In case you have not noticed yet, this young quiteña, whose feet beg to dance every opportunity, is me. Bernarda Carranza.
I'm no expert on the subject of Quito but like any other respected journalist I am curious and resourceful, so, I ask around and my handy tools (a small blue notebook and a pen) help me capture everything that amazes and arouses my interest.
The Old Town is a place for time travel, to an epoch when the streets were narrow and long, when houses were pastel-colored, when the balconies were small and flooded with geraniums.
I go back to a Quito where musical trios played the characteristic “pasillos” and listening to jokes or “cachos” in the streets was an everyday thing. I go back to a place that I only heard about in my grandparent’s childhood stories.
But let’s not get too nostalgic.
So, I’m going to start now with the most important thing to start the day breakfast.
I started walking in Old Town and at around 8:30 a.m., but at 9:30 a.m. I hadn’t eaten and the hunger was beginning to cloud my vision.
So, we headed to Cafetería Modelo located in the streets Sucre and Garcia Moreno. This café exists since 1950 and upon entering you can’t help but notice its traditional feel.
The walls are filled with framed black and white photographs and old newspaper clippings.
The photos show the Old Town of the past. The first picture, to me, is the one that stands out. It’s the image of “La Torera” "The Bullfighter", an iconic character of the city.
She was a woman who paraded around the streets of the town every day – from 1940s to 1980s. She was known for her colorful and elaborate costumes hence the nickname "torera".
I spotted a neon sign that illuminated the name of the place, “Cafetería Modelo”.
I then heard a pasillo coming from the second floor. My eyes followed the sound and to my surprise I realized that it was coming from a musical trio, all suited and booted, with their guitars, delighting customers with their music.
We walked through the cafeteria. Most of the tables were full. As we passed by, people smiled. We went up to the second floor where walls were awash with yellow.
Soon our breakfasts arrived. Mine was guava juice, omelet, cheese sandwich and coffee. While I enjoyed the warm butter that seeped through melted cheese, more customers were entering and leaving.
Traditional courtesy was not a thing of the past, at least in Cafetería Modelo. Every quiteño who walked by our table said "buen provecho" or “enjoy your meal”. Long may this tradition survive!
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Showing posts with label quito. Show all posts
Showing posts with label quito. Show all posts
Friday, 10 March 2017
ECUADOR: Veronica Sevilla New General Manager Of Quito Tourism Board
Quito is more than just Ecuador’s capital city. The mountaintop municipality was the first to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and features one of the Americas’ largest and best-preserved colonial districts.
Located in the Andes at 9,350 feet above sea level, Quito features winding cobblestone streets leading to broad open plazas.
Many of the city’s majestic colonial structures are built atop still-visible Incan stone foundations. Nearby natural attractions include Cotopaxi National Park, while the city’s busy marketplaces and charming Bohemian-style districts offer opportunities to experience the city’s cuisine and culture.
Coordinating tourism activities for Quito is now the responsibility of Veronica Sevilla, who was named general manager of the Quito Tourism Board in February. Sevilla directs strategic tourism planning, promotion and development, with the goal of increasing arrivals and spending, promoting longer stays and driving investment and tourism development for Quito.
She brings extensive experience developing South American tourism companies, including those in Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil.
Sevilla has also held management positions and provided consulting for Casa Gangotena, a luxury hotel in Quito; and Mashpi Lodge, located in Ecuador’s cloud forest.
We spoke with Sevilla to hear her views on the tourism growth and the potential for one of Latin America’s high-profile travel destinations.
Why are people visiting Quito today?
Beyond being the gateway to Ecuador, Quito is one of Latin America’s less-discovered cities and offers a variety of experiences. It may be one of South America’s smallest capital cities, but visitors find something to do regardless of the type of vacation they’re looking for, be it history, culture, nature, gastronomy or art.
As the first city to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Quito’s historic city center offers stunning architectural wonders that have been carefully preserved.
Some of the historic homes in the area have also been converted into impressive four and five-star boutique hotels.
Quito lies in the heart of the Andes and therefore enjoys fantastic views of surrounding volcanoes and natural landscapes—ideal for those who enjoy bird watching and learning about the rich native flora.
