“We’ve been told there’s a waterfall up the Zamora Huayco river, but nobody ever goes up there. Do you want to go scout it out with us tomorrow morning?” I was on the phone with Diego, one of the founders and leaders of LojAventura, an outdoorsy adventure and tourism group based in Loja. We first…
Are you planning an exploratory trip to Loja and wondering what to pack? I’m a nerd when it comes to packing. I’ve honed my skills over the years from my own multiple trips across the globe, beginning early in life as a child fugitive. I also have many good friends who are avid travelers, and…
During our latest trip to Loja, I visited the transportation office and the tourism office, begging for a complete map of the Loja city bus system. Although the buses run along established routes at regular intervals, no complete map seems to exist outside of an Android app called SITU Loja, but since I have an iPhone…
I’ve written a lot about Loja as a potential place to live. It’s the main focus of my book on Loja, and will continue to be a major focus in the second edition of the book. But what about the city and province of Loja as a destination for travelers? I’ve explored this theme in…
When I found out we would be returning to Loja (unexpectedly, see 2016 Holiday Letter), I downloaded The Visa Chase and Other Fun Stories of Ecuador, by Diana Cevallos to my Kindle. Diana is an expat from the United States who has been living in Ecuador since 2011 and in Loja since 2012. She spent…
Dear Readers, Friends, and Loved Ones, Happy Holidays from Loja, Ecuador! When I wrote the first draft of this holiday letter, less than two weeks ago, I had no idea that a few days later I’d be on a flight to South America! Let me back up to the beginning of the year and…
Do you ever go grocery shopping and then try to unload everything all at once so you don’t have to make multiple trips from the car to the house? You stagger up the steps, struggle at the doorway with all your bags and fumble around to find your keys while the heavy sacks cut into your wrists, restricting your…
The bright yellow house down in the green jungle valley below beckoned us. We were in Baños, one of the most popular tourist towns in Ecuador, walking up a dirt road off the tourist radar, beyond all the hostels, tour companies, and restaurants and into the surrounding farmlands. We had recently left our beloved Loja…
Dear Readers, As I write this, we’re in the final days of 2015. How was your year? I know for many of my loved ones, 2015 brought a large share of challenges. Difficult and costly projects, lost loved ones, health problems, hearts broken… For others, it was a year of joy and new beginnings. Weddings,…
I’ve recently heard from a couple different African American readers of my book, one of whom asked me about racial issues in Ecuador. I’d like to share our correspondence so that others who have similar questions will have an answer. I hope it helps someone! My reader wrote… “While you mentioned a great many things…
One of the best things about Loja, Ecuador is the great hiking opportunities nearby. Here are some photos from Podocarpus National Park, in the section closest to Loja. Enjoy!
I appreciate learning about local foods from the perspective of fellow vegetarians. While Ecuador and Loja have many unique meat-based dishes, since I cannot eat those I want to know the options for vegetarians such as myself. Incidentally, I am not a vegan even though I feel better on a vegan diet. I try to…