Talking Travel – Ecuador

Hello and welcome to Talking Travel with myself, Kay Holland on women's radio station. Talking Travel is your weekly show for travel tips and inspiration, fascinating guests and answers to all your burning travel questions. Now, on today's show, we're off to Ecuador. Have you been to Ecuador, Natalie, our producer? No. Well, after this show, I think you're going to be reaching for your passport. And Ecuador may be small. I think it's actually one of the smallest, if not the smallest, nation in South America. But trust me when I tell you there's no shortage of things to see and do, from snow covered mountains to Amazonian rainforest and incredible wildlife. So, in essence, if Ecuador isn't on your bucket list, it's basically because you've already been. But don't just take my word for it, folks. We're going to be hearing from Monica Alexander, an Ecuadorian native who will explain why Ecuador should be on your bucket list herself. But before we hear from Monica, let's have a song. It has, of course, got to be Ecuador by Sasha Sa. What a tune that was. Sash en Ecuador. Now, did you know, producer Natalie, that that song was a massive hit all around the world? I think it was number one here and in Germany. But you're too young. You don't remember this? No. But the dj, Sash, where do you think he's from? Any ideas, producer Natalie? No. Well, you'd probably presume he'd be from Ecuador, right, singing this big tune about Ecuador. But no, he's actually a German dance dj and that was an enormous hit all around Europe and indeed the world. So there you go. But it's time to introduce our special guest tonight. So please welcome to Talking Travel, Monica Alexander. Hello, Monica. Hello. Or perhaps we should be saying hola, as you say in Ecuador. Yeah, Hola. Hola. No, I'm afraid my Spanish doesn't go much further than hola. But thank you so much for joining us. We're going to be chatting about your homeland, but for all the listeners out there, if you have a question for Monica and Talking Travel, why not Tweet us @WomensRadio stn. So welcome to the show, Monica. So you're a local girl, is that right? Yes, I am. I was born in Umbrella in Ecuador and I come from Quito, which is the capital of Ecuador. I have actually been to Quito, it's the most charming capital ever. But where you said you were born umbred. Am I pronouncing it right? Quito. Ah, Quito. Okay. So what's it like to live in In Quito. Quito is, as I say, is the second. Sorry. Quito is the capital of Ecuador, which is the second highest capital in the world. Life in Quito is like a big city, very different to the countryside. And Quito has all the basic service, whereas in the countryside life is more basic and simple. Right. You mentioned there. It's one of the. Do you say one of the highest. Highest cities. So do the locals suffer? I know tourists suffer from altitude sickness originally, initially on arrival. Do locals as well? No, no, I think because we are born and bred in there, so we don't have this problem. Okay. I heard. And you can perhaps tell me if this is a myth. I heard that visiting football teams from, you know, outside of Ecuador, they have to arrive several days in advance of the big matches in Quito so that they can acclimatize. Yeah, that's right. Yeah. For anyone that comes outside Ecuador, apart from Bolivia. Yeah, you need some time to acclimatize because as it is very high, you can lack of oxygen, so you feel tight chested. So what would you say is your favorite thing about your country? Ecuador. My favorite thing. There are two things. First of all, we are very friendly people in Ecuador. We are always happy to welcome everyone. So a bit different from life in London then? Yes, yes. We are very chatty and not reserved at all. And we're always partying. I can believe that. Monica, I have seen you on the dance floor. It's not your average Brit on the dance floor. You. You go for it. I admire it. And also the weather, because Ecuador is located on the equator, so the weather is tropical all year around. We don't have seasons in there, so. No. No winter. No winter at all. No. Wow. So it never get. Never gets cold, you know, because. I know, very cold. Like in Europe. No, never. I think the coldest it could be, it could get is like a spring day in Europe. Wow. Sold already. Wow. So why should our listeners, if they haven't already put Ecuador on their bucket list? Why do you think we should visit? Ecuador is a very small country and you could see four regions. We go the mountains. We go the highland, which is all the mountains. The coast with beautiful beaches. We also go to jungle and the famous Galapagos islands. Of course. Yes. And. And it is small, so you can, in two weeks you could have a taste of these regions. Right. And it's affordable. You can have many different experiences in one holiday then. Yes, that's right. Okay. And you said two weeks. Would that be about the optimum. Optimum Time to visit Ecuador? Yeah, I will say two to two and a half weeks. So you can have a taste of each region. And you mentioned the Galapagos there, obviously, and the highlands. But if there was one must visit region, what would you pick? Obviously me, born in Quito. I will definitely recommend the mountains because we are surrounded by volcanoes as well. So you can see the city and then you can go hiking. So Quito is the middle of the earth, I believe, is that right? Middle of the world? Yeah, it's located in the middle of the world. Perhaps you can shed a bit of light on the story. There's sort of. Apparently, I might be wrong in this. Apparently many visitors go to one site believing it to be the middle of the world and actually the real site is somewhere else completely. Yes, you are right. You are well informed about Ecuador. So people, people don't actually visit the right site. How does that happen? I wouldn't. I wouldn't be able to tell you how. Maybe because this site has more adverts, publicity than the real one. Ah, interesting. Oh, wow. So, well, we're