Tuesday, March 18, 17.30 h: Will and I take the bus to Quito Airport to pick up our long-expected guests: Mr and Mrs Scott and Caroline Moffat and Mr and Mizz Ross and Rachel Anderson-Moffat!
A taxi ride through a quickly darkening city takes us to Amazonas 639, where our newly arrived party has to climb 5 floors before they will be treated to a selection of exotic fruits, soup and bread. Luckily they haven’t been in Quito long enough to be affected by sorocho or altitude sickness and they make it up the stairs without a problem.
DISCOVERY OF QUITO
The next morning, every one got up rather early and after breakfast we started our tour through Quito.
From Parque Ejido we went on to Parque Alameda, where Ross, Rachel, Will and me held a race to the top of a little tower. Ross and Rachel did remarkably well considering Quito’s 2800 m above sea level. Still no signs of sorocho ...
We bought some fruit from a she-vendor in the park, Will showed the clan the two ugly space ships in the middle of town and then we paid a visit to the Basilica del Voto Nacional where we admired the paintings inside and the gargoyles in the shape of turtles, armadillos, buffalos, etc. on the outside.
Hereafter, we walked on to the old town, where we were treated to a fanfare on the Plaza de la Independencia, saw some more beautiful churches and the Palacio del Gobierno, went to the Plaza San Francisco, eyed the Virgen de Quito from far and tried a variety of jugos (mora, guanabana, naranjilla, zanahoria, naranja and guava).
Then we took the Trolley back to La Mariscal, had a typical almuerzo (no chicken feet though!) and went fruit and towel shopping in the Mercado Santa Clara. We even got the yapa from one of the fruit vendors; she gave us a chirimoya for free!
After a refreshing nap, we decided to walk to Guapulo where you have a great view over the valley bordering Quito. Coming back, we had a flowery tea in a nicely decorated bar in La Mariscal, dinner at home and an early night.
More Semana Santa pics
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