Ayangue Beach - A Place To Enjoy

Ayangue is a small coastal town in the Ecuador's Spondylus Route.

It is a small fishing village, located on a horseshoe shaped bay.

Ayangue Beach is known for its clear, warm waters, pristine coral reefs, and the charm of a small town.

It is an excellent place for diving enthusiasts.

Ayangue Beach

Ayangue is a beach of calm waters whose main activity is the recreational and artisanal fisheries.

The beach covers 3100 meters of the Ecuadorian coast, boasts lush and attractive scenery, warm waters, and soft sand.

Ayangue Beach is a great place for those who practice underwater sports.

It is ideal for those looking astonished by the diversity of species that populate its depths below.

Because of this the Ayangue Beach is known as "pool of Pacific”.

The mountains around it interrupt the sea and the waters form a kind of a natural pool.

People come here to enjoy the sun and the beach.

Diving and underwater sports

Besides this beautiful beach is able to perform different activities like volleyball, bird watching, fishing, whale watching and diving.

The diving is especially popular since it provides the opportunity to enjoy the underwater riches.

Ayangue is considered one of the best diving in Ecuador.

El Viejo and El Pelado rocky isles are located approximately a 20-minute boat Ayangue and offer great opportunities to see the coral reefs and marine life.

Some sightings include: turtles, lobsters, octopus, white reef sharks, dolphins, angelfish, surgeonfish, butterfly fish, banner fish, soldier fish, moray eel, scorpion fish, blowfish, yellow tail mullet, parrot fish, hawk fish, stingrays, blue marlins, and swordfish, among others.

Although many of these species can only be seen in deep dives, snorkeling also offers great opportunities to see the delights of Ecuador underwater.

History of Ayangue

The proud history of Ayangue and surroundings has been recently discovered. I

n the last twenty years, historians and archeologists have determined that the communities of artisans in the area and populated the sector in 3000 BC.

 These experts concluded that many of the artifacts that were discovered are over 1000 years old, even older than the oldest in Peru and Mexico.

The archeological museum, near Valdivia, documents the history of these maritime nomads.

A place to enjoy

Ayangue is very popular among both national and international tourists.

This is due to the how special this beautiful resort is, its landscapes, its spectacular vegetation, and fauna.

Ayangue Beach is a place for relaxation, recreation and to satisfy the most demanding tastes in maritime cuisine.

Around the beach, you can find several restaurants offering all kinds of delicacies from the sea.

Gluten Free Oatmeal and Peach Bake

Do you feel like you need something delicious?

I get that feeling a lot.

And it can be really hard sometimes, since I shouldn’t eat anything with gluten in it.

But it has made me try new things.

Like this gluten free oatmeal and peach bake.

It’s really simple to do and delicious to eat.

Ingredients

6 dl oatmeal

1 dl tapioca flour

200 gr margarine or butter

2 dl raw sugar

On top

1 can of peaches, sliced

Vanilla essence

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Open the can of peaches and cut them into slices.

Mix the raw sugar with the margarine or butter.

Mix the oatmeal with tapioca flour and add them.

Put half of the mix in the pan and put the apple slices on top.

Add vanilla essence, cinnamon and nutmeg on top of the peach slices.

Cover everything with the other half of the mix.

Bake an hour in 200 C.

Enjoy!

Shuar Indigenous People of Ecuador

The Shuar indigenous people of Ecuador were an eminently warlike people.

They were known as the feared Jíbaros, the wilds or ferals, and headhunters of the Amazon.

Formerly, after their wars, they performed a rite of reducing the head of his enemies.

This ritual is known as Tsantsa.

It was performed in order to preserve the enemy’s head as a trophy of war.

Today they claim the right to call themselves as Shuar, meaning, people, a person.

History of Shuar People

These dreaded “feral” people dominated the Amazon jungle to the late nineteenth century.

They lived mainly in the provinces of Morona Santiago and Zamora Chinchipe of Ecuador.

Shuar nation was never submitted by the colonizers.

The arrival of the Salesian mission, which gained momentum after 1930, led to the nuclearization of settlements and new forms of organization.

This culminated in the establishment of the Shuar Federation in 1964.

The Salesian missionaries began the process of Christianizing the Shuar.

The first missionaries were seized by the feared warriors and found their end in the hands of the Shuar warriors.