going to take a short ad break now, but don't forget, if you want to listen again later to Monica's tips, she'll be back after the ad. All you have to DO is visit www.womensradiostation.com WRS Women's Radio Station Voice of Women Worldwide, Sarah's Universal Soul Show. What does your soul or spirituality mean to you? Welcome to future Classical Woman Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte on Women's Radio Station. Welcome back. I'm Russ Caine. You're listening to in conversation with On Women's Radio Station. I'm Angie. And I'm Patsy and we're open. To see what other programmes we have on women's radio station, head to our website. Womensradiostation.com Mirae B Ltd. We are a virtual PA consultancy. We provide remote administrative services. Our offering is diverse. We manage your calendar, we update your client database, we take care of your property in France and in London. We also offer bookkeeping and translation services. Would you like to know more? Please call 077-868-48998 for further information. Mirae B Ltd. Making the life of the business owner successful, Struggling to get by Financially, I was the same. I wasn't sure what we would do in an emergency. And then it happened. Bills were piling up and the kids needed activities to do over the holidays. Then I found Turn to us. Turn to us. If practical help to get people back on Track. Whether you've experienced job loss, struggling to find work because of a disability, or thinking of having a baby, they can help. Visit turntous.org.uk Women's radio station is a fresh new broadcasting platform driven by love and passion. Connecting women around the world in a global network is all about diversity from opinions, career, ethnicity, education. We aim to show the individuality of every woman everywhere, providing opportunities and a platform for your voice. Women, the possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. Do you dream of a wedding on the beach? Or maybe in the middle of a vineyard? Imagine your wedding in Italy, the land of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Getting married in Italy in a venue that is magical and has natural beauty. Amoretti weddings create unforgettable moments. What you had to do is just relax and watch us make your wedding a real fairy tale. Contact us now for a free consultation. Www.amoretti.co.uk with over 35 presenters, we have something for everyone on women's radio station. Women's radio station is a not for profit, community interest company. Supporting women is our passion. We're currently welcoming donations to help towards our running costs to keep this important initiative alive. To donate, simply head to our website. Every little will help all these programs and more on Women's Radio Station. Welcome back to Talking Travel with myself, Kay Holland on Women's Radio Station. Now, today we're talking all about Ecuador with an Ecuadorian local, Monica. So welcome back, Mon. Hello. Thank you. So we were talking there about the must visit sites in Ecuador, but for me, a big part of any travel trip, it's got to be the food scene. So if I'm heading to Ecuador, what are the best bites? What's the food that I should really get stuck into? You know, not don't want to go to McDonald's. I want to try some real local food. Yeah. So Ecuador has four regions. So each region has different types of food. So in the highlands, we eat a lot of grains and there is a dish called yapingachos, which is a, how do you say fried Yappingachos. Yappingachos. Okay. Yes. Which is a fried potato cake served with chorizo, avocado and salad. It's tasty. Yes, it's very yummy. Whereas in the coast, you, you can try ceviche, which is raw fish cook in a lemon sauce. Now, I know Peru's famous for ceviche, but Ecuador as well. Yes, yes. So we, we always say no. The, the ceviche comes from Ecuador and say no, it's from Peru. And what's the truth? Ecuador. Yes, I would say Ecuador. Okay, and what about pisco sour? Is that Peru or Ecuador? That is definitely from Peru. Okay. Peru can take credit for the pisco sour in Ecuador for ceviche. Yeah. Plus we got exotic fruits that you won't see in other countries. Oh, like what? Like what sort of freaks we got. I think in English it is called caster. Caster apple. The. The is, but nothing like an English. Guanabana in Spanish will be called guanabana. We go guava, mango, pineapple, a variety of tree tomato. Okay. That I haven't seen in Europe. And what about sweets? I do like a sweet. What kind of desserts? Or is it more about ice cream or not a sweet nation. We eat a lot of figs with cheese sauce in it as well. So figs sweet. Sorry, how can I explain? This is the figs are cooked and they become very sweet, and then we serve with cheese in it. Oh, but still pretty healthy. I think that's quite healthy, isn't it? Still, compared to a British dessert. So. Okay, great, Monica. And any insider tips for our listeners? Anything else you'd like to share? Also in South America, we eat guinea pig, which I know a lot of people will get very surprised. Guinea pig's a pet. You can't eat guinea pig. We eat guinea pig in South America. Roasted guinea pig. What's the name for it in case we're looking at it on the menu? Cuy. Cuy. And it's special occasions or like, would you have it like here? People have roast lamb or whatever on a Sunday? Only in a special occasion. Most mostly is in the countryside for weddings. So you've had cuy guinea pig, have you? Obviously I have tried before. Yes, I have tried before. Well, I have to tell you, I'm a lifelong vegetarian, so that's one dish I won't be trying. I'll leave that to Natalie. So, okay, and what about drinks? Have you got a national cocktail or. You know, there is a nice warm drink similar to Mullen wine. It's called Canelasso Canalesso. Ah. I imagine that's quite potent. Quite strong. Quite strong. It is quite strong, yes. It contains alcohol in it. Okay, so, listeners, if you're arriving in Quito and you're suffering from altitude sickness, do