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Quito, Ecuador: A City
Among Mountains
Driving up the dirt road
that winds its way up to
the side of the volcano
Cotopaxi I kept
expecting it to end, but
it didn’t. It wasn’t
until we reached a
parking lot 4500 meters
above sea level and a 45
minute hike that we
would encounter the
first refuge. I made it
about 15 yards from the
car before almost
passing out and having
to return. Pathetic? Yes,
but solace can be taken
in the fact that it was
the altitude sickness
that did me in, but I
know I wasn’t the only
one. I noticed that it
also happened to the
other visitors trying to
reach the refuge.
Tucked into a valley in
the Andes, from the air,
Quito seems to jump out
of the mountain range.
At 5097 meters above sea
level, Cotopaxi—an
active volcano and the
second largest peak in
Ecuador—looms above the
Andean grasslands. It is
located in the national
park that shares its
name, visitors can take
advantage of the hiking
opportunities or take
guided tours to the top.
It
is best to spend a
couple of days in Quito
to acclimatize before
venturing up its slope.
For those wondering what
to do, you will be
pleasantly surprise how
much there is to do and
explore. As you venture
Quito, you will see that
it is a sprawling city
with both colonial and
modern flare that has a
lot to offer.
The colonial center of
Quito, known as Quito
Viejo or ‘Old Quito’ is
one of the best
preserved in Latin
America and was named by
the United Nations
Educational Scientific
Cultural Organization
(UNESCO), a World
Heritage Site in 1978.
Wandering through the
streets in this area is
an attraction in itself.
The colonial
architecture is
impressive and the
narrow winding streets
are filled with shops
and eateries. However,
there are also a
multitude of sites to
see, including the
Compañía de Jesus, a
baroque style church
that is adorned in gold
from ceiling to floor
and the Palacio del
Gobierno where the
President carries out
business.
After exploring Old
Quito jump on the Trole,
Quito’s new above ground
transportation system,
and head to the Mariscal
Sucre, the modern heart
of Quito. Its main
thoroughfare, Avenida
Amazonas, is where many
banks, hotels,
restaurants, and tour
operators can be found.
A must-visit in Mariscal
is the Museo Guayasamín. |
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Roadside stop along the
highway leading from
Baños, into the Jungles,
El Oriente |
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Plaza San Francisco |
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Located in the former
residence of the
indigenous painter
Oswaldo Guayasamín, it
houses some of his best
known art works as well
as his collections of
Pre-Columbian and
colonial religious art.
Original paintings are
on sale in the gift shop,
so visitors have the
opportunity of leaving
with one of Guayasamín’s
works.
The Mariscal is also a
great place to explore
Quito’s night life. A
highlight is Plaza Foch
which has a variety of
bars, cafes, and night
clubs that are perfect
for enjoying the night
with friends and meeting
locals.
For the best panoramas
of the city a trip up
the Teleférico is
essential. Its gondolas
pick riders in the super
kitschy VulQano Park
then fly up the mountain
side to a look-out with
an observatory and
several restaurants.
This is a good place to
get a cup of coffee or
hot chocolate—believe me
you will need it; the
top of the Telefériqo is
FREEZING! From the
observatory, visitors
can take walking paths
that allow them to
explore the mountain and
see different views of
Quito. Depending on how
adventurous and prepared
you are, these paths
turn into hiking trails
that lead to the
Pichincha Volcanoes that
tower over Quito.
While in Quito, a side
trip to ‘La Mitad del
Mundo’ is a must.
Located a few miles
outside of Quito, this
monument marks where the
equator runs through
Ecuador. Once you have
entered the monument
site, there is no
alternative but to
submit to the tourist
trap.Take your picture
standing on both sides
of the equator, then try
to find the spot where
you can pose for a
picture and appear to be
holding the globe that
tops the monument in
your hands.
After a few days in
Quito, you should be
acclimatized enough to
brave Cotopaxi.But where
do you go to relax
afterwards? Baños! This
town is well-known for
its baths fueled by
thermal springs and
glacial run-off of the
volcano, Tungurahua. It
is also a popular
starting off point for
jungle trips.
Before leaving Baños and
heading back to Quito or
wherever your trip takes
you, make sure to taste
‘melcocha’, a
traditional sugar cane
candy. It won’t be hard
to find—look for the man
throwing a large dough-like
mass around a hook in a
shop’s doorway. If you
bat your eyes you might
even get a free taste!
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WARNING
Ecuador is a relatively
safe country; however,
poverty is a reality.
Wearing expensive
jewelry is not advised.
I also recommend a purse
with a zipper on which
you always keep a hand.
Always be aware of your
surroundings.
Monitor volcanic
activity. In August of
2006, the volcano
Tungurahua began
erupting heavily,
disrupting
transportation, both on
the ground and in the
air throughout the
nation.
To
avoid missed flights,
work flexibility into
your itinerary and plan
alternate transportation
routes.
Quito is in the
mountains and it is not
uncommon to experience
altitude sickness upon
first arriving.
Allow yourself to
acclimatize.
It
is brisk! Bring a jacket
or a warm sweater.
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ADDITIONAL QUITO MUST-SEES:
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Museo de la Ciudad—This
museum recounts the
history of the city
through excellent
exhibits that depict
daily life in Quito
throughout the
centuries.
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La Casa de Kingman
Museo—The home of
artist Eduardo
Kingman. His
paintings and photos
are interspersed
between a collection
of 20th century and
colonial art.
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Plaza San Francisco—This
large cobblestone-lined
plaza is backed by
Ecuador’s oldest
church, the
Monastery of San
Francisco.
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Plaza de la
Independencia—Lush
with palm trees and
other flora, the
Palacio del
Gobierno, the
Archbishop’s Palace,
and a variety of
shops and
restaurants are
located here.
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Parque Ejido—The
site of a weekend
artisan market
featuring crafts
from throughout
Ecuador.
Comidas tipicas/
Typical foods:
Locro de Papas -
potato soup with a slice
of avocado
Pinchos -
Ecuadorian kebabs,
typically sold at street
stands (approach with
caution!)
Ceviche - Served
with a side of popcorn,
fried plantains, and
fried corn
Choclos Cocidos -
large corn, typically
eaten with cheese
Jugos - Juices
are delicious and
abundant. Flavors
include: arbol de
tomate, naranjilla, and
guanabana.
By Kirsten Luxbacher |
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[This article has been
edited for
www.latinastyle.com. For the full version,
check out the May/June issue of LATINA Style.]
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