Calm and Welcoming: that’s how we would answer the question “How are people in Ecuador?”
It may look a bit too obvious, but in the next 6 points we will try to explain why we choose those 2 adjectives.
We’ll talk about our experience which lasted only few days, knowing this Country has much more to offer and to be discovered.
1) How are people in Ecuador – Religion
Ecuadorian culture includes a strong religious attitude. Most people are Catholic due mainly to the Spanish colonization. Sunday is a holy day, everything stops and people wear their elegant dresses to take part to the Mass. Every church is full of believers: from the huge cathedral in Cuenca, with its 10 TVs screen placed on the navy’s columns, to the small churches in the mountains’ villages. Time is marked by the church and its rituals, that’s way everything and everyone seems to move at a slower and more calm pace.
2) How are people in Ecuador – Women
We can’t talk about women without describing their dresses.
Ladies we met always wear felt hats and shawls that keep warm or can be used to carry kids or goods.
The outfit includes also a plain colour pleated skirt and tights, while there are different options for shoes: moccasins, flat or with low heels, tennis shoes…
Women in Ecuador have strong features but smiling faces.
Thanks to theirs “Vamos!Vamos!” shouted to the bus drivers, we always managed to reach our destinations in reasonable time!
3) How are people in Ecuador – Men
Music players or street performers who can keep thousands of people involved.
Careful and meticulous bus drivers, or curious travelling companions… Those are the men we met during our trip in Ecuador.
Unfortunately, during our journey, we didn’t get the chance to meet the Otavaleῆos who are generally wearing traditional dresses: a blue poncho, a hat and long white socks.
4) How are people in Ecuador – The positive aspects of our experience as travellers
People in Ecuador are really proud of their Country.
Willing to listen to 2 gringos’s opinion, Ecuadorians are always keen on showing the wonders of Ecuador.
“Esta es la maravillia de l’Ecuador!” shouts a father visiting the Paillon del Diablo waterfalls with his family. (HERE to find out where are these waterfalls). For us, Ecuadorians’ hospitality is the real “maravillia de l’Ecuador!”
5) How are people in Ecuador – The negative aspects of our experience as travellers
Bus journeys in Ecuador are really long. You know when the bus leaves but you never know at what time you’ll get to destination. That’s particularly true if you travel in the morning: be prepared to a long stop for breakfast (if you are lucky it will last only 30 minutes). It’s the “dark side” of the calm attitude: slow pace, longer lunch breaks, flexible opening times… On top of that, on Sundays everything stops: city centres are closed to traffic, if a shop opens it’s just for a few hours and, even in Quito, it’s impossible to find an open place where to change money!
BTW, it’s really hard to find a non-touristic restaurant open after 6 pm, even in big cities!
6) How are people in Ecuador – Curiosities
In Ecuador, every food market has an amazing area with tables where you can try local food prepared by nice ladies. Even if all the different food stalls offer the same menu, those ladies will try to get you to prefer one than the others. They will use funny sentences and will show you captivating pictures of the food. It’s a bit stressful, but we enjoyed it… also because the result was eating a tasty dish of Llapingachos with chorizo for a really small amount of money!
Who did you meet in Ecuador?
What’s your experience with Ecuadorians?
