Top 3 Things to Do in Quito, Ecuador

Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, stands 2,800 meters (9,186 ft) above sea level.  Since it's the highest capital city in the world, one needs to make sure to adequately provide time to acclimate to the altitude. We had planned to climb Cotopaxi Volcano the next morning, but switched our plans around to explore Quito and make sure we could breath adequately!

Kudos to my travel partner-in-crime Sean Denny for waiting at Mariscal Sucre Airport for me for 7 hours! With a delayed 2am arrival time (originally scheduled for 11pm, but detoured to Guayaquil because of the fog), I arrived to a very sleepy friend.

Though there are more than enough things to do for any type of traveler, here are the top three things to do in Quito, an official UNESCO World Heritage site:

1) Straddle the Mitad del Mundo ("Middle of the World")

The Ciudad Mitad del Mundo is a National landmark located just 45 minutes (~$10) north of Quito by taxi. Note: A bus is also much cheaper for less than a dollar, but can take up to 1.5hours.

The 30-meter monument, supposedly dubbed the middle of the world, is actually not exactly Earth's middle! In 2012, the New York Times released an investigation exposing the true middle of the world 240 feet away. 

The highly recommended route is to take a photo at the touristy monument, shop at the artisan stores, and then make a left out of the park for a couple hundred meters.  Turn left down the dirt path (they'll be of course another tourist sign) and take a photo with the real "Middle of the World" at 0 degrees latitude, 0 minutes, and 0 seconds.

The Mitad del Mundo ("Middle of the World") a.k.a. the touristy monument that is not actually Earth's middle

 The real middle of the world (proved by water standing still). We're happy kids running around the site.

2) Shop at the Artisan Market in Marisacal ("Mercado Artesanal La Mariscal")

Conveniently located at Juan León Mera and Reina Victora in the Mariscal neighborhood a.k.a. Backpacker/Tourist Central is Mercado Artesanal La Mariscal. The biggest artisan market in the city, one can find everything from Ecuadorian handicrafts to Panama hats. Bring lots of dollars as you'll spend more than you need - you might even be lucky enough to be able to use a credit card if you wish!  

 

 Mercado Artesanal La Marisca

3) Wander around Old Town

Best for last is Quito Old Town!  With colonial architecture and quaint charm, this historic center will impress any seasoned traveler.  Paradigm churches, a nostalgic atmosphere, and bustling small businesses makes for a magical walk (and take this from someone that doesn't like walking!).  Stop by Cafe Dios de Muere for a coffee and dessert - just follow the music on Calle de San Marcos!

I'm falling in love with the painted balconies of Old Town Quito.

Cafe Dios de Muere on Calle de San Marcos

 

View from Cafe del Fraile - perfect dinner when it rains!

 Plaza de Santa Domingo

Laser lights upon the Metropolitan Cathedral of Quito

Mammoth Caves National Park

On our way back to Nashville from Louisville, we stopped by the Mammoth Caves to see what else, but the the mammoth-sized caves!

Mammoth Caves National Park is over 400 miles long and is the world's longest cave system.  Taking a cave tour will lead you 200 feet below the Earth where you'll find miles of stalagmites and stalactites and waterfalls during rains. Apart of the Green River in south central Kentucky and established in 1941 as a national park, Mammoth was definitely a highlight of the Kentucky Derby trip! Who knew?

Taking the New Entrance Tour at Mammoth Caves - gorgeous!

Kentucky Derby Tips and Hats!

Though the 139th Kentucky Derby was one of the rainiest in history, the experience was worth the good time as it was one of those must-do-once-in-your-lifetime-opportunities, such as attending Mardi Gras or celebrating New Year's Eve in Times Square.

Here are the top 7 ways we prepared for and experienced the Derby:

1) Make hats

Fashion is not as important to any sporting event as it is to the Kentucky Derby.  When it comes to hats, the bigger, the better.  Making a hat is truly the way to go for the creative ones out there!

The before shot of my Derby hat vs. the after!

Some fabulous hat sightings of the Derby.  If your head tilts though, doesn't that mean the hat is too big?

2) CouchSurf

Hotels are way too expensive during this weekend.  We flew into Nashville, rented a car for the 3-hour drive into Louisville, and CouchSurfed with a friendly masseuist.  She also greeted us with home-baked goods for the weekend.  Total cost per person of flight, travel, and accomodations from Boston to Louisville for the weekend? Just $323 for one of the most expensive weekends in the country!
 
3) Bring a raincoat

This one caught us by surprise!  It usually rains a bit every year, but this year it was pouring.  You can be chic (like Evie) or overly-prepared (like me), but it is a good idea to have something weather-proof as wearing plastic ponchos are no fun.