Although Western history does not indicate how many missionaries were killed and legendary transformed into tsantsas.

Nowadays the Shuar have left their warrior side and submitted to the pacification imposed by missionaries.

In this process, several Shuar fled to the south, and this way expanded the communities to different areas of Amazonian Ecuador.

Such as the provinces of Pastaza, Morona Santiago, Zamora Chinchipe, and to the territory that now corresponds to Peru.

Culture of the Shuar Nation

The traditional language of Shuar people is Shuar-chicham.

 They are nomads and subsist mainly on the horticulture of tubers, tending the farms until the harvest and then moving on.

This is supplemented by hunting, fishing and gathering which are the work of the men.

The agriculture and harvesting are for women.

Women are also in charge of children and housework, particularly of the preparation of chicha and kitchen.

The Shuar people traditionally use the system of slash and burn cultivation.

Hunting is their main source of protein, and they supplement their diet with fishing and gathering fruits, insects and plants.

However, currently most of the traditional hunting ground is being replaced by cattle pastures, which has resulted in the progressive depletion of the soil and reduced availability of land.

This has led to the introduction of a sedentary settlement pattern, the same that is producing changes in the socioeconomic system.

Traditionally the settlement was sparse, usually zoned according to kinship.

Creamy Vegetable Soup

What is the best way to get warm during the winter colds?

A soup is easy and simple to make and also many times a very frugal option.

Vegetable soup is light and convenient.

And the ingredients can often already be found in the refrigerator.

Preparation of a cream soup is simple.

Vegetables are cut up in pieces and boil in plenty of water or vegetable broth until soft.

Mashing can be conveniently done with the hand blender or food processor.

You can add to the finished the soup a little soy or coconut cream or cream cheese to soften the taste.

Also, a spoonful of cottage cheese, crème fraiche or sour cream and a pinch of fresh herbs will give the soup a nice finishing touch.

Gluten free tapioca or yucca bread is perfect to accompany vegetable soup.

Ingredients

12-13 oz of water

5 potatoes

2 onions

4 carrots

1 celeriac

2 parsnips

1 teaspoon salt, herbs

plenty of parsley, chervil or basil

(add  sour cream, soy or coconut cream or cream cheese to make the soup creamier)

Wash the vegetables and peel them. 

Finely chop the carrot and other vegetables into wedges.

Boil the vegetables until well done, about 30-40 minutes. 

Let sit for a little while. 

Puree the soup in a blender or sieve.

Heat the soup again, season to taste and add a bit of crushed herb seasoning.

Enjoy!

Bolivia - A Country Of My Dreams

I cannot tell how excited I am to be able to share this with you.

I’m currently visiting Bolivia, translating for Finish Federations of Seeing Impaired and Ecuadorian and Bolivian Federations of Blind People.

It is an honor and a huge opportunity for me.

But also a dream come true.

Bolivia is one of the countries I’ve always dreamt of visiting.

And now I have the opportunity to do it!

I got a small taste of the wonderful and colorful culture during Napo province’s festivities here in Tena.

Embassy of Bolivia had prepared their presentation for the festivities.

And here are some pictures of what they did.

Hope you enjoy them!

And I will take more pictures while in Bolivia and be sure to tell you how my trip went!

Vulcano Park - Ecuador's Largests Fixed Amusement Park

Where to go with children in Quito?

Vulcano Park is one of the main attractions for families in Quito.

 The amusement park offers your visitors entertainment through varied attractions that are suitable for all the public.

At over 3000 meters, the park is a must go if you are visiting the city.

What is Vulcano Park

The park includes mechanical distractions, technology and provides entertainment with its the varied attractions, games, and innovations.

There are also food stands where you can buy a snack or a meal for the kids, or the whole family.

It is suitable for everyone and every age with approximately 26 rides and attractions.

Even though not very grand at the international scale, Vulcano Park is the Ecuador’s largest fixed amusement.

The park is located on the slopes of Pichincha volcano and has an amazing view.

Guests can also ascend by cable car to Cruz Loma, where you will have a panoramic view of the city.

General Information

The rides vary in cost between $ 1.49 and $ 2.00.

There are days that some are discounted and are $ 0.35 per ride.

 The rides outside are cheaper than the games inside where you can win prizes.

The amusement park opens every day.

From  Monday to Thursday it is open from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

And from Friday till Sunday it opens from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM.