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Huaquillas, Ecuador
January 17, 2023
Huaquillas, Ecuador: Population: around 48,000. The entire metropolitan area has a population of about 82,000. The city didn't really start to grow substantially until the 20th century. The economy is based on shrimp farming, agriculture, and commerce.
By 1935 tobacco was the main source of income for the tiny town of about 200. The land was/is very rich and crops grew extensively, until the war with Perú in 1941. The Perúvians diverted the river and it has never been the same since. It wasn't until 1964 that the issue of the border with Perú was finally ironed out.
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Santa Rosa, Ecuador
January 16, 2023
Santa Rosa, Ecuador: Population: around 85,000. The city didn't really start to grow substantially until the 20th century. The economy is based on shrimp farming, bananas, livestock, agriculture, some mining, and commerce.
Way back when, before the area was called Santa Rosa, there were two or three different groups of people living here, people who had previously been ruled by the Incas. There have been remains of their settlements found in the area of Santa Rosa. The "city" dates back to the mid-1500s but the conquering Spaniards didn't follow the regulations for founding a new city, so there are no founding documents. Some historians say the city was officially founded in 1600, and then a second time in 1617. From July 1941 until February 1942 there was a war, though not declared, between Perú and Ecuador.
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Vilcabamba, Ecuador
January 13, 2023
Vilcabamba, Ecuador: Way back in the Inca years the royalty used this valley as their personal retreat area. It is also called the "valley of longevity" due to its long-living residents. Some say people commonly live to be 100 and more years old in this region. Whatever the reason for this reputation, it most likely comes down to these two facts: they are active, eat healthily, and take care of their elders. And a fairly large number of young people leave Vilcabamba to live in the larger cities. There has been some real research done here to determine if in fact there is any truth to the legend. The results? No. In fact, people here live no longer on average than people anywhere else.
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Loja, Ecuador
January 11, 2023
Loja, Ecuador: The full name is "City of the Immaculate Conception of Loja". Loja is known as the Music and Cultural Capital of Ecuador. In the photo album is a photo of the Parque de la Musica. Something in the park that isn't visible in the picture is the inscriptions on the walls of music staves - the inscriptions of deceased famous Ecuadorian composers, singers, and musicians. The population of Loja is around 200,000. In the park called "Parque Colinas del Pucará", at the top of the hill, you can find what appears to be an old castle, but in reality, this place used to be a cable car station. Sometime between 2020 and 2023 it was closed and the cable car and cable were removed. Now you can go up the smaller tower and get a nice view of the valley. There are pics in the photo album. The trailhead starts in Parque Pucará.
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Catamayo, Ecuador
January 9, 2023
Catamayo, Ecuador: Population: about 30,000. One of the tourist attractions nearby is the Chicaca Tunnel. It is a tunnel dug out of the mountain by the Incas. There is a gravel road to it, through it, and beyond. I did not make it out to the tunnel on this visit to Catamayo, but I will on my next. And, there will definitely be a next because I like this town.
The city dates back to the 16th century but it was in the 19th century when it really started to take off. The main industries are agriculture, the production of tiles and bricks, sugar, and tourism. Catamayo sits in a valley in the Andes Mountains, surrounded by mountains.
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