Down South America Way Trivia Quiz

Answer: Quito

Thirteen miles north of the capital city of Quito, Ecuador, is its newest airport, Mariscal Sucre.
Quito's old airport, which bears the same name, is 10,000 feet above sea level. Now that flying into Quito is a little safer, I hope to stay at the Casa Gangotena Hotel which is a restored historic mansion hotel in the old town section of Quito. The hotel offers a program, in conjunction with a foundation known as Heritage Guardians, whereby guests can meet the citizens of Quito and familiarize themselves with their everyday life and traditions.

Answer: Queen of the Andes

The Queen of the Andes, a spike-like flowering plant also known as "Puya raimondii", is a flowering bromeliad plant native to the Andes Mountains of South America. It takes eighty to hundred and fifty years for this flower to bloom. When it does, it has almost eight thousand blossoms on its greenish-white spikes which later turn to a purplish color. With sword-like leaves, the edges of which have fishhook type indentures, the Queen of the Andes flowering plant is protected from animals foraging for food.

The pineapple is also in this family and it too offers a challenge for many animals browsing for food.

Answer: Tall trees

The Atacama Desert of Chile, which is said to be the driest desert in the world, is six hundred miles wide. Located mainly on the west coast of Chile, this desert runs from the border of Peru and touches a bit of Bolivia. Yungay, Chile, an abandoned mining town is said to be one of the driest places in the Atacama Desert. To obtain water, the people who live in this desert erect two poles and stretch a plastic sheet between the poles with pans placed beneath the sheets.

When the fog rolls in from off the ocean, it collects on the plastic sheets and drips into the pans.

The collected water is used for drinking as well as for agricultural purposes.

Answer: Ecuador

In the Andes Mountains of Ecuador a moist, cool cloud forest can be found. Cloud forests differ from rainforests in that they are cooler and situated over quick moving, clear and rocky rivers. Rainforests are generally larger with slow moving rivers which carry silt. My hotel reservation is made to stay at a beautiful hotel located in the Cloud Forest of Ecuador.
After touring a desert, this seems the perfect antidote.

Answer: Colombia

This award given by the American Capital of Culture Organization is designated to cities that have programs of culture, social diversity, a strong economic plan and have advertised or promoted themselves internationally for these many reasons. Barranquilla, Colombia, a city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, was the recipient of the 2013 American Capital of Culture award. Other South American cities that have obtained this award are: 2007 Cusco, Peru; 2009 Asuncion, Paraguay; 2011 Quito, Ecuador.

Sounds intriguing, I think I shall have to add these cities to my travel list.

Answer: It was built over a river gorge

A few miles outside the town of Ipiales, Colombia, high up in the mountains, is the cathedral Las Lajas Sanctuary built over a stone slab on a bridge spanning the Guaitaro River Gorge. The church is 100 meters in height and the bridge connecting it is approximately fifty meters long.

Some say it is a South American church which looks like a European castle. Originally, in the late eighteenth century, a small chapel was built to mark the place where, according to local legend, a miracle occurred. In 1916, building of the present cathedral on that same spot was started, and it was completed in 1949. For me, even photographs cannot do justice to this magnificent structure and its setting. Surely it goes on my bucket list of beautiful and unusual places to visit.

Answer: Guayaquil

Guayaquil, larger than Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, is Ecuador's largest city. Located in the Costa region on its western coast, Guayaquil is a thriving port city with a strong fishing industry. Tourism plays a large part in its economy as Guayaquil is close to the popular beaches of Playas, Banos and Salinas. Within two hours flight time to the Galapagos Islands, Guayaquil's economy also benefits from this somewhat nearby historic group of islands.

Answer: Andean condor

The Andean condor has a wing spread of ten feet and can weigh up to fifteen pounds. In flight, the Andean condor can sometimes reach eighteen thousand feet. Closest in size to the Andean condor in the Western Hemisphere is the California condor which has a wing spread of 9.7 feet. To observe the Andean condor, there is a look out point in the Colca Canyon of Peru where it is possible to see where the Andean Condor lives and breeds. This is a place for me as it is surely for the birds as well.

Answer: June

There are many national holidays in Paraguay one of which includes de San Juan which occurs on June 24th. During this celebration, not only is Judas Iscariot burned in effigy, but walking on hot coals is another of its traditions. Carnival (Carnaval) is in February. May 2-4, is Independence Day (Independencia Patria). Dia de Blas, the feast day of St. Blaise, is February 3, and celebrating the founding of the capital city of Paraguay, Asuncion, is done on August 15. Packing extra shoes might be a good idea if visiting Paraguay in June.

Answer: Suriname

Beracha Veshalom (Blessings and Peace), is one of the oldest synagogues in the Americas which was established in Suriname in 1685. The Republic of Suriname, which is at times known as "the beating heart of the Amazon" was formerly known as the colony Dutch Guiana.

The first Jewish settlement in Suriname was built in 1669, fifty miles from the capital city of Paramaribo and was eventually known as Jerusalem on the River. Today a visit to Beracha Veshalom would show it to be just crumbling rocks and in pieces where it once stood.

In Suriname's capital city, Paramaribo, the synagogue Neveh Shalom, which was built in 1734, is on the same street with its neighbor the Amadadiyya Anjuman Isha'at Mosque. A favorite Beatles tune comes to mind as I walk down this street.