To Cuy or not to Cuy

That is the question for many foreign travelers to Ecuador. For the uninitiated, cuy (pronounced coo-eee) is the South American guinea pig. This is an interesting name because the animal is neither a member of the pig family nor did it originate in Guinea.

Cuy come from right here in the Andean highlands, and the little fellows are revered in the Ecuadorian culture, used in spiritual practices and healing ceremonies performed by a shaman. They are also a local delicacy.

While driving through villages throughout the Andes you will see, especially on the weekends, proprietors roasting cuy on spits over charcoal fire. For some restaurants in Cuenca cuy is the specialty of the house. Many locals especially enjoy eating the head, feet, and skin because of their special crunch.

Now this whole notion of devouring “pet-on-a stick” is quite repellent to certain visitors. For some, memories of Fluffy from childhood do not exactly stimulate the old taste buds. Others are grossed out by the sight of what appears to be a whole tailless rodent (actually, that’s what it is---) being grilled.

But almost everyone, even those who won’t eat it, wants to know, “So what does cuy taste like?” A group of adventurous TerraDiversa travelers got to find out yesterday on a tour co-sponsored with GringoTree called A Day in the Country at Hacienda Totorillas.

We journeyed to a beautiful family hacienda in Tarqui to experience daily life in a rural environment. Less than 15 miles from Cuenca, the breathtaking Andean landscape felt worlds away from the city.



Guests saw cows being milked and later enjoyed eating the freshest cheese made that very morning. They observed a sheep being shorn, thread being created, and garments woven from local wool.



Fava beans were picked for lunch and visits were paid to the areas where free range chickens and cuy are raised. Highlights of the day trip were horseback riding and hiking.





All that activity works up an appetite, and our guests were treated to a special surprise. We served what we jokingly called “cutting edge Andean/American fusion cuisine”—hamburgers, hot dogs, and---cuy!



“Squeamish” wasn’t part of this group’s vocabulary as everyone went for it and at least tasted the exotic meat. One young lady was even overheard telling her mom, “I’ll eat yours if you don’t want it.”

So what’s the verdict? What does cuy taste like?

Well, the consensus was: it tastes like---cuy. A little gamey, a little greasy, a little like dark meat chicken maybe, but certainly unique and tasty.

For adventurous souls like our group we recommend hunkering down to a plate of cuy while you’re here. If nothing else, you’ll have a unique story to tell family and friends when you return home!

New York Times Travel Show Part 2

TerraDiversa was honored to attend the NY Times Travel Show this month. Partners Edd (Director of Marketing) and Cynthia (Director of Sales) Staton represented our company and country at the event.



Ecuador was a major sponsor of the show



and had a massive and prominently featured display area.









The first day was for "trade only." We attended extremely informative morning workshops focused on market specialization and social networks. After a keynote address the show floor was opened for all travel professionals to mingle before opening the following morning to the general public. A lovely cocktail reception was a pleasant way to end the day.

Saturday and Sunday the joint was jumpin'.



Attendance exceeded all expectations as a festive vibe enveloped the huge convention hall. Lavish displays from around the globe dazzled the eye,



while non-stop dance performances, music, and international cooking demonstrations occupied 10 different pavilion stages.





Outside the main hall in two seminar rooms travel presentations were presented to packed crowds. Experts covered topics from cruising to luxury train travel to African safaris. Celebrities like the Frommer's, Samantha Brown, and Adam Richman gave entertaining talks and signed autographs.

Looks like folks are ready to get out and have some fun again! Travel is fun, and TerraDiversa is your Ecuador travel specialist.

New York Times Travel Show

TerraDiversa was thrilled to attend the NY Times Travel Show March 2-4. The first day was "trade only," with special seminars, a chance to explore the exhibit area and meet other travel professionals, and a lavish cocktail reception. Our representatives attended seminars on "Transforming from Travel Agent to Travel Specialist" and "Harnessing the Power of Social and Interactive Media to Reach Travelers" because both topics are important areas of focus in our 2012 planning.

These information-packed sessions featured panels of renowned experts in their respective fields who shared timely tips on providing enhanced travel experiences for our clients. A keynote address followed with other industry leaders discussing the bright future for travel professionals as well as the latest trends and developments.

Ecuador was a major sponsor of this year's event and had a fabulous exhibit space at the show. Attendance was overwhelming, a strong indicator that people are fed up with all this negativity about the economy and ready to have some fun!

We enjoyed entertaining talks by the Travel Channel's Samantha Brown and Adam Richman; Arthur and Pauline Frommer discussing their favorite travel destinations; seminars on travel writing, culinary travel, train travel; cooking demonstrations, tequila and wine tastings----does it sound like this weekend was any fun??

You bet it was!!

We look forward to returning to Ecuador and implementing many of the great new ideas we learned while in New York. Even though the show was a blast, our primary goal in attending was to support our mission of providing travel experiences that exceed your expectations and create special memories.

Hasta luego!

Bienvenidos!

That means “Welcome!” to all you non-Spanish speakers. This is our very first of many blogs where we hope to enlighten and sometimes entertain you as we present the very best Ecuador travel info.

Most people associate Ecuador only with the fabulous Galapagos archipelago. We want everyone to appreciate the incredible beauty and diversity throughout our small country. So let’s start out with a “greatest hits” collection of interesting facts & figures.

Ecuador has the most biodiversity per square mile of any nation in the world. There are over 1600 bird species, over 16,000 species of plants, and 6000 different types of butterfly. We are the only country on earth with a constitution that recognizes the rights of nature.



Aside from the Galapagos (which will be featured in a future blog), Ecuador is divided into three very distinct regions: the Pacific coast, the Andean highlands, and the Amazon. The unspoiled 1250 mile Ecuadorian coastline is lined with spectacular beaches, quaint fishing villages, mangrove forests, and even jungle. There are several rollicking resort areas as well as championship deep sea fishing sites. Between July and October hundreds of humpback whales gather along the central coast, sometimes so close they can be observed from the shore!



The Andes, which run north to south through the middle of Ecuador, offer a year-round temperate climate and an incredible variety of cultural and adventure excursions. Trek snow-capped mountains; observe active volcanoes; relax in hot

springs surrounded by lush vegetation; enjoy colonial architecture in two UNESCO World Heritage cities; horseback ride along the Inca Trail; or bargain in world-famous indigenous markets—these activities only scratch the surface of your amazing possibilities.

A lot of folks are surprised to learn that the Amazon jungle occupies almost half of Ecuador. Ethnic groups and tribes still live in this vast wilderness according to the customs and traditions of their ancestral past. Ecuador offers some of the world’s best ecotourism programs and an unprecedented opportunity for experiencing abundant wildlife and cultural immersion. There’s no better place to discover the magic of the Amazon.



TerraDiversa has been offering professional tours throughout Ecuador , Galapagos, and Peru for over 10 years. Visit our website (www.terradiversa.com) to contact us and to check out all the fun excursions and destinations.

And, hey, we’d love to hear from you about topics you’d like to see featured in our blog. Please take a minute to post a comment so we can get a conversation started!