With only a few years left before retirement, I decided to check out Ecuador in 2012, following my trip to Costa Rica in 2011. I wasn't disappointed. Visiting only Cuenca and Quito both above 8000' I avoided the humidity of sea level while enjoying the charm and beauty of this gorgeous country, in particular, these two UNESCO World Heritage Trust site cities. Much like Garrison Keiller's folks of Lake Wobegone (of radio NPR fame) Ecuador's people are charming, confident, patient, polite, unjustifiably friendly, have beautiful women and handsome men. I was always welcomed warmly, with love and kindness from strangers, given friendship with true caring as if I were a family member...although likely considered the uncle, with the learning disability, that spoke no Spanish.