http://www.ecuador.com/blog/ en 2013-05-09T04:48:58-05:00 hourly 6 2013-05-09T04:48:58-05:00 http://www.ecuador.com/blog/ecuadors-life-saving-national-tree 2013-05-09T04:48:58-05:00 en Editor Features Referred to locally as "Quina’, the national tree of Ecuador has long been appreciated in many parts of the world for its life-saving medicinal properties. Cinchona pubescens is one of thirty-eight species in the genus Cinchona of the family Rubiaceae, indigenous to the tropical forests in the Andes mountains of western South America, including Ecuador. With shiny evergreen foliage and pink, white or red flowers, Cinchonas are either large shrubs or small trees that produce a small fruit with many seeds. http://www.ecuador.com/blog/entertainment-and-education-at-the-house-of-ecuadorian-culture 2013-04-25T02:39:49-05:00 en Editor Features Situated in Quito, the Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana (House of Ecuadorian Culture) was founded by Benjamin Carrion (1897-1979) primarily for the preservation and promotion of the many aspects of Ecuador's vibrant culture, including music, dance, art, literature, theater and film. This goal continues today, with the center's theaters and lecture rooms as venues for a wide variety of events, lectures and workshops. In addition to visiting artists and performers, the House of Ecuadorian Culture has a permanent choir, theatrical group and a chamber ensemble, all of whom are dedicated to promoting Ecuadorian and Latin American culture both at their home base in Quito and at other venues. http://www.ecuador.com/blog/montanita-hosts-world-masters-surfing-championship 2013-04-11T03:16:44-05:00 en Editor Features The picturesque town of Montañita has been chosen as the venue for the 2013 World Masters Surfing Championship from April 6 through to April 14. Promoted as an Olympic-style event, the championship is organized by the International Surfing Association (ISA) and has competitions in five disciplines – Men's Masters (35 and over); Men's Grand Masters (40 and over); Men's Kahunas (45 and over); Men's Grand Masters (50 and over); and Women's Masters (35 and over). Points will be tallied from results in all the disciplines with the Eduardo Arena Team Trophy going to the team with the highest score. The trophy is named in honor of the founder of the ISA, Eduardo Arena, who started the association in 1964. http://www.ecuador.com/blog/discover-the-beauty-of-ecuadors-imbabura-province 2013-03-28T03:03:05-05:00 en Editor Travel Located in northern Ecuador, Imbabura province is home to the inactive Imbabura stratovolcano which has not erupted in 14,000 years. As the area is covered in ancient volcanic ash, the slopes of Imbabura are very fertile, providing perfect conditions for the cloud forests to thrive, while the land around the volcano is used for farming. Consisting of a number of cinder cones which vary in height, the top of the volcanic mountain is covered in snow from time to time, but it does not have any permanent glaciers, as is the case with Cotopaxi and Chimborazo. http://www.ecuador.com/blog/the-pygmy-marmosets-of-ecuador 2013-03-14T02:11:33-05:00 en Editor Features With wiry hair framing its tiny face, the pygmy marmoset of Ecuador is sometimes referred to as leoncity (little lion), or mono de bolsillo (pocket monkey), being a reference to its diminutive size. Thriving on a diet of tree gum, insects, arachnids and even small lizards, pygmy marmosets (Cebuella pygmaea) are found in the rainforests of eastern Ecuador, particularly near rivers, as well as in parts of Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. http://www.ecuador.com/blog/take-a-stroll-through-the-historical-center-of-quito 2013-02-28T00:44:30-06:00 en Editor Travel Featuring more than a hundred monuments and buildings with historic, architectural and cultural value, the historic center of Quito is considered to be one of Latin America’s most important historic areas, and was one of the first centers of its kind to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. Covering an area of around 320 hectares, the historic center includes El Panecillo, a 200-meter high volcanic hill upon which a 45-meter tall monument of the Virgin Mary, standing on an ornate pedestal, is visible from almost anywhere in the city of Quito. Made out of seven thousand pieces of aluminum, the statue was created by Spanish artist Agustín de la Herrán Matorras and installed by Anibal Lopez of Quito, being inaugurated in March 1976. http://www.ecuador.com/blog/eco-airport-for-galapagos-islands 2013-02-14T01:20:08-06:00 en Editor News Listed as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 1985, the Galápagos Islands of Ecuador are among the country's most popular tourist attractions, particularly for nature lovers who are drawn by the archipelago's fascinating flora and fauna. It was Charles Darwin who drew the world's attention to the Galápagos, with the endemic species on the islands providing the basis for his Theory of Evolution and his book The Origin of Species - and the world’s fascination with the Galápagos has certainly not faded over the years. In 2012 more than 180,000 people visited these legendary islands, and now visitors to the islands will be able to take eco-tourism to a new level with the completion of the ecological airport on Baltra Island – the inauguration of which is planned for early March 2013. http://www.ecuador.com/blog/explore-ecuadors-avenue-of-the-volcanoes 2013-01-31T05:13:23-06:00 en Editor Travel Following a 200 km route between the Eastern and Western Cordillera mountain chains, the Avenue of the Volcanoes (Avenida de los volcanes) offers adventurers the opportunity to view up to fourteen of Ecuador's magnificent volcanoes. Some of the volcanoes are active, while others are dormant, and each has its own unique characteristics, making it worthwhile to take a trip along this spectacular 'avenue'. There are a number of tours for visitors to choose from, many of which start and end in the country's capital city, Quito. http://www.ecuador.com/blog/talented-ecuadorian-filmmaker-sebastian-cordero 2013-01-17T02:24:57-06:00 en Editor Features Born in Quito on May 23, 1972, Sebastián Cordero is an Ecuadorian writer, film director and editor mostly readily recognized for his debut film - Ratas, Ratones, Rateros - portraying a life of poverty in Ecuador. The film was nominated at the 2001 Spanish Goya Awards for Best Film of the Year and was screened at the Venice, Toronto, Buenos Aires, San Sebastián, Huelva and La Habana film festivals. Subsequent films directed by Cordero include Crónicas, Rabia and Pescador. http://www.ecuador.com/blog/discover-the-biodiversity-of-ecuador 2013-01-02T22:43:26-06:00 en Editor Travel Located in a 2,600-acre private reserve around 110 kilometers from Quito, Mashpi Lodge offers an eco-friendly vacation in the spectacular bio-diverse Tumbez-Choco-Darien region of Ecuador. The lodge and reserve offer a host of activities to make the most of the incredible natural treasures found within its borders, including a trip on the canopy gondola, trekking on the nature trails, relaxing and learning at the life center, night walks, birding, photography, botany, and more – truly a nature lover’s paradise.