quito, ecuador

You're reading this because I've made it in one piece to Quito, Ecuador. Yes, it's both amazing and true that a solo female traveler can survive out here in the wilderness that is the world. Who knows for how long, but yes.

I've spent over a week based in Quito, which is a long time by the standards of this trip. There's a lot to see both is this UNESCO heritage city and in the surrounding area. These are some of the things I saw.

Sorry to disappoint you Toronto.

Mitad Del Mundo, or the middle of the Earth. In other words, where you find the equator, and you can travel without passport between hemispheres.

Well, that's what they want you to believe. Supposedly the actual middle of the world is about 240m away according to the miracle that is GPS. But seriously, after you have the monument, the pavilions, the restaurants, the signs, etc - it's not worth shuffling the whole thing for a few hundred meters.

By transit, the trip took over 3 hours there and back, yet I only spent 15-20 minutes there. Not really my kind of place, but worth checking out if time on hand.

This reminded me of my younger brother.

Basilica del Voto Nacional 

The church even has its own basketball court.

I feel like Quito looks angry most afternoons, right before it starts pouring and the streets clear themselves of people.

I got really filthy in the jungle and I had a bumpy day full of annoyances so I did the natural thing and got some nail art done.

Had my laundry done here.

My hostel is in an old building in Centro Historico, and the lock on my door reminds me of a snail.

El Panecillo

TelefériQo is a gondola lift that takes you to about 4000m up Pichincha Volcano to lookout point Cruz Loma.

I went early in the morning to avoid crowds and in that sense my timing was perfect. On the other hand, I wasn't able to see much other than a sea of clouds from the top. I knew that would be a possibility before heading up there, but I can't really expect more during rainy season. The views on the way up were better that at the lookout point.

From Cruz Loma, you can hike to the peak of Rucu Pichincha, another 700 or so metres, though I'd heard that it was dangerous since many tourists had been robbed on the trail. Even in a group, it can be risky, and I didn't want to chance it since high altitude hiking makes you much more exhausted than usual.

I had a gondola to myself on the way down.

Around the Centro Historico and gringolandia la Mariscal:

Some things are so ugly they somehow look good.

happy jungle

A Canadian place in Ecuador.

All kinds take the bus.

locro de papa (potato soup with cheese and avocado)

Today looks less gray.

I hope to never again take the Trole, one of Quito's public transit systems. The lines are very convenient and dirt cheap at $0.25 per trip, but it's a nightmare to get on the buses most of the time. Half the people stand in line, and the other half just push to the front. And when you can only sardine one or two people on the train per door, it just doens't work.

One thing I've noticed here in Ecuador is that almost all Ecuadorians think I'm from Ecuador. When I went into a tour company to ask about tours, the guide was surprised at what he thought was an Ecuadorian looking for a tour. Ha! Of course, when I talk a lot, that gives it all away, that I'm not from around here, am I?