On the drive to and from Quito, we passed a magnificent (& dormant) volcano, Chimborazo, that absolutely dominates the landscape. Those who have hiked to the summit of volcán Chimborazo have stood on the highest point of the earth; while Everest is the tallest mountain on earth, because of its position near the equator, Chimborazo is the highest.
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| view from the opposite side of Chimborazo |
Quito has its own volcano, Cotopaxi, which erupts regularly, spewing ash miles into the sky and covering the countryside in a grey ash, but I've never seen it unobstructed by clouds so have never gotten a photo of it.
Below is the Basílica de Voto Nacional, or the Metropolitan Cathedral of Quito. It's quite impressive.
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| La Virgen de Quito (the virgin of Quito) |
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| Quito's Presidential Palace, or Palacio de Carondelet |
Every Monday there is a changing of the guard ceremony at the palace; we were fortunate to not only witness this weekly event, but to also see Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa, in attendance. He's standing between the 2nd and the 3rd toy soldiers, looking slightly to his right.
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| There's President Correa, waving to me! |
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| Toy soldiers in action... very "Moon Over Parador." |
There's a very cool gondola ride in the city, the teleférico, that transports you to the top of a mountain overlooking the city.
Quito has a very hip area of town called Plaza Foch; it's a pretty large square surrounded by cafés and restaurants, attracting travelers from around the world and locals alike. In Quito, it's The Place To Be.
A great bed and breakfast in Quito, walking distance to Plaza Foch, is the Hotel Vieja Cuba,
http://www.hotelviejacuba.com. We've stayed there several times; service is first-class, the accommodations are equal.
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| Hotel Vieja Cuba |
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| waiting on me |
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