Quito, Ecuador Travel Guide

San Francisco de Quito is the capital of Ecuador and it sits about 9,000 feet above the sea level. Quito is located in the Andes and on the equatorial line bulge, making it the closest capital to the sun. This city is all about balance as it is a meeting point between two halves.

Quito is intersected by an imaginary line separating the trendy new town from the UNESCO-protected old town, mirroring the present with the past. Take a gondola to the Pichincha Volcano to see both halves at once.

In 1822, a battle took place on these slopes that led to the liberation of Quito from Spain. Declaring victory was Jose de Sucre an independence leader whose statue stands in front of the Santo Domingo Church. You can visit Sucre’s tomb in the Metropolitan Cathedral. Despite being one of South America’s oldest cathedrals, this building still has an impressive interior.

Many of the artworks incorporate the bible’s local interpretations. The cathedral’s blend of Arabic, European, and indigenous styles became known as the Quito School of Art and you can find this style in Basilica de la Merced. Apart from historic treasures, this place has an impressive cloister library.

Plaza Grande is a generous public space which is the civic heart of the city. It houses the Presidential Palace and the Municipal Palace. The former Archbishop’s Palace stands in between, now a restaurant and a cultural center. Have a seat on a patio balcony to sample Ecuadorian food such as deep-fried plantains and a bowl of hearty potato soup.

Take a taxi to Itchimbia Park after lunch. It has a wonderful contemporary Cultural Center but the view here is the main attraction. The Basilica of the National Vow offers everyone who steps inside a peaceful haven. The sunlight filters in through its stained glass window to create an ethereal space. For an unforgettable view of Panecillo hill and its statue of Mary, walk across the cathedral’s spine to climb its highest tower.

The colonial masters depicted sun-like motifs on their church ceilings to lure the sun-worshipping locals. This is still very visible in the Society of Jesus Christ Church. With its volcanic stone façade and dazzling interior, this is truly one of the finest on the continent.

Despite power struggles, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, Quito continues to shine. We don’t always have to choose between science and spirituality or progress and tradition to create a harmonious society. Come and find wisdom and wonder in Quito.

Explore Ireland

Ireland is a small island with breathtaking landscapes and a memorable punch. History is everywhere, from the rich monastic past ruins to prehistoric Ireland breathtaking monuments. Some folks I know that run a company called Zone Garage Calgary recently traveled to this beautiful country and had nothing but great things to say. Here are some fun things you have to try on your next visit to the Emerald Island.

Irish Whiskey Museum – Dublin
While everybody knows about the Guinness storehouse in Dublin, why don’t you hit up the Irish Whiskey Museum to try something a bit different. If you are into history and want hands-on experience, look no further. The groups here are small and your tour guide is likely to be not only informative but probably pretty entertaining. You hop around to a few rooms and see some really great video content and of course, you get to try some whiskey.

Bike the Waterford Greenway
Now, this is new as it only opened in March 2017 and most of your friends have not probably been here. This is an incredible way to see the ancient east of Ireland. It’s a 46-kilometer ride on an old railway line linking Waterford to Dungarvan. If you want to get close to nature and get a taste of Ireland’s beauty, this is a great place to start.

Caving in Doolin
This is another fun activity you can engage in on your next trip to Ireland. It involves crawling around a cave. If you are slim, you will have a huge advantage. You might also need to climb. It is a great bucket list activity and a nice way to challenge yourself while you are traveling.

Visit Killarney National Park
This was the first national park in all of Ireland and it is enough reason to put Killarney on your Ireland itinerary. This national park also has a castle. There are plenty of activities like kayaking under bridges and hiking to keep you busy. If you are a fan of architecture, you also won’t be disappointed.

Explore Connemara
The number one fun thing to do on your next trip to Ireland is to explore Connemara. We recommend you visit Galway first and then head west to one of the most beautiful regions of Ireland. One great way to experience the beauty of the area is to go canyoning. This will involve you scrambling through a river. While driving through Connemara you are likely to see more sheep than people and that’s not necessarily a bad thing if you are seeking peace. There’s even an incredible beach here. If you are looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the world, it really is an amazing place to go.

