Quito, Ecuador 🇪🇨 

A lazy start to the day as my bus back to Quito is at 11am, so I can enjoy French toast and good coffee whilst I wait. I spot the guys I was zip lining with on the bus and Camilo, a Chilean guy sits next to me. I initially think this is great until I realise he is wearing the same clothes which are a bit fragrant (mine are wrapped in plastic and buried in the bottom of my bag). Otherwise, it’s all good and we arrive into Quito early afternoon.  

My plan was to go up the Telefonica but it is cloudy and raining, so I think the views would be patchy. Instead I head to the old town to see a few different places. I start at the Plaza Grande and visit the Cultural Center, the top floor gives some good views of the now blue sky and there is a bit of contemporary weird art. Next stop is the Iglesias de la Compañia de Jesús. It is billed as Quito’s most beautiful church, it is a Jesuit church that is which is profusely decorated with gold leaf, gilded plaster and wood carvings. I have never seen anything like it, my jaw dropped. Everything was decorated and shining in gold, just amazing to imagine this undertaking in the 18th century.

I walk up the hill a bit enjoying watching woman sell oranges (1dollar for 10) and kids chasing pigeons in Plaza San Francisco. My intention is to walk to the cemetery, but I don’t particularly like the streets and it’s getting late so I double back to Plaza Santa Domingo where I can hop on the trolley bus back to Mariscal (for 25cents!).

I wander to Plaza Foch for dinner at an Italian where they make the pasta in front of you. It’s delicious and it’s clear as it’s Friday night the Plaza will be busy. Not for me though, I have a early night ready for tomorrow and my flight to Colombian adventures.