There are 499 blog posts for you to enjoy.
Yantzaza, Ecuador
August 17, 2025
Yantzaza, Ecuador is a small town of maybe 14,000 people, sitting on the edge of the Amazon Rain Forest and the Andes Mountains. It was founded in 1956, so no historical architecture here. The name Yantzaza means valle de las luciérnagas which means "valley of the fireflies." I haven't seen any but there are supposed to be many in this valley. Maybe if I went out walking at night I'd see some, but here I am in the hotel writing. The town sits in a tight valley at 887 meters elevations (2910 feet). The River Zamora runs alongside the town on one side and the mountains form a wall on the other, so the town is somewhat long and narrow.
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Zamora, Ecuador
August 15, 2025
Zamora, Ecuador, population about 18,000, founded in 1549. Don't expect to find any colonial architecture here, there isn't any. I save a handful of buildings/houses in the area that might be around 100 years old, but that's the extent of old architecture. The city sits at 920 meters (3018 feet) of elevation. This was my second time visiting Zamora. I like this town. It sits in a beautiful little valley and has two rivers that meet here in town. The one drawback to this valley is the rain - of the two visits here, a total of 8 or 9 days, it rained every day or night. But then, this is the Amazon region, and in the Andes Mountains, so that is to be expected.
The World's Biggest Clock, and it Works!
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Catamayo, Ecuador
August 12, 2025
After four days in Catamayo, Ecuador, I’ve decided this town has officially claimed the top spot on my list of potential new hometowns. The standout difference compared to Moyobamba, Peru, is simple but huge: there are no moto-taxis or three-wheeled motorcycles here. Zero. None. Without that constant swarm of buzzing engines, the streets are quieter, the traffic flows more smoothly, and the air is blissfully free of that familiar haze of exhaust. And, Catamayo is only an hour drive west of Loja, so a reasonably big city isn't far away, if needed.
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Piura, Perú
August 8, 2025
Piura, on the northern coast of Perú, has a population of around 600,000. This was my second visit to Piura and I wrote a blog back in January 2023 of my first visit, and it includes much of the the history, so I won't repeat that this time. The city was founded in 1532 with the name "San Miguel de Tangarará," by Francisco Pizarro.
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Lambayeque, Perú
August 6, 2025
Lambayeque, Perú, is a very old small city, around 80,000 population, on the northern Perú coast. It's not a beach city, Lambayeque sits about 12 kilometers inland. The city was officially founded in 1553, though there is evidence of people living in the area going far back before the time of the Incas. Here you will find two of the most important museums in Perú, home to the treasures of the Lord of Sipán - Royal Tombs Museum and the Brüning Museum. Outside the city is the Museo de Sitio Chotuna - Chornancap. I've been to all three and have photos in the photo album from them.
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