By Caitlin

Going to Ecuador was really just a stopover to get from Central America to South America but we allowed about two weeks there. Most people who visit head straight for the Galapagos but we stuck to the middle of the country with beautiful mountainous scenery and small, lively towns. Everything we did in Ecuador was low key. No volcano boarding or climbing mountains or wonders of the world. Nonetheless, we had some of our most authentic and satisfying travel there, while enjoying the natural beauty of the country.
Small Town Charm
Latacunga is not exactly a nice town. Most of it is dirty and polluted. There's not much for a traveler outside of a nice town square and a handful of picturesque parks. Like many other times in our year abroad, we read about and ventured to some dinky museum to find it inexplicably closed. What I really liked about this place were the lovely people at our hostel and a friendly cafe owner that went out of her way to make sure we knew the town was special. She also happened to sell the best chocolate bars we'd had in a long time. Our hostel/motel was run by a family that greeted us warmly at every turn. They insisted on giving us Ecuador bracelets to remember them by on our last morning as we sat at their kitchen table sharing breakfast. Nothing big, but it just made me like the place.
Small Town Charm
Latacunga is not exactly a nice town. Most of it is dirty and polluted. There's not much for a traveler outside of a nice town square and a handful of picturesque parks. Like many other times in our year abroad, we read about and ventured to some dinky museum to find it inexplicably closed. What I really liked about this place were the lovely people at our hostel and a friendly cafe owner that went out of her way to make sure we knew the town was special. She also happened to sell the best chocolate bars we'd had in a long time. Our hostel/motel was run by a family that greeted us warmly at every turn. They insisted on giving us Ecuador bracelets to remember them by on our last morning as we sat at their kitchen table sharing breakfast. Nothing big, but it just made me like the place.