Located in Western South America, Ecuador borders the Pacific Ocean at the Equator between Colombia and Peru. Local photographer, Ann Smith Gordon, travelled to Ecuador and says the people and the culture are exceedingly interesting. There are four ethnic groups comprised of Indians, mestizos, blacks and whites.

The historic homeland of the Indians, about 40 percent of the population, is the sierra. This area was invaded in the 16th century by Spaniards and during the last 400 years the Indian population has maintained its cultural identity.

It is basically a farming area and the economy is based on agriculture and typical crops are corn, potatoes, wheat, and barley.

Ecuador is divided into three ecological regions: the coastal lowlands, the Andean highlands, and the eastern forested plains known as costa, sierra, and oriente.

"We had a wonderful adventure going to the highlands, we drove in a car to Otovalo which has the largest market dating back to the Incas. Every food imaginable was there and several not to imagine! There were dozens of kinds of potatoes.

"We heard the piercing squeals of animals and the bellowing of bulls. The people wear their traditional costumes everyday and even the poorest people wear jewels and red beads and gold glass beads,'' Ms Smith Gordon said.

She explained that the highlands in the south have wonderful villages and interesting customs such as wearing hats to display prosperity.

"They wear two or three hats so people will know the new one goes on top.

This means they are well to do in their world,'' she said.

The plains that descend eastward from the highland toward the Amazon River are mostly shrouded in thick tropical rain forest. The mestizos, called cholos in the highlands, are racially mixed Indians and Spanish and employed on the rice, banana and cacao plantations.

At 10,000 feet Ms Smith Gordon went horseback riding through tiny villages; she also saw Inca ruins which were never lost like Machupicchu.

Chimborazo is the highest active volcano in the world at 20,577 feet. "We saw it and it was not active. Usually it is shrouded in clouds,'' advised Ms Smith Gordon.

Spanish is the official language along with Indian languages, especially Quechua. The religion is 95 percent Roman Catholic.

Pictured Right: The volcano, Chimborazo.

Riding in Ecuador: Ann Smith Gordon, a woman of adventure and courage.

Cover photo by Ann Smith Gordon: A hand made canoe in the jungle of Ecuador.

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