Category: Ecuador Facts & Information

Just some updates on the latest events happening now with Cotopaxi volcano, here in Ecuador. Early on Friday, the iconic volcano spewed a three-mile-high column of ash (two explosions), urging authorities to raise the warning level to yellow, signifying that residents should keep alert. The level warnings are yellow, orange and red. Reports of ash rain and the smell of sulfur are present in the southern area of Quito, especially in Machachi, Ecuador following Cotopaxi volcano explosion. However precautions should be taken, authorities stressed that the explosions and a five-kilometer- (3-mile-) high plume of ash do not signify that the volcano is about to erupt. Actually, Ecuador’s highest active volcano has been showing signs of activity since April 2015, and it has been kept under close monitoring for a long time now. Nonetheless, president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa has declared state of emergency and the yellow alert I now accompanied with a preventive evacuation of areas nearby the volcano which include Lasso, Mulaló and some regions of Latacunga (Cotopaxi Provice). As happens with this kind of events, much speculation has been going on, overstated comments have been circulating the country. As stressed by Ph.D Professor Theofilus Toulkeridis, an expert in Volcanology, Geochemistry, Geography, there is no need for unnecessary alarm. Here’s an extract from his Facebook wall: “Remember , the Cotopaxi volcano is active !!!  Meaning, lava is going to appear at some point, as well as some pyroclastic flows etc etc etc. This does not necessarily means that lava lahars will reach populations nearby. I’ve explained so many time before that we might have to live with this kind of activity for months to come. Obviously, when misinterpreted information is spread ( i.e. phreatic explosions etc.) preprogrammed chaos will arise”. Still, here’s some useful info regarding the recent event

Being stated as the unchallenged host for the FIFA Tournament in 2007, Brazil has once again been selected to be the venue for the FIFA World Cup 2014! The matches of FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil will be played among 12 prominent stadiums across the country. Brazil is all set to host the excitement and madness of FIFA 2014. Let us take a view of 12 Stadiums that are included in this List of Stadiums for the 2014 World Cup. 1. Arena De Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo The opening match of FIFA 2014, Brazil will be held in this brand new stadium. Long back in 1978, the Corinthians were granted permission to build a stadium for themselves. The construction of this enormous stadium that has the capacity of 65,807 seats (including 20,000 seats) was begun in 2010. This Stadium is situated on a plateau at the southeast, close to the Atlantic Coast and is just about 269 miles from Rio. The matches that will be hosted here on the respective dates are as follows: 12 June: Brazil vs Croatia, 21:00 19 June: Uruguay vs England, 20:00 23 June: Netherlands vs Chile, 17:00 26 June: South Korea vs Belgium, 21:00 1 July: Second Round, Winner Group F vs Runner Up Group E, 17:00 9 July: Semi Final, Winner Quarter Final 3 vs Winner Quarter Final 4, 21:00 2. Estadio Mineirao, Belo Horizonte This, historic stadium in Belo Horizonte is listed among the national monuments in Brazil was first opened in 1965 and renovated and reopened in 2013. A huge amount of time and money, i.e. about 3 years and about 695 million Brazilian reais were spent during the entire renovation process of this stadium. The pitch was lowered by 3.4m by removing the running track and a new set of

The name Ecuador comes from the French word or Équateur, meaning “The middle of the world”, since the country straddles in the southern and northern hemispheres. It is exactly for this reason that Ecuador is such a biodiverse and strikingly beautiful location. Due to its location and the geography, the country consists of four regions namely: The Coast, the Highlands, the Ecuadorian Amazon and Galapagos Islands. This diversity host famous landforms, natural attractions as well as cultural manifestations which are must-visit for every traveler. The beauty of it is that they are all so different that you will get the feeling you’ve been to more that one country, and Ecuador is only 109,484 square miles! Check-out our top visiting spot in Ecuador, a great start when planning your itinerary for your Ecuador trip. Ecuadorian Sierra: Otavalo Market Otavalo is a largely indigenous town in the Imbabura Province, northern part of Ecuador. The indigenous Otavaleños are famous for weaving textiles, usually made of wool (that is sometimes as black as a raven), which are sold at the famous Saturday market. Although the largest market is on Saturday, there is a very wide range of wares available throughout the week in the “Plaza de los Ponchos”, and the many local shops. A full day trip to Otavalo Local Market from Quito is enough to fall in love with the palce. Ecuadorian Sierra: Quilotoa Loop hike The Quilotoa loop is made of mostly small, Andean villages which surround the famous Quilotoa Lake. The scenic beauty of the place is astonishing, specially considering it is actually an old volcanic crater. This spot is also home to the rich cultural hieritage of the high mountain villages. The famous lagoon offers a great opportunity for hiking and landscape photography, a trurly spectacular views. It takes 1

Tungurahua Volcano, The Day The Earth Moved   The Latin American country of Ecuador is home to some of South America's most famous and active volcanoes. Almost daily, in some part of this beautiful country, one or another of its active volcanoes spews smoke and ash out into the atmosphere of this country severely troubled by its many other problems as well, especially shortages of commodities from every day groceries to medicines. Supplies are in short supply throughout the country. One of Ecuador's more memorable volcanic eruptions occurred on February first, 2014. That afternoon around 5:30 p.m., (local time) an increase in activity became noticeable as darkening clouds of ash rose more and more ominously into the deep blue of the late afternoon sky. Within a very short period of time, the heavy thick clouds of ash had spread over the sky above covering it as they rose to some thirteen kilometers. Cities as far away as Guayaquil and Quito felt and saw the effects of the eruption. Tungurahua, from the Quechua term that calls the volcano the "throat of Fire", gives its name to the province of Tungurahua in which it dominates the skyline. Although remaining dormant for a considerable time, Tungurahua began showing signs of restlessness in August, 1999 and since that time, its activity level has continued to be a concern not only to seismologists but to local inhabitants as well. An earlier eruption with pyroclastic flows in 1999 created a great deal of ash and more than 25,000 locals from the area around Baños had to be evacuated. Activity inside the volcano has increased in recent years, growing ever more disturbing. It reached a peak on February 1, 2014 when about five in the later afternoon, Thick heavy ash began spewing from the crater, rising rapidly