Friday, March 28
7:30 pm / I should be swan-diving into bed for my customary TGIF nap, but instead, I'm with some acquaintances for post-work drinks at an uptown bar that's taking it's best shot at "trendy" (read: surly hostess, pricey drinks and low back-killing banquettes). A few drinks and half a week's pay later, I'm scanning my brain and exchanging glances with Boyfriend, calculating a polite exit strategy.

9:00 pm / Boyfriend and I settle into a booth at Blockheads, a lowbrow Mexican chain that he loves for the cheap margaritas and that I love for the liberal application of cheese in the quesadillas.

11:00 pm / Next,we swing by The Auction House, a gem of a bar that's decked out in antique mirrors, dusty crystal chandeliers, and tin ceilings. A few pints of dark beer and we are ready to call it a night. After all, I have to save enough energy to climb the SIX FLIGHTS OF STAIRS to Boyfriend's apartment. Six. Flights.

Fleeing the craziness of Manhattan for Ecuador's muddy forests and undeveloped towns might not seem like a vacation to most. But, as I learned on a recent trip to Ecuador to visit my younger sister, it was a vacation in the truest sense: complete escape from everything that is my city life.

Instead of grabbing a salad from the work cafeteria, I spent hours lingering over six-course lunches of shrimp ceviche with popcorn and plaintain chips, freshly fried empanadas, and native fruits.

Hiking to the subway was replaced by hiking long rain forest trails, and instead of napping on my couch in front of the TV, I napped on hammocks at a hummingbird preserve and dangled my feet in Andean hot springs. I also embraced the custom of haggling at sprawling outdoor markets and marveled at children peddling their wares (rather than attending school) so they could provide a few extra dollars for their struggling families.

Unlike other trips I've taken, this experience gave me a glimpse into what it's like not to be a New Yorker and not to be an American. I came back with a whole new appreciation for the things I don't have here and, of course, the things I do. Here's a photo of the outdoor market and another one of me and a new acquaintance.


Check out travel guides to Ecuador and other South American destinations on concierge.com. Bonus: Compared to Europe, South America is still an affordable vacation option for families.

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