Artisan and Craft Market in the Beautiful Parque El Ejido in Quito, Ecuador

On September 1, 2020September 1, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn South America2 Comments

In order to walk to the old town quarter of Quito in Ecuador from our hotel, we had to walk through Parque El Ejido. It is a lovely park that has a nice artisan and craft market as well as plenty of open space. Located right in the city, it can be quite busy at times as families gather to have a picnic or play a game of soccer. There is also an interesting arch located in the park, simply called Arco de El Ejido with a statue of two men battling one another.

We love finding markets where we can buy local arts and crafts whenever we travel to places. We typically try to bring something home with us to remember our trip, especially if it is something that we can display. While we were in Quito, we found a local artist in the market that sold watercolor paintings and we couldn’t resist buying an original piece of art. Whether you want jewelry, clothing, or art, there are an abundance of options.

Walking Through the Park and Shade Trees

Even if you aren’t interested in the market, just enjoying the shade of the trees, the open grassy areas, or even getting something sweet from a food vendor makes visiting the park worthwhile. Since we walked through the park both ways to and from our hotel in Quito, we had plenty of time to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere. We have been to many wonderful parks during our travels, but this one is truly one of our favorites.

Leisurely Stroll Through the Park’s Vendors

Large Park with Room to Escape the Busy Market Area

History on the Walls of European Restaurants

On August 31, 2020August 31, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn EuropeLeave a comment

One of the things that we enjoy when going to restaurants during our travels is to see artwork depicting the city as it looked back in time. In addition to historic pictures, we also like seeing vintage signs or paintings that are specific to the area. We find that having a relaxing meal while looking at these unique pieces of art that take you back in time is quite fascinating. We have visited restaurants in many different countries that adorn their walls with this kind of artwork, but we especially enjoyed the ones that we saw in Europe. We even took the time to take photographs of the walls while we were at the restaurants because we found them so interesting. The photographs don’t always turn out the best, but they are mostly for our own enjoyment.

Sitting in the Booth of One of Our Favorite Pubs in Frankfurt

Brazen Head Pub – The Oldest Pub in Dublin, Ireland

Signs on the Ceiling of a Restaurant in Hochheim, Germany

Painting of Einstein in a Restaurant in Koblenz

Historic Photographs on the Walls of a Restaurant in Florence, Italy

Painting of Alsace Women in Strasbourg, France

Pictures on the Walls in Vienna, Austria

Historiensäule Monument in Koblenz, Germany

On June 9, 2020June 9, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn GermanyLeave a comment

We saw a wide variety of interesting monuments, fountains, and statues during our time in Europe. Of particular interest was a monument in Koblenz, Germany, that depicts 2000 years of the city’s history in a single fountain/monument called Historiensäule. Each ring of the monument depicts different eras of the city’s history and is quite fascinating. It is well worth walking around the fountain to see it from every angle as each offers its own perspective. We visited Koblenz in October of 2016, so the trees were in full autumn foliage all along the Rhine River and made for a perfect backdrop for many of the sights that we saw, including this unique monument made of metal. There is a plaque describing the different rings, included here, so that you can interpret the intent of the artist.