Quito, Ecuador - 19-20 October 2008

Above: Plaza Grande

Quito struck me as yet another big city, although respectfully one with a long history dating back to the Inca Empire. In the colonial Old Town district, where I stayed 2 nights, there were plenty of historical churches, convents and monasteries (built by the indigenous people) and beautifully restored old colonial buildings and museums. 20 minutes north of the Old Town, in the New Town district, modern restaurants, cafes, banks and shopping malls fill the other niches of the (1.4 million) population. This sprawling valley city at elevation 2,850 m (9,350 ft) is Ecuador’s second biggest city, after Guayaquil. The rivalry between conservative Quito and liberal Guayaquil is long-standing with a history of deadly violence but has since leveled-off to the social level in modern times.

Arriving here on a Sunday afternoon, the Old Town was pretty much dead with many shops closed and the roads closed to traffic for a cycling event that ended mid-afternoon. As afternoon showers hit the capital city like clock-work between October and May, the streets emptied out…this was a setting for a cozy rest in my private hotel room at Hotel Huasi Continental. At a bargain for a mere US$6/night and a firm bed, I was a happy camper. Still, it was 2 thumbs down on 1) the low-pressure plumbing system in Quito (that often times resulted in clogged bowls and wet floors…yuck!) and 2) the slow internet connection in the Andes – oh what a crawl it is relative to what I’m used to.

On Monday, I traveled to the new US Embassy in North Quito to add pages to my almost-filled-up passport. This was a free service that took less than an hour to process – although the wait to enter the Embassy for US Citizen Services was a different story, but I digress. Next, I caught some sights in Old Town while out walking and hunting down authentic local fare to sample. Food, as always, remains an important adventure for me everywhere I go. The cold, grey skies and showers were my cue to get indoors. I can’t wait to get out of this town - next stop, Baños. :-)

Above left: Colonial street with view of El Panecillo y La Virgen de Quito

Above right: Facade of La Compania de Jesus

Above: Inside Iglesia de El Sagrario (Construida por Fray Antonio Rodriguez, Fachada (1699-1706)

Below, some food and drinks I had at Quito:

Above left: Sopa marinera con arroz (seafood soup with rice); Above right: 100% Ecuadorian espresso

Above left: Chanfaina con arroz; Above right: Guanabana (A soursop drink)

Above left: Humitos; Above right: Pollo tamal (Chicken tamale)