Welcome to quito

We arrived in Quito, Ecuador late on Sunday night after a long day of travel that included a ferry, a bus and two airplanes. We crashed at the hotel airport and then drove into the town center on Monday morning. As we made our way into the city, winding back and forth through the busy streets, we were enchanted by the colorful buildings that are nestled into the mountainsides. 

The first thing on our agenda was a walking tour. Our guide, Tefa, was very knowledgeable about Ecuador’s history, and after telling stories about gods and war and love affairs, she would end with, “Ok, let’s go!” Her tour included monuments, many churches, a central bank that is now only a museum (since their currency is the US dollar, they do not have a functioning central bank), and a chocolate tasting. Guess who will write about that next?

The streets of Quito are narrow, uneven, and incredibly steep. And with an altitude of 2,850 meters, we were breathless throughout the tour, which lasted 4 hours. If my math is correct, that is approximately 3 hours longer than most Noonans would have liked. 

That evening, we met Kathy and Diego for dinner. Kathy is the daughter of a lovely family friend from home. They made reservations at Vista Hermosa in the neighborhood of Itchimbia, which has magnificent views of the city. Over a delicious meal and with our new friends, we practiced our Spanish and made plans to spend the following day together. 

All in all, it was a lovely introduction to Quito.