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[email protected] The region of Umbria, Italy is known for its olive oil, black truffles, and exquisite wines from the many vineyards populating the countryside.  And, as in all of Italy, one's senses are enhanced by the fresh pastas, breads,   [...]

By DAVID MORRILL To tourists and foreign residents, Cuenca's Christmas Eve “Pase del Niño” parade, or Passing of the Child, is a colorful, often bizarre, mixture of the sacred and the profane. To locals, it is a time-honored Christian festival of   [...]

[email protected] When visiting the Galapagos Islands, you can see a lot by staying on a boat, but you can often miss a lot, too.   Cruise itineraries can be hurried and quarters are often cramped.  The views are spectacular and soothing, but   [...]

By LANCE BRASHEAR August  is the month when Ecuadorians head for the beach.  The coast is undoubtedly Ecuador's most under-appreciated destination by international tourists.  But that is okay, leave it for the rest of us to enjoy.   Those who live   [...]

By LANCE BRASHEAR The sign is simple enough, if you can read it: "Alabada sea el Santisimo sacramento que esta casa se acaba el 15 de agosto 1691." (Praise be to the most holy sacrament that this house was finished August 15, 1691).  The house at   [...]

By LANCE BRASHEAR  For anyone who has ever been confused about how to get to Baños, let us pose a question: To which Baños are you traveling?  Visitors, even residents, do not always realize there are two towns with the same name (one near Ambato   [...]

By LANCE BRASHEAR Not all cities have personality, at least not the kind which makes itself apparent through the everyday activities of the town.  But take a look at Cuenca, a destination where the cultural and the economic often blend together, a   [...]

BY DEKE CASTLEMAN One of the pleasant surprises for visitors to Cuenca is the large assortment of boutique hotels and hostals in the city's historic district. Whether you're looking for a place to stay, a good meal or just sightseeing, they are wo   [...]

BY LANCE BRASHEAR One of the biggest surprises of Isabela Island is that it is not only the largest island in the Galapagos chain (four times larger than Santa Cruz and, also, just slightly bigger than the U.S. state of Rhode Island) but it is les   [...]

By LANCE BRASHEAR  There are a few events every year in Quito that bring hundreds of thousands of people together: Ecuadorian Independence (August 9-10th), the Founding of Quito, or Fiestas de Quito (December  6th), and Semana Santa, or Easter Hol   [...]