Want to meet a bunch of like-minded South American explorers, get blitzed and have a chance to win some prizes too? The South American Explorers club’s bi-monthly pub quiz takes place at the Turtle’s Head Pub located in Quito’s La Mariscal the first and third Wednesday of every month.
Guayaquil, if you recall is Ecuador’s commercial hub and home to over 3 million people. It is the southern city and the gateway to Peruvian travel. Most people in the past have quickly made their way through in pursuit of more glamorous destinations in the mountains and the coast. But as more more people are straying on, living and working, there becomes a need for a little guide to places to stay, places to eat and places to drink.
Before me sat an empty plate, practically licked clean, where once rested a fine piece of steak, sausage, slices of grilled potato, freshly-made artisan bread….In my post-binge state I was seriously considering the hammock slung from a nearby beam while from the stereo emerged Anthony K’s melodic chant from some Chili Peppers song.
Want to come meet the author of the Ecuador Gringo? Come to Bungalow 6 in the Mariscal. That’s right everybody, I have been working upstairs in the famous Bungalow since I got to Quito 3 months ago. Bungalow is known as the Mariscal’s prime party spot and you can tell by the lines of people waiting to get in outside. Bungalow started becoming a cornerstone of the Mariscal’s party scene about 3 years back when John Ott and Sean Carter, a couple of American expats, took it over and began transforming it into a popular hangout, popular with both Ecuadorians and Foreigners alike. I heard one local Ecuadorian describe its secret as being a sort of melting pot Read more
It was last Sunday in the Mariscal, I walked up to Finn McCools, a popular Irish pub in Quito’s Mariscal with the mind to order a Sunday roast and indulge myself. The waitress tells me there will be no roasts and that they’ll be shutting in 30 minutes. Normally the beer would be flowing at 4:30 in the afternoon, with the mixed crowd of locals, tourists, and expats watching sports, eating, or playing pool, but the new law had kept pretty much everybody at home. Quitos’ new drinking law had gone into effect and we were feeling it here at ground zero in the Mariscal, Quitos main party zone.
I looked back outside contemplating where to get Read more
Few places in La Mariscal, the center for Quito’s gringos, draw me in as does Uncle Ho’s. It goes beyond the food or the cocktails, rather it comes down to the personality behind the bar. Meet Kevin Sheehy: a five foot ten Irishman with a distinctive braided goatee dangling down below his chin who can be found most nights serving up martinis, cracking jokes with the local clientele, and checking the baseball play-by-plays on his laptop. Popular with Quito’s English teacher crowd and local gringo business owner alike, Ho’s intimate bar provides a great place to catch the game and have a chat. Kev’s a typical Irishman with a riotous sense of humor; he quickly friendlies up to anyone Read more
While the place to ring in the New Year in Quito is definitely on the streets, if you are in the mood to get dinner before you head down to party with the masses, check out La Ronda, one of the few restaurants open on December 31st.
At first glance it may look a bit touristy, and while it does cater to visitors, the traditiaonal Ecuadorian food hardly gets complaints from anyone, foreigner or native! The service is great, the food is well prepared and the drinks are good.
La Ronda is sure to be a popular choice for tomorrow night, so call ahead and see what seating is like, or make a reservation. If Read more
The weekend is right around the corner and without a doubt you are looking for something fun to do tomorrow night. Well, if you find yourself in Quito, then head on down to the every popular Mariscal neighborhood and check out Bungalow 6.
From the outside Bungalow 6 looks like your standard night club crowded into the eight blocks that make up the night scene of Quito. However, on the inside you’ll find it has more to offer than your average dance club.
The main floor is dedicated to dancing, of course. On busy nights, which come every weekend and Wednesdays, when ladies drink free from 7–10, the dance floor can get Read more
If you are planning a trip to Ecuador this month (July) and mapping out your route now, try and aim to be in Guayaquil on the 24th and 25th.
July 24th is a nationwide holiday as the whole country celebrates the birthday of Simón Bolivar, the famous South American liberator. Things get even crazier on the 25th, however, as Guayaquil shuts down for two days with the biggest birthday bash combined with the celebration of the anniversary of the founding of the city.
Guayaquil is the most populous city in Ecuador, and the whole town turns out for the party. It is a celebration not to be missed if you are looking to have some wild fun.
Normally, Read more
Baños may not be the first place you think of when you’re asked about a great party in Ecuador, but believe me this city knows how to celebrate! And why wouldn’t they? Set up high in the mountains, Baños serves as a launch pad into the Amazon basin, making it a hot spot among the traveling crowd looking for some serious adventure. And, as we all know, serious adventure and serious partying go hand in hand.
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