Quito

[Mith242]

Ecuadorian food is not that famous. We might distinguish ourselves with soups, and pig meat. Also,many traditional sweets  

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Getting back on a lighter note. I'll bring up the food topic again. So would you say that pork (pig meat) is the typical meat of Ecuador? I have family that now live in the state of New Mexico. It's just north of the Mexican border. It has a long history in which is used to be a part of Mexico and still has much hispanics roots. Pork is in many traditional dishes there. Unlike much of northern Mexico where beef seems to be much more common. You can tell it has a slightly seperate culture than much of Mexico. But as food is concerned your description reminds me of food in New Mexico a bit. Pork, some soups. Corn is also used a lot and New Mexico green chile peppers. I don't think their chile peppers are quite as hot as the aji, but they are still very tasty. You can't really find aji peppers here. I'm comtemplating trying to grow my own, although I live in an apartment and not sure if trying to grow chile peppers indoors will be very successful. Any idea on where I could get Ecuadorean recipes? It might be interesting to at least attempt make some Ecuadorean dishes.

[Mith242]

Okay I'll finally get away from the topic of food and ask some other questions about Ecuador. From what I've been able to find out it looks like the Andes go through the center of the country with the coastal lowlands to the west and part of the Amazon basin to the east. Where is most of the population located? That and does Ecuador share many cultural ties to it's neighbors? Do people from Ecuador tend to identify with a particular country more than any others?

[Ruso]

Getting back on a lighter note.  I'll bring up the food topic again.  So would you say that pork (pig meat) is the typical meat of Ecuador?  I have family that now live in the state of New Mexico.  It's just north of the Mexican border.  It has a long history in which is used to be a part of Mexico and still has much hispanics roots.  Pork is in many traditional dishes there.  Unlike much of northern Mexico where beef seems to be much more common.  You can tell it has a slightly seperate culture than much of Mexico.  But as food is concerned your description reminds me of food in New Mexico a bit.  Pork, some soups.  Corn is also used a lot and New Mexico green chile peppers.  I don't think their chile peppers are quite as hot as the aji, but they are still very tasty.  You can't really find aji peppers here.  I'm comtemplating trying to grow my own, although I live in an apartment and not sure if trying to grow chile peppers indoors will be very successful.  Any idea on where I could get Ecuadorean recipes?  It might be interesting to at least attempt make some Ecuadorean dishes.

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Yeah, that would be awsome. Yet, as I told you before, I am a total failure in the kitchen,so am no good advice. I'll look for some recipes if you want. Are you a good chef? Did you taste the pork, did you like it? For many americans, here you also can find all sort of things, such as McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Dominos, Papajohns, Burguer King, etc.

[Ruso]

Okay I'll finally get away from the topic of food and ask some other questions about Ecuador.

[Mith242]

Yeah, that would be awsome. Yet, as I told you before, I am a total failure in the kitchen,so am no good advice. I'll look for some recipes if you want. Are you a good chef? Did you taste the pork, did you like it? For many americans, here you also can find all sort of things, such as McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Dominos, Papajohns, Burguer King, etc. 

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Yes I really enjoy the food in New Mexico. One is very simple, green chile stew, it's basically just water, potatoes, pork and New Mexico green chile peppers. But there is another dish that I see very often that is a traditional favorite. It's called carne adovado. It's basically pork that is slowly cooked into it comes apart into little pieces and it cooked with red chiles. It tends to be rather spicy. But there is much more and some of it is probably newer introductions from Mexico. They seem to use chile peppers in much of their food unlike most places in the US. Until the past decade or two you rarely saw very much spicy food except along the border with Mexico and also cajun and creole cooking in Lousiana.

[Mith242]

Yo forgot about the Galapagos Islands , which are a real miracle in nature.

The most populated areas, I think, are in the coast. There you got many, many cities, which are horribly miserable and desorganized, but very populated. In the mountains, instead, you got a few little cities, very poor and also chaotic, but  I would say that, with less people, for the mountains are colder and lonier. In the Amazonia you just got much fewer cities, and tribes all over the jungle.

As you might know, Ecuador was part of a Union after its independence from Spain. Venezuela, Colombia, Panam

[Mith242]

In another forum I think I saw you mention something about wanting to study cinema, is that true? If so what movies have had a great influence on you? If you did get into cinema would you prefer to work in your home country or work outside it? Are there any movies from Ecuador that you'd recommend?

[Ruso]

I didn't forget the Galapagos Islands but I didn't think very many people lived there.

