Day 2 - Quito
Met our bus at 7:30 which transported us to the convention center where we joined all 270 guests and were treated to a nice Ecuadorian buffet breakfast, received our itinerary for the six days, and our Panama hats. Why Panama hats in Ecuador? Here’s your first trivia lesson: When Teddy Roosevelt visited the Panama Canal, everyone was wearing these hats from Ecuador. He said, "I want one of those Panama hats." and the name stuck.
After breakfast, it’s off on our city tour. Quito is a city of 2 million inhabitants living at an elevation of around 10,000 ft. The city is 30 miles long and 5 miles wide, and is surrounded by a horseshoe of mountains. Volcanoes loom over the skyline. The streets are narrow and often steep. The hills are covered with adobe structures of differing architecture. A statue of the Lady of Quito stands atop the highest hill looking over her people. The people are friendly and there are very few roaming vendors and no beggars to be seen.
Our first stop was the Basilica, which resembles the Notre Dame Cathedral. Next to Independence Square, in the center of the old city. We toured the Presidential Palace, which lined one side of the square. From there we walked to the San Francisco complex of church and monastery, where we saw the statues that are used every year in Quito’s religious processions, and the Compania de Jesus, with its beautiful gold leaf covered interior.
One of the highlights of the day was a visit to La Ronda, the ring road of the city, where people gather to play games, eat delicious empanadas which are given out to passers by, watch children swing at piñatas, and be entertained by clowns on stilts.
Although we were thoroughly stuffed on empanadas, it was time for lunch. We were taken to Cialcotel, a boutique hotel chain, which I would highly recommend. The food was excellent. We dined on shrimp cocktail and cevice (they put popcorn in it….in fact, they love popcorn so much, they put it in everything), carnitas and corn on the cob, a wonderful hominy casserole, a garbanzo and pea salad, a fabulous potato soup with avacado and cheese, plantains, and homemade raspberry ice cream.
After lunch, we visited the Centro Cultural Itchimbia, a French made iron and glass building that was once a farmer’s market and is now a cultural center. It was built on an ancient site and has a 360 degree view of the old city of Quito. From there, we had the bus drop us at a craft center for a little shopping. We took a $2 taxi ride back to our hotel.
At 7:30 we met again in our lobby for the evening’s entertainment and welcome dinner. The bus dropped us off at the end of one of the old city’s long, narrow streets, which was lined with strewn rose pedals. As we walked along, we were greeted by children and musicians and actors holding candles and dressed in various native costumes, and followed a path which led ultimately to a museum. We followed a red carpet lined with candle lit lanterns into the center of the museum, where waiters with trays of drinks awaited us. Three buffet tables were set up, a stage with a large screen and a band to entertain us. Who knew travel agents could have this much fun?
Notes on Quito: Since we have limited time in each city, we are only getting a sampling of each of the main cities Some things outside of Quito which we would like to experience on our next visit: a visit to the equator, where you can stand with one foot in each hemisphere; the Andes, where you can have your head in the clouds and your feet in ancient ruins; the route of flowers and looms, with the largest handicraft market, Otavado; hot springs one hour outside of Quito and Amazon rainforest beginning just 2 hours outside of Quito; and the Avenue of the Volcanoes.
Here’s another bit of trivia: Do you know how the Amazon got its name? We’ve all heard of the tribe of women called the Amazons, but did you know that they cut off one breast so that they could shoot a bow and arrow? The name Amazon means "no breast".
After breakfast, it’s off on our city tour. Quito is a city of 2 million inhabitants living at an elevation of around 10,000 ft. The city is 30 miles long and 5 miles wide, and is surrounded by a horseshoe of mountains. Volcanoes loom over the skyline. The streets are narrow and often steep. The hills are covered with adobe structures of differing architecture. A statue of the Lady of Quito stands atop the highest hill looking over her people. The people are friendly and there are very few roaming vendors and no beggars to be seen.
Our first stop was the Basilica, which resembles the Notre Dame Cathedral. Next to Independence Square, in the center of the old city. We toured the Presidential Palace, which lined one side of the square. From there we walked to the San Francisco complex of church and monastery, where we saw the statues that are used every year in Quito’s religious processions, and the Compania de Jesus, with its beautiful gold leaf covered interior.
One of the highlights of the day was a visit to La Ronda, the ring road of the city, where people gather to play games, eat delicious empanadas which are given out to passers by, watch children swing at piñatas, and be entertained by clowns on stilts.
Although we were thoroughly stuffed on empanadas, it was time for lunch. We were taken to Cialcotel, a boutique hotel chain, which I would highly recommend. The food was excellent. We dined on shrimp cocktail and cevice (they put popcorn in it….in fact, they love popcorn so much, they put it in everything), carnitas and corn on the cob, a wonderful hominy casserole, a garbanzo and pea salad, a fabulous potato soup with avacado and cheese, plantains, and homemade raspberry ice cream.
After lunch, we visited the Centro Cultural Itchimbia, a French made iron and glass building that was once a farmer’s market and is now a cultural center. It was built on an ancient site and has a 360 degree view of the old city of Quito. From there, we had the bus drop us at a craft center for a little shopping. We took a $2 taxi ride back to our hotel.
At 7:30 we met again in our lobby for the evening’s entertainment and welcome dinner. The bus dropped us off at the end of one of the old city’s long, narrow streets, which was lined with strewn rose pedals. As we walked along, we were greeted by children and musicians and actors holding candles and dressed in various native costumes, and followed a path which led ultimately to a museum. We followed a red carpet lined with candle lit lanterns into the center of the museum, where waiters with trays of drinks awaited us. Three buffet tables were set up, a stage with a large screen and a band to entertain us. Who knew travel agents could have this much fun?
Notes on Quito: Since we have limited time in each city, we are only getting a sampling of each of the main cities Some things outside of Quito which we would like to experience on our next visit: a visit to the equator, where you can stand with one foot in each hemisphere; the Andes, where you can have your head in the clouds and your feet in ancient ruins; the route of flowers and looms, with the largest handicraft market, Otavado; hot springs one hour outside of Quito and Amazon rainforest beginning just 2 hours outside of Quito; and the Avenue of the Volcanoes.
Here’s another bit of trivia: Do you know how the Amazon got its name? We’ve all heard of the tribe of women called the Amazons, but did you know that they cut off one breast so that they could shoot a bow and arrow? The name Amazon means "no breast".
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