Ecuador
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.
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.
New year in Ecuador
New Year in Ecuador is as much about the Old Year as the new. Effigies are made of old clothes stuffed with newspaper and adorned with a mask. These are known as the "Año Viejos" or Old Years, and are burnt at midnight on New Year's Eve. The idea is to leave any negativity or problems behind in the old year and start afresh.