Ecuador lies in South America on the equator, and in fact it gets its name from the Spanish word for “equator.” However, Ecuador straddles more than just two hemispheres. Take a look below to see how it also straddles different cultures, geographies and traditions.
厄瓜多坐落於南美洲赤道上，其國名事實上源自於西班牙文的「赤道」一字。然而，厄瓜多不只跨越了南北兩半球。讓我們來一窺厄瓜多是如何也跨越了不同文化、地理與傳統習俗。
A closer look 說古論今
PHOTO: AP
Ecuador was controlled by Spain for much of its history. As a result, its culture today is heavily influenced by Spanish traditions. Even though much of its native population died during Spanish rule, many native peoples survive today and play a part in Ecuador's politics and culture. Ecuadorian society has also been influenced by slaves brought from Africa and their descendants.
Ecuador is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world. Over 38 percent of the country is covered in forests, which are home to a wide variety of animals. While in Ecuador, you can see the snowy peaks of the Andys, the Amazon rain forests and the famous Galapagos Islands.
Each part of Ecuador has its own kind of food. As a result, there isn't a main Ecuadorian cuisine. However, Ecuador has made contributions to the culinary world. Many people in the mountains enjoy eating roasted guinea pig, and the word “jerky” in “beef jerky” comes from one of Ecuador's native languages.
Many of the walls in Ecuador's capital, Quito, are covered in graffiti. However, many people don't think of the graffiti as vandalism. Instead, they think of it as an art, and a part of Quito's urban culture. Much of the graffiti is poetry or political criticism. In fact, some politicians quote the graffiti that they see on the walls in their speeches.
歷史上厄瓜多曾受西班牙長期統治，所以其今日的文化深受西班牙傳統文化的影響。雖然當地許多原住民死於西班牙統治時期，現今仍有許多原住民存活，在厄瓜多政治與文化上扮演要角。厄瓜多社會也受到來自非洲的黑奴及其後裔的影響。
厄瓜多是世界上生物多樣性最多的國家之一。國土面積有38%以上是森林，裡頭居住的動物種類繁多。在厄瓜多可以看到覆雪的安地斯山頂、亞馬遜雨林與知名的加拉帕戈斯群島。
厄瓜多每一個地區都有自己獨特的飲食，所以無法定義主要的厄瓜多料理。不過，厄瓜多對料理界貢獻良多。山區民眾大多喜歡烤食天竺鼠，beef jerky（牛肉乾）一詞的「jerkey」這個字就是來自厄瓜多的原住民語之一。
厄瓜多首都基多的街頭許多牆都畫滿了塗鴉。不過，許多民眾可不認為塗鴉破壞市容。相反的，民眾認為這是一種藝術，是基多都會文化的一部分。這些塗鴉多半是詩或政治評論。事實上，有些政治人物還會在演講中引述所看到的街頭塗鴉。（翻譯：賴美君）
Who knew? 你知道嗎?
Abdala Bucaram was elected Ecuador's president in 1996, but only was in power for about six months. He did some really strange things while in office, and was forced to step down for being “mentally incapacitated.” He nicknamed himself “El loco,” which means “the crazy man” in Spanish, and he lived up to his title. Soon after becoming president, he recorded a CD called The Madman Who Loves and performed concerts with popular Ecuadorian bands to promote the CD. He also shaved his moustache on TV, called a former Ecuadorian president a donkey, and then apologized for insulting donkeys. He was also known to have wild parties at his presidential residence. His son once organized a party at the residence to celebrate making a lot of money through corruption.
