Ecuador
Holidays and Festivals in Ecuador
Every city of Ecuador celebrates their own festivals either in honor of a saint (Most Ecuadorians are Catholics), or the city's festivities. There are plenty more celebrations throughout the country such as: "Virgen del Carmen", on the 16th of July. The "Fiesta de la Mama Negra" in Latacunga, which is held on the 23rd and 24th of September, among others.
Ecuadorian Beverages
With an abundance of mouthwatering exotic fruits, Ecuador has many delicious (and cheap) fruit juices, or jugos. Popular fruits native to Ecuador include naranjilla, a tangy, orange-colored fruit; tomate de Arbol, a fruity tree-grown tomato with a kick; mora (blackberry); guanabana (soursop), an almost milky, sweet, white fruit; and tangy maracuya (passion fruit). Papaya, pineapple, and mango juices are also widely available. Juices can be ordered with leche (milk) or agua pura (water); when ordering with water, be sure to order it sin hielo (without ice) just in case the ice is made with tap water.
Rivers of Ecuador
The rivers of Ecuador are an important part of the nation's geography and economy. Most of the over 2,000 rivers and streams have headwaters in the Andes mountain range, flowing therefrom either westward toward the Pacific Ocean or eastward toward the Amazon River.