Beautiful hats and beautiful dresses? Maybe under that plastic poncho...

Clearly the Ghostsbusters costume is the best rain coat of them all!

4) Eat a turkey leg

$12 for the best goodness and deliciousness you've had in your life.

I was more than happy for the turkey leg and mint julep

5) Drink a mint julep for $12 each

You get to keep the glass cups as souvenirs (which are usually $6 a pop).  Worth it as every year, the cups change and the drink is a Derby staple.

6) Bet on the horses

Though this seems like a no-brainer, it can be too easy to get caught in the infield enjoying the sights and sounds of everything.  Though I bet $5 for our CouchSuring host for Overanalyze to win it all, you can also make "across-the-board" bets (meaning a horse will place 1st, 2nd, or 3rd) which I did for Charming Kitten on behalf of another friend.  Though neither horse placed, it's a rush to cheer for your horse during the "greatest two minutes in history."

Horse sighting is exciting (and rare) from the infield!

7) Use the shuttles or reserve a taxi

Thousands of people trying to leave at the same time makes getting home difficult.  We walked for a good thirty minutes before finding a taxi, but using the shuttles to get to your car would have costed just $10.  We made a rookie mistake.

Overall, glad we did the Derby and glad to have checked it off the bucket list!

Diamond Caverns and a Nice Welcome into Louisville

Kentucky Derby here we come!  With a 5:15am departure from the house, Evie Goryshina and I had a long day of travel ahead of us.  Since flying from Boston directly to Louisville would have costed $500+ for the weekend of the Derby, we decided to fly into Nashville and make the 3-hour drive for only $273.  With Evie scoring a weekend rental with Hertz for only $70, it was well worth it!

Upon entering the Hertz car, we blasted country music as we headed to the nearest McDonald's for EggMcMuffins (this truly was going to be a southern roadtrip!).  As Evie had to take a work phone during a pitstop (she's a lawyer), I found a brochure for the Diamond Caverns, half-mile caves that are 70 feet below the Earth, just a few miles away. We had to stop by and see the thousands of formations decorating chambers!

Diamond Caverns, 70m below the Earth!

Some more pit stops came about at Donna Sharp's House of Quilts (I am a sucker for billboard ads) and Sonic's for hot dogs and fries.

Stitched and quilted fabrics from Donna Sharp's House of Quilts - gorgeous!

Upon arrival in Louisville, our CouchSurfing host, Amelia, had prepared Derby Pie and lemon poppy cookies for our weekend before we did a quick driving tour of the city. We headed to Mark's Feed Store arguably the best BBQ in Louisville.

Surprisingly, the sides (baked apple, sweet potato fries, and chicken pasta salad) were better than the main courses (brisket)! I also have fried pickles for the first time - not too shabby!

The green-ness of Louisville!

Happily eating BBQ at Mark's Feed Store 

 Amelia soon took us contra-dancing (think square dancing, but more energetic and a workout!) at a local church venue. Though Evie swears she hates dancing, I saw a smile on her face! 

Evie claims she hates dancing - I beg to differ!

The night ended with a quick stop to 21c voted #1 hotel in the South by Conde Nast Traveler.  The 21c Museum is North America’s first museum dedicated solely to collecting and exhibiting the art of the 21st century.  Very fancy I must say!

The 21c Museum

Good welcome into Louisville - looking forward to the Derby tomorrow!

Top 3 Things to Do Around Cape Coast, Ghana

Living up to it's traveler-friendly reputation, Ghana is truly an easy place for a foreigner to navigate.  When people contact me about advice on traveling to West Africa, I always recommend traveling with a French-speaker; however, with the official language in Ghana being English, you are good to go English-speakers! 

Cape Coast, a beautiful coast indeed!

Located in the Central Region of Ghana, Cape Coast is a 3-hour drive from the capital of Accra.  Many tour companies will offer one-day trips, but you can also rent your own car/4x4 or take public transport.  Though the beach region has many attractions to keep you busy, below are the must-do top three:

Top 3 Things to Do Around Cape Coast, Ghana

1) Visit the Cape Coast Castle

Originally occupied by the Dutch in 1660 and taken by the British almost thirty years later, the Cape Coast Castle was created for the Atlantic slave-trade.  Up to 100,000 slaves could be held captive at a time with 200 men being put into a cell 30' x 15.'  The moving tour provides a very eerie feeling moving in and out of dungeons ending at the "Door of No Return."



