There are 498 blog posts for you to enjoy.
Tena, Ecuador
September 12, 2023
Tena (Lago Agrio), Ecuador, has a population of about 80,000, but another site says about 24,000, so take your pick. Tena is located in the central north of the Amazon Region of Ecuador, on the side of the eastern mountain range of the Andes Mountains. The town is crossed by the Tena and Pano Rivers. They merge in the city center. Between the two rivers is a wildlife refuge/park which is nice but old and desperately in need of renovation. There are capuchin monkeys (see the photo album) living in the trees and supposedly a tapir, but I didn't see it.
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Macas, Ecuador
September 7, 2023
Macas, Ecuador, has a population of about 23,000, according to several websites, though I find that hard to believe. The town's city center is much too big for that small population, and it's way out of proportion to 23,000. At any rate, it's a town in central-eastern Ecuador in the Andes Mountains at the edge of the Amazon Rain Forest in the Upano Valley, with the Upano River running alongside the town. Its byline is "Emerald of the East." The town, founded in 1538, was given the name "Sevilla del Oro." Later, in 1599, it was refounded with a new name, "Macas."
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Zamora, Ecuador
September 5, 2023
Zamora, Ecuador, has a population of about 32,000. Zamora is in the southeast of Ecuador, in the mountains, on the side of the Amazon Rain Forest. Zamora is known for its pristine Amazon rainforest and its biodiversity, as well as for ecotourism. There is a lot to explore in the surrounding mountains. There is a trail close to town that crosses along one of the mountains and is supposed to have a great view of the valley and the town, but because of the rain, almost constant for the two days I was here, I didn't hike it because I'm traveling with only one pair of shoes and I don't much care for getting them covered in mud.
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Catamayo, Ecuador
September 2, 2023
Catamayo, Ecuador, is a city in the southcentral part of Ecuador. It is between the larger Eastern Range and the smaller Sub-Andean Belt where it sits in the Catamayo Valley. East of the mountains is the Amazon Basin.
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San Ignacio, Perú
August 28, 2023
San Ignacio, Perú, has a population of about 35,000 and is in the northcentral Andes Mountains, fairly high at more than 4300 feet elevation.
San Ignacio was founded in 1557, but there is nothing truly historical old left in the town. Many houses and buildings date back to the 1800s, but they're nothing special. It wasn't until the mid-1800s that it was recognized with legal status as a district. It was in 1944 that the town was finally recognized as an official city. Unlike the previous few towns I visited, San Ignacio has very few tour agencies if I remember correctly, I saw one while out exploring the town. But, there are many, many buyers of coffee, cacao, and corn. The coffee-growing industry is very big here in these mountains. I also saw several coffee exporters. The town has no supermarket of any kind.
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