What specific events are taking place this year that visitors to Quito should look forward to?
Holy Week, or Semana Santa in Quito, is one of the most important celebrations in the city.
Held the last week of March, this is an ideal time for tourists to visit the city and witness Quito’s significant expressions of faith.
On Palm Sunday, decorative items are woven and made of palm leaves, taken to mass where they are blessed, and then returned to the home where they remain until the following year at which time they are burned and the ashes used during the ceremonies of Ash Wednesday.
Good Friday celebrations, however, are the most iconic. Thousands of people descend on the Plaza of San Francisco, at noon (the time of Jesus’ death).
The procession begins from the San Francisco Church and returns three hours later—the hour in which Jesus was crucified.
Fiestas de Quito, (Spanish for Quito Celebrations), commemorates the foundation of the city.
This year will honor its 483-year-old history: Celebrations begin in late November with the election of the new Queen of Quito (a beauty pageant contest held every year) and will extend until December 6, when the city’s streets, avenues and plazas fill with the colors and joy of the holiday season.
Are most visitors combining their Quito visit with a trip to the Galapagos?
When people come and visit Ecuador, they want to take advantage of their trip and see as much as they can.
We see that many of our visitors extend their trip to the Galapagos to enjoy a different experience.
The Quito International Airport offers a number of flights directly to the Galapagos, so visitors to the destination can reach the islands easily.
Also, because it is a short two-hour flight, visitors can enjoy the city to its fullest before embarking on their Galapagos adventure.
What do you believe are Quito’s least-appreciated features?
Affordability. Quito’s official currency is the US dollar, which makes it easy for Americans to visit.
The majority of products are very affordable compared to the states.
The city offers high-quality artisanal items for a low price at markets like Otavalo, and there are moderate prices for boutiques and hotels throughout the city.
The public bus is 25 cents for each trip, making it an easy way to get through the city. There are affordable tours and museums, plazas, parks and churches tend to have free admission.
Local food markets offer inexpensive traditional food and unique medicinal products.
One of the latest products that we have developed is the “Colonial Route” that includes a visit to Quito and Cuenca as well as the Colombian cities of Cartagena and Bogota; all UNESCO heritage sites.
This program includes two days in Cuenca and Cartagena and 3 days in Bogota and Quito.
This alliance between the Quito Tourism Board and the Tourism Board of Colombia was a joint initiative to promote both South American countries.
What programs has your office implemented to support travel and tourism to the city?
The Quito Tourism Board has an extensive program in North America that includes communications efforts, familiarization trips, co-ops, advertising, events, training and participation in industry shows.
We are also focusing on increasing connectivity to the destination.
We work closely with travel agencies and US tour operators to sell and promote the destination. We consider them to be great partners and rely on them to sell Quito.
As a tourism board, we coordinate familiarizations trips as well as roadshows including in-office training in several cities in the United States. We also make sure to attend several trade events like the USTOA Annual Conference.
How will hosting the Routes Americas aviation conference in 2018 impact Quito as a tourism destination?
This conference will allow huge exposure for the destination, which will hopefully spur travel and allow for attendees to extend their stay for a few days to experience more of what the destination has to offer.
We were chosen as host city due to our strong connectivity to the world, convenient location, and extensive tourism and cultural offerings.
We have been investing in new high-quality facilities over the past few years and this will be a great opportunity for us to showcase what we have done.
Located in the Andes at 9,350 feet above sea level, Quito features winding cobblestone streets leading to broad open plazas.
Many of the city’s majestic colonial structures are built atop still-visible Incan stone foundations. Nearby natural attractions include Cotopaxi National Park, while the city’s busy marketplaces and charming Bohemian-style districts offer opportunities to experience the city’s cuisine and culture.
Coordinating tourism activities for Quito is now the responsibility of Veronica Sevilla, who was named general manager of the Quito Tourism Board in February. Sevilla directs strategic tourism planning, promotion and development, with the goal of increasing arrivals and spending, promoting longer stays and driving investment and tourism development for Quito.
She brings extensive experience developing South American tourism companies, including those in Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil.
