Ecuador: Galapagos & Andean Service Adventure 2026
June, 28 2026
Hola fròm Ecuador! After getting caught up on some well needed sleep, the amigos gathered for breakfast in the Blue House’s dining space. We indulged in some delicious rolls with jam and butter as well as freshly cooked eggs, Granola with fruit, and some tasty local cereal. We hopped on the bus and headed to our first destination of the day, Inti ñan, aka the center of the world. We spent some time exploring and learning about the native culture. We saw shrunken heads, giant anaconda remains, and adorable Cuy (guinea pig). We also learned about the science behind the equator line and tested the gravity theory by draining water in a sink to see which direction it flows. After taking many photos we made our way to Pululahua, a massive active volcano. The views were breathtaking, and we were able to see the Pululahua community living in the crater. We made our way back to the bus to head to lunch and unfortunately witnessed our beloved Cuyes being cooked on the street😭.
After witnessing that horrifying sight, we arrived at El Patio, a local restaurant, for lunch. Our chef, Alfredo, makes the meals from his own garden based on his imagination. His kitchen is like a laboratory, making new dishes constantly. We were presented with a stunning 4-course meal, consisting of meat empanada with beet sauce, fresh garden salad with handpicked vegetables, chicken with mashed potatoes, and finally a rich chocolate mousse topped with strawberries and figs. Our stomachs were stuffed and our ride to the market was very restful, with almost everyone taking a nap. After a quiet journey, we arrived at El Mercado Artisanal, where local artists displayed their works for sale. There were beautiful bracelets, journals, pottery, and clothing items. We spent 30 minutes wandering the market, and testing our Spanish skills. We bought ice cream, Ecuador jerseys, hacky-sacks, jewelry, and much more. At 5:00pm we headed back to the hotel, and spent quality time playing hacky-sack, spikeball, and making bracelets. As we prepared for dinner, we conjoined tables, a symbol of the friendships that we have made in a short period of time. We ate dinner and shared laughs as amigos. After we enjoyed a plate of empanadas we played a fun group game of Zip Zap Zoinck. Afterwards we ended the night together by mapping out our goals and expectations, as well as a fun itinerary breakdown from our group leaders (us)!
By Hamish and Stella
June 29, 2026
Que pasó from Quito! After another night of sleep, we devoured el mismo desayuno delicioso and some fresh water melon. We hopped on the bus, excited for the panoramic views we were going to see at the top of an active volcano. We played some group hackeysack before jumping into a cable car. When we arrived at the top, we adventured higher to 12,000 feet and captured dozens of photos on the swing in the clouds and ate many snacks along the way.
Afterwards, we traveled to a Gothic Cathedral, where we posed with the pope and explore the courtyard. We had a quick bus ride to a delicious lunch of refeshing mango juice, lentil soup, eggs, sausage, potatoes, salad, and panna cotta. We were also lucky enough to catch a glipse of the Brazil vs Japan World Cup game on the restaurant’s projector.
With our stomachs full, we headed to the center of the Historical District where we saw the presidents house and el Monumento de la Independencia to learn about the meaning of multiple symbols like the condor which represents freedom and can have a wingspan of up to 18 feet. We also saw arupos, which are trees with huge Pink blossoms that Bloom for only two weeks every year. Then we walked into a beautiful church that had a lot of gold designs. Along the way, many People bought a set of round magnets that we played with for the rest of the day.
We walked over to the San Francisco church, before hurrying over to Yumbos Chocolate for a chocolate tasting. We tried soooo many varieties of cacao from tea to brownies to blind sampling flavors from tangerine to jalapeño to mint. It was SO delicious. A lot of people bought bars and brownie mix to take home and capture those yummy flavors. Feeling fulfilled and revived, we went over to a local supermarket to purchase local snacks and treats. We came back to the Blue House for some hackeysack, bracelet making, and reading before a delicious dinner and a taste test of all our new goodies. We cant wait to travel to our homestays and see whats next. ¡Hasta mañana!
By Hazel and Greyson