If you are planning on visiting Ireland, hopefully this list gives you some ideas or at least a starting point.

Most beautiful beaches to visit in 2019

When the days start to get longer and the temperature starts rising above the 30 celsius mark, it’s a good time to start planning where your next summer vacation should take place. And when we think of a summer vacation, we often look for a place where we can press our toes in the sand as the waves slowly burry our feet in the sand, creating a sensational tranquility unlike any other. So if you haven’t made up your mind yet on where you’ll like to have a little fun in the sand and cool of, we picked some of the best beach vacation destinations for the summer of 2019.

Sanibel and Captiva Islands – Florida
Few places in the world will bring the calm and serenity as the Sanibel and Captiva Islands in Florida. Their long and sandy beaches are some of the most beautiful in the entire west coast and toppled by the calming waters, scattered seashells and amazing sunset above the Gulf of Mexico will have you going: ahhh, in the most relaxing way. This place has a number of outdoor activities suitable for all ages.

Flores – Indonesia
The Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia have some of the most beautiful landscape and scenery in the world, highlighted by the pink beaches of Flores. This small island is a home to some of the most beautiful and colorful beaches in the world, as its white sands mix with tiny coral fragments giving a pinkish hue and an even more spectacular view for visitors.

Maui – Hawaii
When we think of Hawaii, we think of palm trees, sandy beaches and a refreshing drink served in a coconut shell, a glamour and tranquility unlike any other. The Island of Maui doesn’t disappoint, as it has some of the most picturesque beaches in the entire Pacific Coast, with Kaanapali, Wailae and Makena being the most famous ones. The island of Maui has a wide wary of activities for all types of travelers, some of which are: snorkeling in the crystal clear waters, whale watching or hiking black-lava volcanic landscapes.

Aruba – Caribbean
We continue our list with the island of Aruba, one of the most beautiful islands in entire Caribbean. Aruba has some of the most-well preserved and unspoiled beaches in the entire world, with its sands being as white as snow. Arashi and Eagle beach are Aruba’s main attraction, with a number of holiday resorts, suitable for all travelers, including both family friendly and adult center activities.

Things to Do When in Palau

In the middle of the great blue Pacific lies around 500 coral and volcanic group of islands that are under the country of Palau. Rich in culture and tradition, the people of Palau are showcasing it through their warm hospitality to tourists who visit their beautiful country. From pristine beaches and amazing dive sites, to astonishing waterfalls and historical museums, Palau has it all. So read through the list of things to do when you are in Palau.

DIVING
To be situated in the world’s largest ocean proves to be a blessing for Palauanons because they have abundant and teeming marine life. International divers are attracted to this country because they have a lot of dive-worthy sites, and the most requested are the Blue Corner, Peleliu Wall and Ulong Channel. Water current can be unpredictable and strong but if you have a good dive master then your eyes will feast on the underwater beauty where in you can see reef sharks, eels, colorful corals and stingrays swimming by.

ROCK ISLANDS
One of the most popular spots in the country, Rock Islands offer a variety of activities. This UNESCO Heritage Site is home to the famous Jellyfish Lake and Seventy Islands. The turquoise waters surrounding these little islands are good spot for sea kayaking, and the white sand beaches can be your camping ground for a night under the stars. If you want to see the islands in a different perspective, try getting an aerial tour and witness firsthand the beauty from the bird’s eye-view.

WATERFALLS
Palau is not only blessed with sand and sea, they’re also endowed with sceneries that are simply stunning. Ngardmau Waterfalls is a famous contrast to the snorkeling and diving activities. A break from the salty air to the smell of fresh clean mist in the forest is a welcome change. This waterfall is considered the tallest waterfall in all of Micronesia and the cool waters can freshen up hikers after the tiring trek. There are also natural pools within the river and the water here is cool and inviting, a dip while enjoying the foliage of the jungle is a worthy experience.