Sevilla has also held management positions and provided consulting for Casa Gangotena, a luxury hotel in Quito; and Mashpi Lodge, located in Ecuador’s cloud forest.
We spoke with Sevilla to hear her views on the tourism growth and the potential for one of Latin America’s high-profile travel destinations.
Why are people visiting Quito today?
Beyond being the gateway to Ecuador, Quito is one of Latin America’s less-discovered cities and offers a variety of experiences. It may be one of South America’s smallest capital cities, but visitors find something to do regardless of the type of vacation they’re looking for, be it history, culture, nature, gastronomy or art.
As the first city to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Quito’s historic city center offers stunning architectural wonders that have been carefully preserved.
Some of the historic homes in the area have also been converted into impressive four and five-star boutique hotels.
Quito lies in the heart of the Andes and therefore enjoys fantastic views of surrounding volcanoes and natural landscapes—ideal for those who enjoy bird watching and learning about the rich native flora.
What specific events are taking place this year that visitors to Quito should look forward to?
Holy Week, or Semana Santa in Quito, is one of the most important celebrations in the city.
Held the last week of March, this is an ideal time for tourists to visit the city and witness Quito’s significant expressions of faith.
On Palm Sunday, decorative items are woven and made of palm leaves, taken to mass where they are blessed, and then returned to the home where they remain until the following year at which time they are burned and the ashes used during the ceremonies of Ash Wednesday.
Good Friday celebrations, however, are the most iconic. Thousands of people descend on the Plaza of San Francisco, at noon (the time of Jesus’ death).
The procession begins from the San Francisco Church and returns three hours later—the hour in which Jesus was crucified.
Fiestas de Quito, (Spanish for Quito Celebrations), commemorates the foundation of the city.
This year will honor its 483-year-old history: Celebrations begin in late November with the election of the new Queen of Quito (a beauty pageant contest held every year) and will extend until December 6, when the city’s streets, avenues and plazas fill with the colors and joy of the holiday season.
Are most visitors combining their Quito visit with a trip to the Galapagos?
When people come and visit Ecuador, they want to take advantage of their trip and see as much as they can.
We see that many of our visitors extend their trip to the Galapagos to enjoy a different experience.
The Quito International Airport offers a number of flights directly to the Galapagos, so visitors to the destination can reach the islands easily.
Also, because it is a short two-hour flight, visitors can enjoy the city to its fullest before embarking on their Galapagos adventure.
What do you believe are Quito’s least-appreciated features?
Affordability. Quito’s official currency is the US dollar, which makes it easy for Americans to visit.
The majority of products are very affordable compared to the states.
The city offers high-quality artisanal items for a low price at markets like Otavalo, and there are moderate prices for boutiques and hotels throughout the city.
The public bus is 25 cents for each trip, making it an easy way to get through the city. There are affordable tours and museums, plazas, parks and churches tend to have free admission.
Local food markets offer inexpensive traditional food and unique medicinal products.
One of the latest products that we have developed is the “Colonial Route” that includes a visit to Quito and Cuenca as well as the Colombian cities of Cartagena and Bogota; all UNESCO heritage sites.
This program includes two days in Cuenca and Cartagena and 3 days in Bogota and Quito.
This alliance between the Quito Tourism Board and the Tourism Board of Colombia was a joint initiative to promote both South American countries.
What programs has your office implemented to support travel and tourism to the city?
The Quito Tourism Board has an extensive program in North America that includes communications efforts, familiarization trips, co-ops, advertising, events, training and participation in industry shows.
We are also focusing on increasing connectivity to the destination.
We work closely with travel agencies and US tour operators to sell and promote the destination. We consider them to be great partners and rely on them to sell Quito.
As a tourism board, we coordinate familiarizations trips as well as roadshows including in-office training in several cities in the United States. We also make sure to attend several trade events like the USTOA Annual Conference.
How will hosting the Routes Americas aviation conference in 2018 impact Quito as a tourism destination?
This conference will allow huge exposure for the destination, which will hopefully spur travel and allow for attendees to extend their stay for a few days to experience more of what the destination has to offer.
