Every encounter in this country that straddles the equator from the snowy Andean mountains to the misty, pristine rainforest is a marvel unto itself.
From the land to the sea, Ecuador knows no bounds in natural beauty. Then, there is the sea, oh, the sea. Ecuador boasts miles of coast. But the shining star in this sea is no doubt the Galapagos Islands--famous for its inhabitants past and present. Just over 600 hundred miles off the coast of Ecuador, these isles are home to species that only call the Galapagos home.
However, there is a world beyond the water. Teeming with Incan and pre-Incan ruins and cosmopolitan cities, there is a land full of people and places to discover and meet. The Amazon and the Andes offer an elemental contrast, and are so vast, they cover almost half of the country. And tucked into these mountains and forests are cities and villages, ancient ruins and monuments--waiting for light treads on their leafy, green trails and stonework streets.
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LA MERCE FESTIVAL MADRID/BARCELONA
WE EXPLAIN THE MERCE Yet another year, at the end of September, Barcelona starts to be charged with a very special atmosphere. The streets are closed off, cars are banned from many areas, stages are set up in the squares, giants mingle with the people... It's the Merc�, the great popular celebration marking the end of summer, the perfect occasion for getting out on the street and living these first days of autumn to the full. Aerial acrobatics, festivals of fireworks, dances, games, cavalcades... from Friday 21 through to Monday 24 the city throws off routine, changes its rhythm, fills the streets with confetti, replaces car horns with the traditional tenoras and grallas (oboes and clarinets), for rumbas and salsa. An explosion of high spirits that commences with the ubiquitous poster for the city's festa major celebrations, reminding us all that it's the Merc�, that the time has come to put day-to-day cares aside and have a good time. And on Friday 21 the reading of the Preg address from the Sal de Cent of the City Hall will launch the four most exceptional days of the year. It's September... it's the Merce... Don't spend it at home! [more]
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Fireworks in Valencia
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Currently, Manaca has no ecolodges in Spain |
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