MUSEUMS
For a country this small, you’ll be surprised on the many museums you’ll see in the island. They have museums for their rich culture and arts, and they have museums for World War II relics. If you are in for the rich Palauan and Micronesian culture, go ahead and visit Etpison Museum and Belau National Museum and Bai. They have a collection of all things Palau, and their storyboards here are a must-see, and an impressive Bai or meeting house for men is worth a look since it is painted and designed with Palau’s myth and legends. If you want to see authentic WWII relics, get a trip to Peleliu to see the remainders of the battle that took place here more than 70 years ago. Adventurers can visit the Bloody Nose Ridge and 1,000 Man Cave for an old war feels.

Top 3 Reasons Why You Should Try Solo Travel At Least Once

There is absolutely no doubt that traveling with family and friends can be a very rewarding journey. A group trip has the ability to create a strong, long-lasting connection between you and your travel partners. That being said, going on a road trip with a group of friends is one of the best things that you could ever do. But what about solo travel? Why would anyone want to travel alone when group trips are so rewarding? Well, you would be surprised to see just how many people decide to travel the world alone rather than with a group of friends, and there are many different reasons why they decide to do it.

One of the biggest benefits of traveling the world alone is that you get to make all the important decisions. You also get to put much more focus into your destination. You see, when you are traveling alone, the lack of familiar people to interact with actually provides you with the ability to engage much more with your surroundings. Simply put, you get to focus much more on where you are rather than who you are with, and that is never a bad thing. It is pretty much safe to say that this is one of the main reasons why so many travelers report much more vivid memories from their solo trips – because they were focused on their surroundings, not on their travel partner’s needs and requirements!

 

Not Everything Has To Work Out As Planned

Keep in mind that not every single choice that you make during the trip has to work out as planned. When you are traveling with a group of friends, it is very important for you to suggest activities that everyone will be able to enjoy. However, that is not something that you need to worry about when you are traveling alone. So, if you make the wrong choice on a solo trip, you are not going to ruin anyone’s day.

 

Changing Plans On a Dime

When it comes to traveling with a group of friends, changing plans can have a pretty negative impact on the rest of the group. But when you are traveling alone, you can change your mind multiple times in one minute without making anyone angry. So, feel free to change your travel plans whenever you feel like it.

 

Finding Your Own Rhythm

You are in full control of your travel schedule. When you are traveling alone, it is all about you. Come up with your own rhythm and stick to it.

Three Common Travel Insurance Questions Answered

There is absolutely no doubt about it – travel insurance is one of the most important things that you need to buy before you hit the road. One thing that you really need to remember here is that this applies to all of your trips, regardless of how short or long they are. What this means is that no matter how much time you are going to spend away from your home, a good travel insurance is simply a must-have. Due to the fact that we don’t really talk about travel insurance as much or as often as we should, we decided that now is the time to do it. In just a few minutes, we are going to talk about some of the most common misconceptions that have piled up over the past few years – the misconceptions that we should have written about a long time ago.

What makes travel insurance such an important thing to have is the fact that it can get you out of a whole lot of different scenarios, and it is not too expensive either. If you are lucky enough, you could end up paying as little as $2.50 a day, and let us tell you that for that price, not only is travel insurance worth getting, but it is also the most important thing that you hope you will ever need on your travel adventures. After all, you probably want to have a good home insurance, car insurance, health insurance, and life insurance, don’t you? Of course you do – just like we do! So, why wouldn’t you want to have a good travel insurance too? It is pretty much the same thing as home, car, health, and life insurance – it protects us from the unexpected. There is no doubt that a good travel insurance is a must-have, but since it is a confusing topic for a lot of people out there, we decided to answer three of the most common travel insurance questions!

What Exactly Is Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is a form of emergency care services for when things unexpectedly go wrong. Its main mission is to be there for accidents and events that you never thought would happen to you. Keep in mind that travel insurance is not a substitute to your health or life insurance back home.

Can You Go See a Doctor Whenever You Want?

Don’t treat your travel insurance is a replacement for your health or life insurance. Its main mission is to be there for you in case of an unexpected emergency. If you want to go see a doctor by yourself, your travel insurance can’t help you with that.

Will You Be Covered If You Get Drunk and Hurt Yourself?

Your insurance company will want to know if putting yourself at unnecessary risk let to the injury. What this means is that you will probably not be covered if you get drunk and hurt yourself. Don’t do anything crazy and everything should be okay!