阿布達拉．布卡蘭一九九六年被選為厄瓜多總統，不過只掌權六個月左右。他在總統府有不少怪異行徑，因「心神喪失」被迫下臺。他為自己取了「El loco」的綽號，也就是西班牙文「狂人」之意，實至名歸。布卡蘭獲選為總統不久後，灌錄一張名為《愛的狂人》的專輯，並與厄瓜多熱門樂團一起舉辦了幾場演唱會來促銷這張專輯。他還在電視上刮鬍子，稱厄瓜多某位前總統為驢子，再道歉說自己侮辱了驢子。他也因為在總統官邸舉辦瘋狂派對而聞名。布卡蘭的兒子甚至還在總統官邸舉行慶祝貪污致富的派對。
The United Auto Workers (UAW) union on Sept. 15 launched strikes at three US auto plants after failing to reach an agreement over new contracts, the first-ever simultaneous labor action against the Detroit Three automakers. The UAW contracts at General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler parent Stellantis expired at 11:59 p.m. EDT on Sept. 14. Detroit automakers, like their global counterparts, have been focused on cost reductions, which in some cases include job cuts, to help accelerate a shift to electric vehicles (EVs) from gasoline-powered vehicles. The UAW is pushing automakers to eliminate the two-tier wage system under which new hires earn
“Coriander,” also known as cilantro, is an herb beloved by many people worldwide. It is used in various Chinese, Latin, Greek and Spanish dishes. Moreover, coriander is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and thus provides many health benefits, such as lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels and having anti-inflammatory properties. So why do some people hate coriander? They describe it as having a metallic or soapy taste. The reason for this seems to be related to their genetic makeup. There are certain genes that make it taste unpleasant for some people. In regions where coriander is commonly consumed, like India
The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated in many parts of Asia, including Taiwan, China, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam. Of these, Vietnam stands out from the crowd with its distinct way of celebrating the festival. The country has a rich heritage of ancient legends and beliefs about the festival that have been passed down from generation to generation. One of the most beloved stories surrounding Vietnam’s Mid-Autumn Festival is that of Chu Cu?i, a man who stumbled upon a mystical Bodhi tree while collecting firewood. Chu Cu?i utilized the leaves of this enchanted tree to heal the sick, saving countless lives. One
對話 Dialogue 清清：明天就是中秋節了，你要不要回家跟家人一起過節？ Qīngqing:Míngtiān jiùshì Zhōngqiū jiéle, nǐ yào búyào huíjiā gēn jiārén yìqǐ guòjié? 華華：要啊！我很早就買好高鐵票了。中秋節是華人最重要的三大節之一，可以的話，一定要回家跟家人團聚的。 Huáhua:Yào a! Wǒ hěn zǎo jiù mǎi hào gāotiěpiàole. Zhōngqiū jié shì Huárén zuì zhòngyào de sān dà jié zhī yī, kěyǐ dehuà, yídìng yào huíjiā gēn jiārén tuánjù de. 清清：我們家今年還是會烤肉，你們家呢？ Qīngqing: Wǒmen jiā jīnnián háishì huì kǎoròu, nǐmen jiā ne? 華華：我家從來不烤肉，只全家一起一邊賞月，一邊吃月餅和柚子，開開心心地聊一晚上的天。 Huáhua: Wǒjiā cónglái bù kǎoròu, zhǐ quánjiā yìqǐ yìbiān shǎng yuè, yìbiān chī yuèbǐng hàn yòuzi, kāikāixīnxīn de liáo yì wǎnshàng de tiān. 清清：蛤？中秋節烤肉是台灣特有的節慶文化，不烤好可惜。 Qīngqing: Há? Zhōngqiū jié kǎoròu shì Táiwān tèyǒu de jiéqìng wénhuà, bùkǎo hǎo kěxí. 華華：話雖如此，但大家都烤肉，引起的空氣污染，確實也是一大問題。 Huáhua:Huà suī rúcǐ, dàn dàjiā dōu kǎoròu, yǐnqǐ de kōngqì wūrǎn, quèshí yěshì yí dà wèntí. 清清：你真環保！那我今年少烤一點肉好了，留點肚子吃月餅跟柚子吧！中秋節快樂！ Qīngqing:
RSS