Greetings from Ecuador! - Therapy Adventures

Ecuador

The official name of Ecuador is República del Ecuador which translates to "Republic of the Equator." This is because the equator runs through the country. This is the only country named after a geological feature and the capital is Quito, which is also the largest city. Ecuador, located in South America, is famous for the Galapagos Islands, where Charles Darwin developed the theory of evolution.

Language

While Spanish is the official language spoken, Quichua is spoken by many of the indigenous people. There are nine other indigenous languages that are spoken throughout Ecuador. English is the most spoken foreign language.

Slang terms:

  • Achachay An exclamation for when you feel cold
  • ¡Qué bestia! How crazy!
  • Chévere Translates to "sweet" or "cool" and is used frequently
  • De ley Absolutely
  • Dios le paque Thank you, used with food
  • ¿Mande? Use when you need someone to repeat themselves
  • ¡Ojo! Watch out or pay attention
  • ¡Sale! "Shoo" to dogs
  • ¿Cachas? Do you understand?
  • Tímbrame Call me

Attractions

Visit Galapagos Islands - Therapy Adventures

Galapagos Islands

Charles Darwin developed the theory of evolution by natural selection while researching during the 1800s. 97% of the island is a national park and is also a marine and biosphere reserve.

Visit City of Quito - Therapy Adventures

City of Quito

This is the capital of Ecuador and is located atop the Andes Mountains. Quito was a historically important spot on the trade routes for the indigenous people long before the Spanish came. The Iglesia de la Compañía is a very famous church known for its Spanish Baroque architecture and its central nave is decorated with gold leaf.

Visit Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Rios de Cuenca - Therapy Adventures

Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Rios de Cuenca

This inland colonial town has been a melting pot for immigrant and local populations. It is located in the south of Ecuador in a valley surrounded by the Andean mountains. It became a major exporter of straw hats, quinine, and other products during the 19th century.

Visit Qhapaq Ñan (Andean Road System) - Therapy Adventures

Qhapaq Ñan (Andean Road System)

The Incas built this network of roads over several centuries. This network of roads serves as a way of communication, trade, and defense. It stretches up to 30,000 kilometers, equivalent to 18,641 miles.

Fun Facts

  1. Ecuador is one of seventeen megadiverse countries in the world! It has the highest level of biodiversity per square kilometer/mile of any nation.
  2. In the late 1730s an expedition from the French Academy of Sciences traveled to Ecuador with the goal of measuring the radius of the earth at the equator. These measurements were used to form the basis for the metric system which was adopted in 1799.
  3. The cinchona tree produced Quinine and is the national tree of Ecuador. Quinine was the first drug to prevent and treat malaria.
  4. The sun sets and rises every day at 6 o’clock all year round. This is because of the country’s location on the equator.
  5. Guinea pigs, known as “cuy”, are considered a local delicacy in many cities in the highlands.
  6. Mount Chimborazo is Ecuador’s highest peak, standing 1.5 miles or 2.4 kilometers higher than Mount Everest. This makes it the closest point on Earth to outer space.
  7. Studies have shown that Ecuador might be the original source of cacao, having been consumed for nearly 5,000 years.
  8. Panama hats, which are straw-brimmed hats woven from tequila palm plants actually originated in Ecuador where they were worn in Andean and coastal regions of Ecuador. They wore these as far back as the 1600s!
  9. There are around 300 types of bananas growing in Ecuador! They produce 25% of the world’s bananas.
  10. Quito is called the “Capital of Orchids” because it has over 450 species of orchids. In all of Ecuador, there are about 4,300 species of orchids that have been found.

Travel Guidelines

Prevention Medication for: Malaria

Vaccines:

  • COVID-19
  • Chickenpox (Varicella)
  • Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (TDAP)
  • Flu (influenza)
  • Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)
  • Polio
  • Hepatitis A & B
  • Rabies
  • Typhoid
  • Yellow Fever