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Sweet Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are small quick flying animals, birds. In Mindo there are also some species of hummingbirds. But as they drink nectar of flowers in the forest, they don’t show up in town. Well, that’s logic.
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What to see in Mindo
Mindo is situated in the middle of the Cloud Forests of Ecuador. This region around Mindo is especially known as one of the regions with the highest number of species in the world. So animal watching is one of the must do’s in Mindo. Besides that it is also a place for river tubing and Zip lining.
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Health on the go
Quito has free nutrition consultation for everyone. It’s even possible to go as a traveler. All around the city there are light blue containers, where you can go for a health check. They measure the weight, the waist, the blood preasure and if necessary the glucose. And give consultation about eating habits and exercise behavior. On my last day I decided to try it out.
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What to see in Quito
Quito is the capital of Ecuador. Besides Cuenca it is one of the cultural centers. Therefore there is a lot of art places to see. But of course one of the highlights is the proximity to the equator and the Teleférico for the good view.
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Excursion: Quilotoa-Loop (short version)
This blog post tells you about a two day trip to the quilotoa lagune. I am aware that there are more hikes and things to see in this region, but I wanted to keep it simple for people who don’t have much time or only want to do the essential. Those who do a longer trek anyways need to inform themselves better than just reading a blog.
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What I eat in a day on the Quilotoa-Loop
To give an authentic insight into a vegan live in South America, I decided to pick a random day and show you what I ate. This time it’s the day I walked the Quilotoa-Loop.
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What to see around Riobamba
Riobamba is the place to be when you want to climb the Chimborazo Volcano or just do a hike close to it. Otherwise it’s a good connection point between banos and the rest of the altiplano and a good starting point to do a daytrip to Alausi.
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What to see in Alausí
Alausi has not much to offer except you are a train fanatic. There is the most famous train route of Ecuador. Open especially for tourists.
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What to see in Puerto López
Yes, I really wanted to write something about this little Galapagos for the poor people, place. But I had not so great experience here. Nevertheless I will try to do an as objective resume here and will of course also tell you what went wrong.
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Galapagos conclusion
After staying three weeks on the Galapagos islands for volunteering and tourism here is my conclusion.
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Tame Airline
First I thought that TAME is not vegan or vegetarian friendly, because of my flight to the Galapagos there was no vegan or vegetarian option of sandwiches. Neither when booking the flight online. I didn’t even know that there is going to be a snack.
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What to see on Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is the island where most tours start as it is central and the islands around can be reached easily. However, the island itself and Puerto Ayora are less attractive than other islands. Nevertheless there are some things to see. Like the fish market, where there are always some sea lions.
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Transportation and Tour booking
Following I have some tips on tour booking and transportation, resulting from my own experience. This should make your stay easier and unforgettable. I never had problems with getting a vegan meal. They are used to this questions here, as there are a lot of tourists coming every year.
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Wild Animals of the Galapagos
Probably all of the people who visit the Galapagos come to see the animals. There are some endemic and some other habitants. There are wild animals and some tame. What you can expect and where to find them, shows this list.
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What to see on Isabela
Isabela is the biggest of all islands. Nevertheless it has only two villages on it, of which the bigger one is called Puerto Villamil. It is also the center where all the tours start and where the boats arrive. On Isabela you need to stay at least two days to see most of the things.
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What to see on San Cristobal
It is definitely worth to spend between two and three days on San Cristobal, as it has a lot to see. My recommendation would be a 360-Tour around the island for one day, which includes snorkeling at three different spots and visiting some isolated beaches. On the other two days you are free to explore the less remote spots on the island.
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Vegan Products in Ecuador
Galapagos Islands As you can see I found a lot of things, there is even soy milk and protein powder, but I didn’t need it. Of course I also bought fruits and vegetables at the market, but I thought it is not necessary to take a picture of that (there is less variation than on the mainland but still enough). Actually I only wanted to buy some raisins, but I found too many vegan products and one led to another. Of some I only made pictures, as I am not a duchess. Orgabic Raw Chocolate with ginger 50g (4$) Dried Cherries 225g (2$) Sesame cereals 150g (1.45$) Vegan Yogurt…
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Fruits that are not allowed to bring to the Galapagos Islands
there are some plants that are not allowed to bring to the Galapagos islands and ship in between them as they endanger the biosphere of the islands. Here is a list of them for preparation:
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What to see in Guayaquil
Guayaquil is a huge city. It is for most travelers the starting point for their trip to the Galapagos Islands and the conection between coast and Mountains. There is not much to do, but it will fill your day, if you have to fill.
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Excursion: Cajas National Park
The cajas national park is on an altitude of about 4000 meters above sea level and consists of a big amount of mountain lakes that are settled in the wrinkles of the Andes. It is possible to do different treks that are longer than just a day trip, but one can also do simpler one day treks.
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What to see in Cuenca
Cuenca is a white clean diamond of southern Ecuador. This beautiful city has a lot of churches and museums, as well as the most significant inca ruins of Ecuador just in front of the door. However most tourists come to Cuenca to visit the Cajas National Park which is just around the corner.
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Ecuadorian Cuisine
Ecuadorian cuisine is roughly divided into four categories, the cuisine of the coast, the highlands, the southern highlands and the cuisine of the Amazon. Whereby I will discuss the Amazonian cuisine further down. The other three cuisines are very similar. In general, there are many stews that are accompanied by rice. In the highlands, corn and potatoes are added, which, as in all Andean kitchens, play an important role. In general it is no problem to get rice with vegetables in almost every restaurant. Often this is combined with lentils. Just ask politely. But this is only necessary if you have landed in a small village. In Chifas, which are…
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How to get to Vilcabamba
Well, there is not much, it’s a village famous for their old people, which you won’t see because here as well the western lifestyle entered and especially the hippies.
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Vegan Souvenirs
Bolivia Bolivia is best know for its woolen handcraft. Therefore it seems difficult to find souvenirs that fit the vegan lifestyle. And it’s true there are a lot of handmade sweaters, scarfs, caps, gloves, bags, backpacks, purses, dolls, lamas, … But it is definitely possible. What about a little salt figure? What about a wooden bowl? What about a Wiphala (this colorful flag)? What about a silver ring or neckless or ear rings? What about a bag of quinoa? There is definitely enough and this list will enlarge, as my travel goes on. Isn’t it refreshing to not have a cliché souvenir from Bolivia? Some cheap “Whoolen” pullovers are made…