Located at the limit of the Old Town, at the top of a really long flight of steps leading up from the church of San Blas, the Parque Ichimbía is a verdant island of tranquility floating over the noise and pollution of Quito. 

According to Judith Perez, the Director of Communication for Parque Ichimbía, it has 360 degrees of views, including views of Pichincha, Cotopaxi, El Valle de los Chillos, and the Old Town. “It is the balcony of Quito,” she says.  Indeed, the balcony of the Greek restaurant, El Mosaico, perched on the edge of Parque Ichimbía, is the best place in the world to drink a cocktail and watch the sunset.

The countdown is on for the start of the Fiestas de Quito, Ecuador´s disorganized version of Carnival.

The Spanish founding of Quito in 1534 was first celebrated on December 6^th 1934 with exhibitions and parades held in honor of the fourth centenary of the city.  With special permission of the Archbishop of Quito, the private museums of various convents and monasteries were opened to the public for the first time and newspapers across the country released special editions reporting on the fervent celebrations.  Following the centenary, however, the historic date passed quietly for over twenty years until, in 1958, Quito-based journalist Don Caesar Larrea invited citizens of Quito to join in celebrating the founding of the city.

Some events advertised in the newspaper at the time have become honored tradition in the annual celebrations.  The Marathon de Ultimas Noticias, a 10km race, is staged each year and the full speed go-cart competition down the notoriously steep Olmedo Street continues to ignite friendly rivalry amongst kids in the city.  Nowadays the 6^th of December is commemorated with a week of avid partying known as The Fiestas de Quito.

Free exhibitions and concerts are staged in plazas and parks across the city.  Colorful chivas, traditional buses made of wood, cruise along with live bands and passengers enjoying the views from atop- and carefully dodging hanging telephone cables along the way!

The Jesus of Great Power, Ecuador´s prominent bullfighting event, attracts bullfighters from across the world and the best-dressed crowds of Quito.    Local clubs and restaurants serve up traditional Spanish and Ecuadorean cuisine, accompanied by flamenco dancers, singing mariachis and rounds of quarente, a popular Ecuadorean card game.    

The eve of the 6^th of December is a breathless celebration.  Crowds gather to watch an iconic parade down Avenida Shyris, showcasing traditional Ecuadorean dress and big band music.  The beauty Queen of Quito is named, the clubs are pumping and an early night is simply not on the agenda.     

With many a sore head to be nursed, the 6^th of December itself is generally quite tame, marking the close of the Fiestas de Quito; a unique commemoration that both exhibits and honors the unique and vibrant spirit of Ecuador´s capital.

Environmental conservation is a chic topic in many parts of the world these days and a multitude of organisations are working to preserve the unique ecosystems in Ecuador. Eco-tourists who are curious about green initiatives in Ecuador will enjoy a visit to El Limonal, a community which is slowly adopting a progressive approach toward agriculture to secure future economic and environmental prosperity.

Nestled in the Guallupe Valley at the foot of the Andies in Northern Ecuador, El Limonal was once blanketed in cloud forest. However, decades of harmful farming practices have degraded the environment. Large areas of the Andean haven have been cleared for the free grazing of cattle while grass burning, believed to ´cleanse´ the land, has depleted the quality of the soil.

The Galapagos Islands are set to become yet more exclusive with the arrival in October of a new visa system for both Ecuadorian and foreign visitors.

Expected to force 3,500 illegal inhabitants to leave the islands, la Tarjeta de Control deTransito (TCT) – a secure plastic identification card - will cost $10 perperson.