not drink too much. How do you say it? Canelazo. Canelazzo. Yes, very well. Oh, good. I'm getting there. Fantastic. Well, Monica, would you like to play a song? We heard Sash Ecuador earlier. Now, Sash, as we mentioned, isn't actually from Ecuador. So perhaps you might like to choose a popular or famous Ecuadorian artist for us. We got a famous Ecuadorian artist called Juan Fernando Velasco. And the title of the song, Hoy que Nuestas, what does that translate as now that you're not here? Very, very kind of romantic, then. Yes, we are very romantic as well. Ah, okay. Well, take it away. We'll hear from. How do you say again? Juan Fernando Velasco. Juan Fernando. Thank you so much, Monica, for taking part. And don't forget, listeners, if you want to get in touch with us on today's show, all you need to do is email us@presentersomensradiostation.com. Here. With a wrinkle. A big thanks to Monica Alexander there for giving us the lowdown on her country, Ecuador. Now, if you've had your appetite whetted by Monica's tips and inside insights there and are planning a trip to Ecuador, I'm going to give you the lowdown on a few things you need to know before you go. Now, the first one Monica actually touched on briefly, you've got to get ready to gorge on guinea pigs because qui asado, that's roasted guinea pig. It's one of Ecuador's most famous dishes and it reportedly dates back to the Inca times and it's said to be high in protein and low in cholesterol. Now, I'm a veggie, so I won't be trying it, but will you try that, Natalie? No? Okay, well, you might go for this one. Roses out in Ecuador are ridiculously cheap. So people often think of Ecuador as the ultimate banana republic because actually the country is the world's biggest exporter of bananas. But in recent years, Ecuador has become famous for its flower industry. And a rose is, I think a dozen roses costs as little as $2, meaning even those of us that are skint can play at being Romeo and Juliet. Next tip for you. You need to know that cocoa leaves can help cure altitude sickness. So if your head is spinning or you've got having trouble sleeping or perhaps the hotel stairs are making you breathless, if you answered yes to any of those questions, you'll be suffering from altitude sickness. And what you need to do is to drink lots of coca leaf tea and avoid alcohol and caffeine. Now, the next thing you need to know if you're headed to Ecuador. What currency do you think Ecuador uses? Natalie? No idea. It uses the US Dollar. The Ecuadorians wave goodbye to their national currency during a severe economic Crisis back in 2000, and they've been using US dollars ever since, just like nearby Panama. And my final tip for you all, if you're headed to Quito, the capital that Monica mentioned, you need to dress like an onion. Now, by this I mean you need to pat layers and lots of them. The weather in Quito. And trust me, I'm telling you this from first hand, experience is so unpredictable. You can actually have about four seasons in one day. So it's essential to dress in layers. Be ready to take your coat and sweater off and put them back on again in a matter of hours. So that's the end of our Ecuador show. You've been listening to Talking Travel on Women's radio station. Now what you need to do if you wanted to listen again or catch up on our previous programs, all you have to do is head to the presenters page on womensradiostation.com it really is that easy. So thank you for listening and don't forget to tune in again next week when we're staying local. We're headed to Peckham. Yes, Peckham. Take care. Goodbye. Welcome to women's radio station, the voice of women worldwide. Hungry? An average woman eats about 2 to 3 kilos of lipstick in her lifetime. Women's radio station, we want to hear from you. This is women's radio station. You're listening to Avril Price with Kitchen sink Spirituality. It's Anna Kennedy talking all things autism. And my guest today is Karen Nunn. I listen to women's radio station Women. The possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. I'm Isabelle Manavy, an executive coach. Do you want to change a negative into a positive? We can do this by coaching you to rewire your brain using simple visualization techniques. In 20 years of practice, I've seen this transform lives. For more information, look on Women's radio website. Call me on 07-984-422171. I'm listening. Let me tell you about German street theatre. This is a secret theatre in the heart of the West End. Once found, never forgotten. This is where careers ignite, where playwrights take risks, where great actors perform just feet away from the audience. This is where magic happens. We would love you to join our mailing list or become a sponsor or just buy a ticket to one of our shows. The website is www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk. i'm Angie. And I'm Patsy and we're open to share our own personal stories dealing with life events. Staying positive through the tough times. Share your stories too. What worked, what didn't. Join us each week for Open. We know you're gonna love it. Hi, I'm Valentina Barbacci and I'm the Executive Director of Media Matters for Women. We're a registered charity operating in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo and we produce and share podcasts via Bluetooth on mobile phones focusing specifically on women and girls excluded from information due to extreme poverty. We empower those living in rural areas with media that churn transforms how they access, own and share information. To find out more and be part of this movement, come check out our website@mediamattersforwomen.org with over 35 presenters, we have something for everyone on Women's radio Station. Women's Radio Station is a not for profit, community interest company. Supporting women is our passion. We're currently welcoming donations to help towards our running costs to keep this important initiative alive. To donate, simply head to our website. Every little will help.