14 Things I Learned While Traveling in Ecuador

Overlooking the city of Quito from El Panecillo Hill.

It has been 11 years since I last traveled internationally, or at least travel at this level.  I've been on plenty of cruises during that time, but laying out on the deck of a ship with a strawberry daiquiri, sailing through the Caribbean, isn't the most culturally immersive experience.

Unless you count casinos and night clubs a cultural experience.

I thought I would spend just a moment reflecting on the 14 things I learned while traveling through Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands.

1.  Driving is scary.
I can safely say that I have no desire to ever drive myself anywhere in Ecuador.  Ever.  Driving is all about which person is bolder and essentially is just a dangerous game of chicken.  Need to get around that narrow corner quickly?  You better hope the other person moves!  Strangely enough, I did not see even one accident in my whole 9 days traveling.

2.  Drivers have right-of-way.
Well, we already know they are scary drivers, so it's only natural that you should probably look before crossing the street.  Many of the cities I have been to cater to the pedestrian, but definitely not in Quito.  Even in the Galápagos it is best to just stay out of the way.

Street-side vendors selling snacks.

3.  Even pedestrians have no fear.
Though vehicles might have right of way, the people of Quito had no fear of being run over.  There are always people walking between the lanes of cars in the city selling snacks or window washing services.  They stake out on the sides of the road or in the medians and fan out to sell their goods.  Even children will walk around selling small bags of snacks or fruit.

4.  Be prepared to say 'no' a lot.
The inner city of Quito is filled with people approaching you to sell things; slightly like Beijing but with less physical touching.  If you are a breathing human being, you are automatically a target.  If you are a gringo, even more so.  It's okay to say no thank you and move along.

Some of the stray dogs in Otavalo.

5.  There are dogs everywhere.
One of the first things I noticed in Quito was all of the stray dogs.  They are literally everywhere, even up in the highlands, and they are so used to people that they do not move.  If you ever wanted to live in a city full of dogs though, this is the place for you!

6.  Empanadas are an anytime of day food.
I'm pretty sure I had empanadas at almost every meal.  These flaky pastries can be filled with just about anything, but the ones I saw the most were deep fried cheese empanadas.  Need a quick bite for breakfast?  Empanada.  Lunch?  Empanada.  Dinner?  You guess it, an empanada.  I can feel my cholesterol going up just from thinking about them.

Roasted corn kernels with soup.

7.  Popcorn is for your soup.
The first time I watched our guide sprinkle a handful of popcorn on his soup, I thought he was joking!  Almost all cream based soups in Ecuador (or at least all the parts we went to) are served with bowls of plain or lightly salted popcorn and even sometimes just roasted kernels.

8.  Don't flush your toilet paper.
Maybe I'm just a spoiled American, but this one threw me for a loop.  Toilet paper cannot go in the toilet unless there is a sign that specifically says it's okay.  Many of the older plumbing systems cannot handle toilet paper, so as a general rule you dispose of it in a bin provided.  By the end of our trip, we were so used to not flushing the toilet paper that we had to retrain ourselves to do it when we got home.

9.  Carry toilet paper with you.
Most of the time, there will not be toilet paper in the stalls.  Don't be like me stranded in a stall with no toilet paper because you didn't grab any from the dispenser outside.  It only took one time for me to learn this lesson before I started carrying around a whole roll in my backpack!  

One of the many murals found in Quito.

10.  Street art is everywhere.
Street art is everywhere, and I mean literally everywhere.  Some of it is beautiful, and some not so much with mostly tagging or obscene content.  Many areas had the most beautiful murals decorating the sides of buildings.


11.  Sometimes trash can be a problem.
Sadly, I saw a lot of trash around the inhabited parts of Galápagos.  As someone who has studied environmental sciences and has a deep love for the natural environment, this killed me.  Most of the islands are protected and trash-free, but it was common to see liter scattered on the ground in the residential and tourist areas.

12.  Cuy is quite expensive.
Cuy - or guinea pig - is quite expensive.  What was once a staple meat source in Ecuador has become a luxury item for those who can afford its $20+ price tag.  Check out my experience trying cuy here.

13.  Expect to tip for everything in Galápagos.
In Galápagos, you are expected to tip for literally everything.  We had to take a small boat to get from the dock to the vessel that would take us between islands.  If someone helped you onto the boat or helped you stand up, a tip is expected in return.

14.  Shrunken heads don't have skulls.
I think this one can speak for itself, but who ever really stopped to think about it?


The best thing you can do when traveling out of your native country is to keep an open mind.  While some of these were strange to me, they are someone else's norm and should be respected as such.  I loved my time in Ecuador and I hope that one day I can make my way back.