We were chosen as host city due to our strong connectivity to the world, convenient location, and extensive tourism and cultural offerings.
We have been investing in new high-quality facilities over the past few years and this will be a great opportunity for us to showcase what we have done.
Sunday, 13 March 2016
ECUADOR: About Ecuador
Tropical Rain Forest
Capital: Quito
Size: 272,045 km² (Ecuador)
Population: 11.7m
Currency: US dollar
Language: Spanish
Visas: Not required for UK nationals.
Food: Cuisine varies with each region. Seafood is very good, especially on the coast – ceviche de pescado for instance. Andean dishes are based around maize and meat. Try empanadas de morocho (ground corn shell filled with meat).
Festivals: February: Fiesta de las Frutas y las Flores, in Ambato, a carnival with parades, festivities and bullfights. December 6: Dia de Quito is celebrated throughout the week. The festival commemorates the founding of the city with elaborate parades, bullfights, performances and music in the streets.
The phrase 'small is beautiful' could have been coined specifically with Ecuador in mind. By South American standards it is tiny, dwarfed by its neighbours Colombia and Peru. But it is this relative compactness that is one of its main attractions. Here, you can watch dawn break over the jungle canopy, have lunch high in the Andean mountains, then watch the sun slip into the Pacific Ocean - all in the same day.
The capital city, Quito, is the perfect base from which to explore. Although it stands a mere 23km south of the equator, Quito's mountain setting means it enjoys a pleasant, spring-like climate all year round. The city has enough to satisfy the culture vulture and hedonistic night owl, and you don't have to be an architecture buff to appreciate its elegant and beautifully preserved colonial heart, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
South of Quito is some of the best mountain scenery in Ecuador. The early 19th-century explorer Alexander von Humboldt dubbed this part of the country the ‘Avenue of the Volcanoes'. An impressive roll call of towering peaks lines the route south: Cotopaxi, Chimborazo and Tungurahua, to name a few. The area attracts trekkers and climbers, while the less active can browse through the many colourful Indian markets and colonial towns that nestle among the high volcanic cones.
On the western side of the Andes lies Ecuador's coast, so different in atmosphere from the highlands that you could be in another country. If your idea of a good time is to lie on a beach all day soaking up rays and partying into the small hours of the morning, then Ecuador's more popular beach resorts are for you. Those who prefer their activity during daylight hours can swim, surf, scuba dive or watch humpback whales getting it together in the warm waters off the shores of Manabí province.
Beautiful woven textiles are produced throughout the northern highlands, often using techniques unchanged for centuries. A few hours north of Quito, the market town of Otavalo is one of Ecuador's main weaving centres.
No visit to Ecuador would be complete without venturing into its steamy jungles. Only a few hours away from Quito by bus, the eastern slopes of the Andes give way to a vast green carpet stretching into the horizon, and home to all manner of strange and exotic flora and fauna.
A trip to the Galapagos is a unique and unforgettable experience. 1,000km west of mainland Ecuador, the islands are world-renowned for their fearless wildlife but no amount of hype can prepare the visitor for such close encounters. Here, you can snorkel with penguins and sea lions, watch giant, 200kg tortoises lumbering through cactus forest, go gooey-eyed over your first glimpse of a seal pup and enjoy the courtship display of the blue-footed booby and frigatebird, all in startling close-up.
Size: 272,045 km² (Ecuador)
Population: 11.7m
Currency: US dollar
Language: Spanish
Visas: Not required for UK nationals.
Food: Cuisine varies with each region. Seafood is very good, especially on the coast – ceviche de pescado for instance. Andean dishes are based around maize and meat. Try empanadas de morocho (ground corn shell filled with meat).
Festivals: February: Fiesta de las Frutas y las Flores, in Ambato, a carnival with parades, festivities and bullfights. December 6: Dia de Quito is celebrated throughout the week. The festival commemorates the founding of the city with elaborate parades, bullfights, performances and music in the streets.
The phrase 'small is beautiful' could have been coined specifically with Ecuador in mind. By South American standards it is tiny, dwarfed by its neighbours Colombia and Peru. But it is this relative compactness that is one of its main attractions. Here, you can watch dawn break over the jungle canopy, have lunch high in the Andean mountains, then watch the sun slip into the Pacific Ocean - all in the same day.