[Mith242]

You are right, there is not much people there. And, true, even though they have different cultures, and could not be seen as "the same thing", you could generalize, and compare the ecuadorian coast with Colombia and Venezuela, and the mountains with Peru. This is, of course, in an archetypical,stereotypical view of these nations. 

It is curious that you mention the separation, because there has been, as a matter of fact, many people fighting for that. There have been many ocassions in which Guayquil, and the province of Guayas, have been seen as a future independent nation. Of course, these have only been especulations and, sometimes, rumors. Currently, they are proposing a system called "auntonom

[Ruso]

How is this auntonomias or even possible seperation viewed throughout the rest of the country?  I'm assuming many people on the coast like the idea.  Do they have real reason to be a seperate independant nation?  Do they feel Quito doesn't understand or respect their problems?  Just trying to better understand why there is a feeling of seperation.

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I cant believe some of the commentaries I have read. Did you read them in Bush's war forum?It is unbelievable the levels of....anyone can reach. Well, anyways, the autonomy idea is right now very controversial. I will try to give you a more detail explantaion about it later, cuz it is kind of complex. Guayaquil has always been like that. Many have tried, yet none have yet prevailed. Quito is the nation's capital, so we would keep being the central governement. For what i understand, Guayauil does not want to depend on the central government. They want to make their own decisions, their own policies, their own resources. Obviously, this would be harmful for the other provinces' economies, for it is Guayaquil the one that produces the most, and the most important port in Ecuador. Many in Quito support this idea, and even propose it for Quito.

Just to make sure, and autonomy would not mean a separation. It is closer to a federalist system

[Mith242]

I cant believe some of the commentaries I have read. Did you read them in Bush's war forum?It is unbelievable the levels of....anyone can reach. Well, anyways, the autonomy idea is right now very controversial. I will try to give you a more detail explantaion about it later, cuz it is kind of complex. Guayaquil has always been like that. Many have tried, yet none have yet prevailed. Quito is the nation's capital, so we would keep being the central governement. For what i understand, Guayauil does not want to depend on the central government. They want to make their own decisions, their own policies, their own resources. Obviously, this would be harmful for the other provinces' economies, for it is Guayaquil the one that produces the most, and the most important port in Ecuador. Many in Quito support this idea, and even propose it for Quito.

Just to make sure, and autonomy would not mean a separation. It is closer to a federalist system

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Yeah I was just trying to get a response on either possibility. And no I haven't gotten into the Bush's war forum yet.

[Ruso]

In another forum I think I saw you mention something about wanting to study cinema, is that true?  If so what movies have had a great influence on you?  If you did get into cinema would you prefer to work in your home country or work outside it?  Are there any movies from Ecuador that you'd recommend?

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Yeah, it is very true. It is just that I have a little problem. I want to study film, architecture and cognitive psychology. Kind of complicated, dont know how I can find the right program. Good movies, oh god, many: Fallind Down, Truman Show, the Woody Allen movies, Bowling for Columbine, so many I can not remember. I would prefer to begin in the USA, and later go back and try it here. Ecuadorian movies, yes there are some which have been praised by Cannes festival, "Ratas Ratones y Rateros", and "Cronicas", which is a psychological, criminal thriller.

[Mith242]

Yeah, it is very true. It is just that I have a little problem. I want to study film, architecture and cognitive psychology. Kind of complicated, dont know how I can find the right program. Good movies, oh god, many: Fallind Down, Truman Show, the Woody Allen movies, Bowling for Columbine, so many I can not remember.  I would prefer to begin in the USA, and later go back and try it here. Ecuadorian movies, yes there are some which have been praised by Cannes festival, "Ratas Ratones y Rateros", and "Cronicas", which is a psychological, criminal thriller. 

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Well all of those are interesting choices no matter which way you end up going. I enjoy checking out foreign films but I usually only see European or Asians films. I really don't recall seeing any and films from Latin American around here. But I'll have to try to check those two out, thanks for the recommendations.

[GaTechGuy]

I've been to Ecuador twice and loved it...of all the countries I've been to its one of my favorite. Unfortunately its been awhile since I've been there. Quito was very nice and so was Cuenca. Guayaquil was very hot and humid when I was there and it was basically miserable. Both times I went I spent most of my time in a little town called Banos. It was up in the mountains, surrounded by volcanoes and had these hot springs that they used to fill swimming pools full of hot water. Also both times I went the native population was apparently mad at the government and they blockaded the rodes and pretty much trapped us where we were (both times we were in Banos). We ended up missing our flight home both times because of that...but hey it was exciting. Anyway, just thought I'd mention how much I loved the country and I will definitely go back one day.

