Ecuador's rain forest

About a two hour drive north of Ecuador's capital of Quito lies a rain forest. The drawback? The rain. It really isn't rain but more of a constant mist that leaves everything damp. The humidity is so high, that a measly aspirin doesn't stand a chance and actually splits itself open. But aside from this, it feels very untouched which is hard to find the more globalization takes hold. This is a place where a simple walk can lead you towards pristine waterfalls. Where people care enough about co-existing with the natural inhabitants, that they create shelters for toucans to rest while they recuperate from a run-in with a puma or monkey. This is also where I learned a new life lesson: if you get an infection after falling, don't eat fish. It might sound like a Ecuadorian wives' tale, but trust me when I tell you not to risk it.

The Peruvian Amazon

I have trekked to some of the highest points in the Andes and decided I needed a good dose of low land to level me out. Next stop: Puerto Maldonado in the Southern Amazon. Actually, to say I went to Puerto Maldonado is slightly inaccurate. I was there, but only to get on a boat to go up the Madre de Dios river to get to a reserve where I hiked 2 miles through the jungle, which brought me to a lake where I then canoed for 30 minutes which finally brought me to my final destination: Sandoval Lake. The natural inhabitants of Sandoval are thousands of birds, snakes and insects, endangered giant river otters, and the rare black caiman (crocodile). If you want to fall off the grid and land in a place of extreme humidity, limited electricity, and surround yourself with a symphony of animal mating calls, this is the place! In between gorgeous sunsets, jungle hikes, and channeling Tarzan, I also found time to rest my weary legs.

Andean pet food

Perhaps I was inspired by Anthony Bourdain putting odd things in his mouth, or maybe it is that my taste buds are shot from over-spicing, but I have tried a good number of traditional Andean foods and enjoyed them thoroughly. First up, cuy or guinea pig. I had hamsters as a child, but never a guinea pig, so perhaps this made it easier. Cuy is generally roasted and tastes like a tougher or gamier quail. You can also get it breaded and fried, but since I didn´t see anyone eating a Cuy Parmesan, I avoided it. Another favorite was anticucho or cow hearts. It definitely helps to only eat a small portion (I would never order it as my main dish, but sharing it as a appetizer works great). It also helps that they prepare it in strips that look familiar versus cutting it out in the shape of a heart. I also found that Alpacha is good for something other than just their hair, but then again, if you slathered enough butter on a cashmere sweater, I'd probably enjoy that too. (no animals pictured were actually eaten).