The capital city, Quito, is the perfect base from which to explore. Although it stands a mere 23km south of the equator, Quito's mountain setting means it enjoys a pleasant, spring-like climate all year round. The city has enough to satisfy the culture vulture and hedonistic night owl, and you don't have to be an architecture buff to appreciate its elegant and beautifully preserved colonial heart, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
South of Quito is some of the best mountain scenery in Ecuador. The early 19th-century explorer Alexander von Humboldt dubbed this part of the country the ‘Avenue of the Volcanoes'. An impressive roll call of towering peaks lines the route south: Cotopaxi, Chimborazo and Tungurahua, to name a few. The area attracts trekkers and climbers, while the less active can browse through the many colourful Indian markets and colonial towns that nestle among the high volcanic cones.
On the western side of the Andes lies Ecuador's coast, so different in atmosphere from the highlands that you could be in another country. If your idea of a good time is to lie on a beach all day soaking up rays and partying into the small hours of the morning, then Ecuador's more popular beach resorts are for you. Those who prefer their activity during daylight hours can swim, surf, scuba dive or watch humpback whales getting it together in the warm waters off the shores of Manabí province.
Beautiful woven textiles are produced throughout the northern highlands, often using techniques unchanged for centuries. A few hours north of Quito, the market town of Otavalo is one of Ecuador's main weaving centres.
No visit to Ecuador would be complete without venturing into its steamy jungles. Only a few hours away from Quito by bus, the eastern slopes of the Andes give way to a vast green carpet stretching into the horizon, and home to all manner of strange and exotic flora and fauna.
A trip to the Galapagos is a unique and unforgettable experience. 1,000km west of mainland Ecuador, the islands are world-renowned for their fearless wildlife but no amount of hype can prepare the visitor for such close encounters. Here, you can snorkel with penguins and sea lions, watch giant, 200kg tortoises lumbering through cactus forest, go gooey-eyed over your first glimpse of a seal pup and enjoy the courtship display of the blue-footed booby and frigatebird, all in startling close-up.
Wednesday, 30 September 2015
ARUBA: InselAir Launching Flights To Quito
Dutch Caribbean carrier InselAir is launching another new destination: Ecuador.
The carrier will be launching nonstop flights from Aruba to Quito, beginning Oct. 29.
The three-hour flights will operate on Thursdays and Sundays.
“Quito has proven to be a popular destination in past, but InselAir also expects to transport many passengers from other destinations to Quito and vice versa,” the company said in a statement.
InselAir will be operating the service on Fokker 70 aircraft.
The return flights will operate on Fridays and Mondays from Quito to Aruba.
Tuesday, 29 September 2015
PERU: Lima Hotels Receive High Acclaim
Lima hotels demonstrated a “positive change” in the first half of 2015 according to a report published by HVS/HotelInvestment, reports Andina news agency.
The Peruvian capital was the only South American city given this recognition in the study entitled, “Market Pulse: South America.” The study publishes data on hotel performance in the region’s metropoli.
Lima achieved a “positive change” in the Revenue Per Available Room (RevPar) category, in other words, it reached high occupancy.
“Lima and Quito [are] leaders in occupancy. Both cities achieved levels close to 70% during the first quarter of 2015,” the report pointed out.
The report displayed positive rate variations for Lima, unlike any other South American city.
“With a slight upturn in the Peruvian economy, demand continued to grow, albeit at a more moderate pace, managing to surpass the growth in supply,” it reads.
The report listed the South American RevPar results as follows:
Lima: 1.6%
Bogota: -15.8%
Quito: -5.3%
Santiago: -9.8%
Rio de Janeiro: -40.7%
Sao Paulo: -27.9%
Montevideo: -6.2%
Buenos Aires: -2.7%
As demonstrated, HVS reported a decline “in occupancy in the rest of the analyzed markets.”
The results for the report are based on an extensive database composed by STR Global data internal records of HVS, HotelInvest and by third parties.
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