of the city. We we put in contact with Dr. Sonia by the Tandana Foundation, a charity that runs medical…

Jews number about 700 in Ecuador – comprising .004%  of the population of almost 16 million. Most of them arrived from Europe during and after Holocaust, and at its peak, the Jewish population was about 4000.  Ecuador is unique in not having the problem of anti-semitism seen in other South American countries, and the people…

Hello family, friends, and fans! I’m back with more updates. Let’s continue where we left off with a tie. Next topic is one that touches my heart: Clothing. Ecuador- Alpaca sweaters pretty much sums up the clothing situation. Although the sweaters are incredibly soft and warm, fashion is a bit lacking. America- Oh Marc Jacobs,…

Candy: Although there is really good sugar cane taffy here, not at all enough M&Ms. No York peppermint patties, or Twizlers. How do the people live like that? ). Definitely no Halloween. America: all candies are plentiful Winner America   Toys: America: Beanie Boos (for those who don’t know, my fav stuffed animal of all…

We’ve settled into our new home in San Pablo del Lago, a small village just outside of Otavalo, in the Andean highlands of Ecuador. When I say settled in, I mean we’ve rented our own diesel pick-up truck and started riding in the back, we take morning walks to the local outdoor market, we pluck…

Sitting at approximately 9000 feet above sea level at the feet of 4 volcanoes (3 inactive, one dormant) is the beautiful town of Otavalo, Ecuador. The beauty of Otavalo stems not just from the glorious surrounding but also from the warmth and smiles of the Quichua indígenas who make up a large proportion of the…

  After a month in the beautiful country of Ecuador and 14 years in the amazing country that is the great U.S. of A, I have decided to draw some comparisons for our less traveled readers. I’m not technically advanced enough to make a flow chart so bear with me.  Lets begin with the sole topic which has…