Flying back into Quito from Galapagos there was a break in the clouds just as we flew over one of the many mountains in the area. It looked incredibly close!
We ended up bouncing in and out of Quito three times in the three weeks we were in Ecuador but didn’t actually spend that much time in the city itself (we were in Galapagos for most of the time).
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We stayed in the newer part of the city that, as we found out days after we left, is widely considered the most dangerous place to stay and you’re advised to take a taxi everywhere. Whoops! We didn’t notice any trouble when we were walking the streets, day or night and actually felt safer there than in the old town. We found a great place to eat although it wasn’t the sight of this pig that tempted us
What tempted us was the smell and taste of items on offer. For US$3, we got a plate piled high with sweet potato patties, roast pork, crackling, chorizo sausage, salad, a fried egg, avocado and a special sauce. One meal like this kept us going all day.
Quito is at an altitude of 2850m and we forgave ourselves for puffing while walking up stairs with our packs. My first thought though was “man, I’m so unfit!” before remembering the altitude. The city is in a valley between two massive ranges and is a pretty cold wet place at this time of year.
Because of its proximity to the equator the daylight hours don’t change and its dark at 6.30pm every night which, when we were in the Galapagos, was difficult to get used to as sunshine and warmth for us equates to long daylight hours. It rained though, every day and at times the downpour was so heavy it set off car alarms. Invariably we’d be moving somewhere when it was at its worst and would take whatever measures we could to keep our gear dry. I opted for black plastic rubbish bag as a pack cover and my jacket worn backwards to keep my day pack dry.
We travelled to the old city on a trolley bus that was ridiculously cheap but jam-packed with people and rife with pickpockets. It was really difficult to keep track of who was near pockets and who wasn’t. Euan's pockets were tampered with but he didn’t lose anything. Quitos main square reminded me so much of La Paz in Bolivia that I really had to think hard to make sure I hadn’t been here before.
James (in Galapagos) had raved about this church although Euan and I went into the one opposite and couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. Once we got the right church we understood. This is an impressive building on its own but inside, every spare space is gilded with gold. The effect is incredible and not at all gaudy as it might sound. It took 160 years to build and, like many churches, has suffered from fire and earthquake in its lifetime. Unfortunately no photos allowed inside so we can't show you what it was like.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, our flight was delayed due to bad weather and, after take-off, it was rough for hours. I discovered exactly why they tell you to remain in your seats with seat belts on when there is turbulence. I snuck out of my seat and literally a few seconds after I stood up the plane shot upwards and, within a split second, I found my legs bunched up at my chest and I was nearly on the floor. Being compressed that hard and fast really hurt my knees and I learnt my lesson big time!
We ended up bouncing in and out of Quito three times in the three weeks we were in Ecuador but didn’t actually spend that much time in the city itself (we were in Galapagos for most of the time).
View Larger Map
We stayed in the newer part of the city that, as we found out days after we left, is widely considered the most dangerous place to stay and you’re advised to take a taxi everywhere. Whoops! We didn’t notice any trouble when we were walking the streets, day or night and actually felt safer there than in the old town. We found a great place to eat although it wasn’t the sight of this pig that tempted us
What tempted us was the smell and taste of items on offer. For US$3, we got a plate piled high with sweet potato patties, roast pork, crackling, chorizo sausage, salad, a fried egg, avocado and a special sauce. One meal like this kept us going all day.
Quito is at an altitude of 2850m and we forgave ourselves for puffing while walking up stairs with our packs. My first thought though was “man, I’m so unfit!” before remembering the altitude. The city is in a valley between two massive ranges and is a pretty cold wet place at this time of year.
Because of its proximity to the equator the daylight hours don’t change and its dark at 6.30pm every night which, when we were in the Galapagos, was difficult to get used to as sunshine and warmth for us equates to long daylight hours. It rained though, every day and at times the downpour was so heavy it set off car alarms. Invariably we’d be moving somewhere when it was at its worst and would take whatever measures we could to keep our gear dry. I opted for black plastic rubbish bag as a pack cover and my jacket worn backwards to keep my day pack dry.
We travelled to the old city on a trolley bus that was ridiculously cheap but jam-packed with people and rife with pickpockets. It was really difficult to keep track of who was near pockets and who wasn’t. Euan's pockets were tampered with but he didn’t lose anything. Quitos main square reminded me so much of La Paz in Bolivia that I really had to think hard to make sure I hadn’t been here before.
James (in Galapagos) had raved about this church although Euan and I went into the one opposite and couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. Once we got the right church we understood. This is an impressive building on its own but inside, every spare space is gilded with gold. The effect is incredible and not at all gaudy as it might sound. It took 160 years to build and, like many churches, has suffered from fire and earthquake in its lifetime. Unfortunately no photos allowed inside so we can't show you what it was like.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, our flight was delayed due to bad weather and, after take-off, it was rough for hours. I discovered exactly why they tell you to remain in your seats with seat belts on when there is turbulence. I snuck out of my seat and literally a few seconds after I stood up the plane shot upwards and, within a split second, I found my legs bunched up at my chest and I was nearly on the floor. Being compressed that hard and fast really hurt my knees and I learnt my lesson big time!
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