I spent five days in Quito and thoroughly enjoyed my time there. I stayed in a hostel that attracts a lot of other backpackers so I was never short on company for excursions around the city. Old Town Quito is a UNESCO world heritage site, and the colonial architecture was very nice to see, though it does result in cramped streets and some elaborate manuvering by large vehicles. The narrow sidewalks are lined with short metal posts to keep cars off, and we saw a bus get caught on one while trying to make a corner. Several men were out pushing, and finally the post, and the concrete gave way and the bus continued on its route. Another odd thing about the buses is that they play "Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer" as they drive along, I presume instead of honking.
The Ronde, the street of artists
I saw several churches while I was there, two of the most impressive were La Compania de Jesus and Basilica del Voto National. The interior of La Compania is almost entirely covered in gold leaf, and instead of gargoyles, the Basilica has animals native to Ecuador protruding from the walls. You can also climb some very scary ladders up to the top of the towers of the Basilica, something that would never fly in the US due to liability issues.
From inside the Basilica
Another highlight was the Panecillo, an enormous statue of the Virgin Mary on a hill that overlooks the city. She is formed from hundreds of sheets of aluminum and stands on top of a chained dragon. On a nearby grassy area there were many families out BBQing and flying kites.
I visited one Museum, with an extensive collection of pre Inca pottery as well as Inca gold. It was great to see the variation of pottery styles for the different ethnic groups, and to learn about the process of goldsmithing that the Incas perfected before any other culture.
Lastly, we visiting the TeleferiQo, which is a tram that climbs up a mountain overlooking the city. The views from the top are spectuacular, you can see all of Quito and the green farmland on the slopes above the city.
I went on a hike outside of Quito, in the hills around a valley in the crater of an old volcano. A lake never formed there, and the hill you can see on the right side of the pictures are cinder cones, much like the island that formed in the center of Crater Lake.
After the hike, I went to the park that has sprung up around the equator. It is a lot of flash-and-trash. The picture is of when a dancer (visible on the left side of the photo), pulled people in to dance with him.
There, they tried to tell you that only on the equator can you balance an egg on a nail, and that water runs down the drain in different directions on each side of the equator. However, the Coriolis effect has never been shown to have an effect on small bodies of water, and they are just pouring water into the basin on different sides to create a current. When people tell me, "But I was able to balance an egg on a nail!" I have to respond, "And have you tried that OFF the equator?" I feel like I am robbing the world of magic when I see their face after that exchange, but there is plenty of magic to be found outside that tourist trap if they go looking for it.
There are people waiting in line for the computer, so I must leave now. Miss you all!
