Quito

My plan for the first day in Quito was to explore the Historical Downtown area, an UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.  First, I want to chat with the concierge, Fernando, to get some ideas.  He gave me a map and told me where to go.  Like any Spanish colonial city, every important building revolves around the main square.  In the case of Quito it's the Plaza Grande o de la Independencia.  Fernando told me the first stop should be the Palacio Arzobispal.  This is where the Archbishop of Quito resides and works.  

The second question I asked was "how do I get there?"  The travel desk at the hotel, a separate company. would gladly provide me with a taxi but at a fairly steep price.  $10, I think, for the ride downtown.  If I walk down the ramp of the hotel to the street and hail my own taxi, it'd probably cost less than $5.  If I take a tram it'd costs less than $1.  I told them I want to walk there.  Everyone told me it's too far to walk. Google Map said it'd take about 50 minutes.  

So I walked.  I have time.  I enjoy walking because I can a lot of things at the ground level.  What do the locals do.  The restaurants where they eat.  What do the buildings look like.  Are the locals well-to-do.  I stopped to take pictures, those that will remind me of what Quito is like.  I may have stopped for a few minutes to take a sip of water but I did not sit down to rest.  It is good to be in good physical shape.  It's a blessing to be healthy and be able to walk at a good pace.

The buildings and scenery were uninspiring.  It's mostly small shops with a sprinkle of tall buildings here and there.  I pass the Parque El Ejido, a city park providing some greenery among the boring buildings.  There was an intersection with some statues.  Names that I am not familiar with.

A Statue at an Intersection

Entrance to a Park

A Stairway connecting two streets

Eventually I arrived at the Central Historical District.  You start to see more people and the streets get narrower.  Then I find myself at the Plaza Grande o de la Independencia, or Independence Square.  Around here are the most important buildings in the city - the main cathedral (Iglesia del Sagrario or Church of the Tabernacle).  Despite being called Palacio Arzobispal or Palace of the Archbishop, the building is part shopping center and part office and part residence of the Archbishop.  Nearby are several important buildings and museums.  One of the best known church is the Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus or Church of the Society of Jesus.  It's an ornate church with many of the statues being gold plated.  

Independence Square

Palacio Arzobispal

A street in historical downtown

Iglesia del Sagrario

In the afternoon I joined a Free Walking Tour.  Although the name said it's free, it's not.  It expects donations after the tour.  Depends on how you feel about the tour, you can donate anywhere from $10 to $50 or more.  Our guide is called Meriam and there were four of us, two from Germany, one from Costa Rica, and me.  They were all young, in their 20s' and usually they learn about the tour at the hostel where they were staying.  I've been on many of these "free tours" and most of the time they are excellent.  The guides are usually energetic and give a very detail account of the history and culture of the area.  I usually learn a lot from these tours. 

Meriam started by taking us to a market and introduced us to some herbal medicine vendors.  The sellers are a combination herbalist and a little bit of shamanism.  Some of the beliefs and cures are based on indigenous tradition passed down through generations.

Sign advertising herbal plants

Herbal plants sold as medicine

We next stopped at a fruit vendor where Merian explained the names of several tropical fruits.  I am familiar with most of them, having grown up with some of them and having traveled to several South American countries.  Among the uncommon fruits are a golden-skinned (versus pink-skinned) dragon fruit, cherimoya (which has a sour version called soursop), different varieties of passion fruit, etc.  

A display of tropical fruits

One of the interesting places we stopped at is a nunnery where no one is allowed to see the nuns.  These nuns were placed in this nunnery at a young age by their parents and live in this enclosed independent area.  Visitors have to talk to them through a special window.

Visitors talking to nuns but can't see them

Our last stop was a chocolate-tasting event at a very posh hotel.  Ecuador claims to be one of the first countries to produce chocolate, although most people acknowledge that chocolate was discovered in Mexico.  Cacao grow well in warm tropical regions and it's not surprising that Ecuador is a chocolate producing country.  Sadly, the countries that are best known for their chocolates don't grow any cacao on their own - Belgium and Switzerland.  It goes to tell you that not only do you need good products but you also have to have good marketing as well.

On the last day before the start of my Galapagos Islands cruise, I took a taxi to the base of the mountain overlooking Quito and took a cable car up to Teleferico, which is at about 4,100m or about 13,500 feet high.  Many people get sick at this elevation but I don't seem to have any problem.  At the summit you get a good view of the city.  There are also some hiking trails.

Cable Car Station 

View of Quito and Cable Car

Around Quito are several volcanoes

The next day is the official start of my Hurtigruten cruise in the Galapagos Islands.  The event for the first day is a visit to the Cotopaxi Volcano, outside of Quito.