As far as the movies go I've heard of "Cronicas" it has John Leguizamo in it. From what I know about it it sounds like an interesting movie that I'll have to check out some day soon.

[Ruso]

I've been to Ecuador twice and loved it...of all the countries I've been to its one of my favorite. Unfortunately its been awhile since I've been there. Quito was very nice and so was Cuenca. Guayaquil was very hot and humid when I was there and it was basically miserable. Both times I went I spent most of my time in a little town called Banos. It was up in the mountains, surrounded by volcanoes and had these hot springs that they used to fill swimming pools full of hot water. Also both times I went the native population was apparently mad at the government and they blockaded the rodes and pretty much trapped us where we were (both times we were in Banos). We ended up missing our flight home both times because of that...but hey it was exciting. Anyway, just thought I'd mention how much I loved the country and I will definitely go back one day.

As far as the movies go I've heard of "Cronicas" it has John Leguizamo in it. From what I know about it it sounds like an interesting movie that I'll have to check out some day soon.

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Gosh, So you were here both times? Am glad you enjoyed it. In april they almost did the same thing, but this time, the natives did not have that much influence. It was in Quito where the gov. was defeated.

Guayaquil has that reputation. Fortunatelly, the last two city majors have partially transformed it. Certain areas are now just amazingly developed. The problem is that, these areas are for tourists, whereas the misery sectors stayed the same, just hidden. So it is like a "make-up" tranformation. Did you go t the Galapagos? Which city did you like more, Quito or Cuenca?

[GaTechGuy]

No, I wasn't able to make it to the Galapagos islands either time. We had planned on going there both times but with the blockades we weren't able to get there in time. I'll definitely be going there next time. I was able to climb one of the Volcanoes and we went down and stayed with an Indian tribe down in the jungle along the banks of a river for three nights. I had a lot of fun with what I was able to do.

As far as which was better, Quito or Cuenca...that's a hard one. I guess if I had to choose I'd choose Cuenca. Not sure why. It probably just comes down to the fact that I was able to spend more time in Cuenca and walk around a lot of it and get a better feel for the city.

[Ruso]

No, I wasn't able to make it to the Galapagos islands either time. We had planned on going there both times but with the blockades we weren't able to get there in time. I'll definitely be going there next time. I was able to climb one of the Volcanoes and we went down and stayed with an Indian tribe down in the jungle along the banks of a river for three nights. I had a lot of fun with what I was able to do.

As far as which was better, Quito or Cuenca...that's a hard one. I guess if I had to choose I'd choose Cuenca. Not sure why. It probably just comes down to the fact that I was able to spend more time in Cuenca and walk around a lot of it and get a better feel for the city.

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Wow cool. And about the indian strike, lol, at least you were able to experience something different. In April, during the coup, it was easy to see hundreds of americans taking pictures of the marches, confontrations, etc.

[Ruso]

Well all of those are interesting choices no matter which way you end up going.  I enjoy checking out foreign films but I usually only see European or Asians films.  I really don't recall seeing any and films from Latin American around here.  But I'll have to try to check those two out, thanks for the recommendations.

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What are your favorite movies? What did you study?

[9thWonder]

Ah good stuff, I have family in Guayaquil. My grandpa (RIP) on my mother's side was from Ecuador.

[Ruso]

Ah good stuff, I have family in Guayaquil. My grandpa (RIP) on my mother's side was from Ecuador.

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Sorry to hear that. But did you get to know him? Did you get to know Guayaquil?

[9thWonder]

Sorry to hear that. But did you get to know him? Did you get to know Guayaquil?

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Heh, thanks

No I never met him, he died before I was born. I never go to go to Ecuador. My mother's been there a lot, she lived there for a while and her brother, my uncle was born there. I also have roots in venezuela. Last time she went to Ecuador was like 11 years ago.I'd like to visit ecuador, those pictures look amazing. It really looks like a wonderful place. The only place I've been in south america is Colombia. But I have a feeling I'll check Ecuador and other countries in SA in the future.

[Ruso]

The spanish city was established in 1517. However, there were many native settlements before, and for some historians, it was an important incan market. The weather is, for me, perfect. There is no seasons, and we got sun, rain and cold weather all in the same day.

[Australian1]

Quito is a mountainus place

but Thanks for Posting!

[Ruso]

Quito is a mountainus place

but Thanks for Posting!

It is a very mountanous place.

[DigitalSky]

Very cool pics. Looks like a dynamic place