                           

 Cape Coast Castle and the Male Slave Dungeon

2) Tour Elmina Castle

Elmina Castle, located 8 miles from Cape Coast Castle, was built by the Portuguese in 1482.  It is the oldest and largest slave castle in Ghana.  This castle differs from Cape Coast in various ways including where women were kept (out in the open in public viewing and in the rain as opposed to in dungeons).  The plaque below truly hits the emotional feeling you feel spot on.

Note: The castles will try to charge you 20cedis (~$10) just for taking photos. This is highly negotiable if you say it is too much.  Student prices, volunteers, etc. are the way to go, but you can definitely negotiate.  In the case of Elmina, I showed the receipt of what I paid at Cape Coast (20cedis/$10US total as I negotiated there too!) and they let me slide.

Dungeon leading to the Door of No Return (above) and Female Holding Area (below) 

3) Traverse the Canopy Walk at Kakum National Park

Kakum National Park is a special highlight of Ghana.  A tropical rain forest, it was established as a National Park by the initiatives of the local population.  Many endangered animals, such as the African elephant, live here along with 200+ various other species.  Kakum is the only place in Africa to have canopy level bridges that provide access to the forest.  Crossing the 7 bridges that are 40+ meters above the ground is highly worth the trip!



                                  

Canopy Walk at Kakum National Park

Top Things to Do in Dakar, Senegal

Considered by those well-traveled to be the New York City of West Africa, Dakar is a highly-developed, lively city full of local and Western restaurants, evening events, colorful markets, and a diverse population of 2.5 million.  With a year-round temperate and sunny climate, it makes for a wonderful beach city that sits on the western most part of Africa.

As I was recently sent for a work trip, Dakar proved to be the best getaway during a New England winter!

Things to Do in Dakar Senegal

1) Shop at Village Artisinal de Soumbedioune

With aligned square shops and big paths, this is perhaps one of the most well-organized West African markets I've seen.  From traditional djembe drums to metal cars to leather to dresses, this market is the one-stop shop to find any souvenir you can imagine.  The vendors will yell for your attention, but in the politest way! Just be sure to negotiate, especially with the male vendors.

Note: You can also see the wooden statues be created and the famous fish market next door provides grilled fish dinners on the beach each night!

 An artist cuts and weaves a necklace

2) Visit the Island of Goree and the House of Slaves

Ile de Goree is a thirty-minute, 3km ferry ride from Dakar - just make sure you arrive well-before noon, otherwise, you will be stuck waiting during the mid-day rest (trust me, you'll be waiting anyways!). Bring a student ID if you have one, otherwise you'll be charged "foreigner price!"

The small 900 meter island hosts the Maison des Enclaves (House of Slaves) which was believed to be a slave-shipping point during the Atlantic Slave Trade; however, recent historians have refuted this, stating that likely only a few hundred slaves departed from here and only due to the need to carry other cargo.  Regardless, the island serves as a memorial to the slave trade and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The island also holds a castle, three museums (IFAN Historial Museum - Senegalese history, Musee de la Femme - role of Senegalese women, and Maritime Museum - sea) and two large markets.

The House of Slaves

The "Door of No Return" at the Maison des Enclaves

3)  Spend some time at the beach

Perhaps I should have made this number 1!  When a co-worker told me she loved the beach down the street from the Fana Hotel, I thought which one?  I'll let you decide from the photos below which beach is the best!  Or try them all and you won't be disappointed.

 Hotel des Almadies (a former Club Med) is a resort hotel whose beach is the Westernmost point of Africa

 

 Virage Beach in Ngor is a popular spot with the locals

500CFA (~$1) will take you to Ile de Ngor (Island of Ngor).  The canoe ride in itself (30+ people on a tiny canoe!) makes the island worth going to!

4) Climb the stairs at the Monument de la Renaissance

The tallest statue in Africa, the African Renaissance Monument stands at 49 meters displaying a bronze family looking off into the sea.  Originally created to celebrate 50 years of Senegal's independence from French, the colossal statue has been highly criticized as it costed $27M to construct in 2010 during the heat of the economic crisis. 

The 189 steps will test your athletic ability, but the view at the top allows you to oversee Dakar in all its beauty.

Le Monument de la Renaissance

The very windy view from the top of the 189-stair climb

If you see Madame Thioro Fall, tell her Krystina from America says hi.  She starts with fair prices and will show you her newspaper feature as the money she raises goes to underpriviledged children.

5) Listen to live music at Just 4 U

Dakar is a hot spot for live music and there is no where in the city more iconic than Just 4 U.  West Africa's biggest musicians have played from Baaba Mal to Daara J Family (who we saw for just 5.000CFA (~ $10US)!  Grab a drink and relax on the outdoor tables as the band plays the night away.

Note: As university dormitories lie across the street, if you are lucky, you can catch the university students on a weekend night playing and dancing in drum circles!