Over the Border and into Peru….

The bus begins to pull out of the Cuenca bus station just as the sun comes fully into view.  The four of us sit back and relax for the first time that morning.  We’d already been up for hours, making sure that we had packed every toy and phone charger and had left our rental…

Cuenca – Rivers, Gringos, Health Care and Good Grub

We arrived in Cuenca, Ecuador feeling a little under the weather and suffering from travel fatigue.  Four months of rental apartments, budget buses and unfamiliar things were taking their toll.  At home in the upper midwest, Fall had arrived.  The pictures and descriptions of the changing colors and football games and all things pumpkin flavored…

Magical Baños

We found ourselves chatting at one point or another with at least one person from nearly every table in the cafe.  The room was sun drenched and the atmosphere was extremely friendly, almost weirdly friendly.  The decor was “bohemian backpacker” meets “intellectual hippie”.  Subconsciously I was waiting for all of the customers to stand up…

A Whirlwind Trip to Otavalo

  Otavalo is a market town high up in the Andean mountains north of Quito, surrounded by volcanoes and inhabited mostly by indigenous tradespeople.  The Otavaleños are Quichua-speaking weavers, woodworkers, leather workers and artists, and their market has existed since before the Spanish arrived in this country.  Its popularity with both Ecuadorians and visitors from…

Places we Have Stayed

When we were researching our trip, I often had a hard time finding affordable, furnished apartments in safe areas that would accommodate children.  I figure I can update this as we proceed on our trip, but here is a list of the places we have rented so far in case you are looking for lodging…

I Was Nominated For A Liebster Blogging Award!

I Was Nominated For A Liebster Blogging Award! I was very excited to be nominated by fellow “travel with kids” blogger:  http://fromheretotherewithkids.com Thank you!! Here are my answers: 1. Why is family travel important to you? Sharing the world with my kids makes them grow up to be better people!  Perspective, perseverance, and patience –…

Something in the Air

We awoke that Saturday morning with a collective feeling of “blah”.  As a family, we are not generally inclined towards hypochondria, but the four of all either had a headache, stomach upset, or a strong case of the lazies.  Two of us awoke before dawn with the anxiety that sleep cut too short brings.  The…

Keeping the Kids Happy in Quito

I’m here to tell you – traveling with young children is not for the faint of heart. Exploring foreign lands can be stressful even without kids. You are faced with struggling to communicate for everyday necessities. You don’t know where the bathrooms are, or if there even are bathrooms. You’re not sure what to order…