http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from South America , Ecuador , North , Quito , Historical Center en-us Thu, 23 May 2013 02:33:41 +0000 Thu, 23 May 2013 02:33:41 +0000 On my last night in Quito I walked around in the Historic District where the Festival of Quito celebrates the founding of Quito by Spanish settlers in 1534. The Centro Historic District is a UNESCO site with beautifully restored buildings. In the Festival there are music dance speeches art exhibits and performances. It is a great time to visit Quito. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-760217.html We have a saying in the UK usually used when the powers that be suddenly step in and stop you doing something or apply a load of rules and regulations to something that you39re capable of doing without mishap because someone lacking in common sense may or may not injure themselves whilst carrying out said task...... 39Health and safety gone mad39After a day of wandering the city my fi http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-750817.html Starting off our experience in this city had been more of a gringo experience than we had ever wanted. Yes we did have our first Ecuadorian beers Pilsener and Club. But as far as getting a native or cultural experience was concerned that was the extent of it. No hard core diving into the Anthony Bourdain style of eating street foods no listening to local musicians dancing on table http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-742772.html hey allso before i get into what is probably our last blog this one about being in the amazon jungle a couple of bus details that i left out last time which we think are kinda funny though only after the fact.on some busses a fellow will come by and film each person onboard incase there is an accident and they need to match the face to whatever is left. yikesin our last blog i mentioned http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-734945.html since our last post...left cuenca for the long bus ride to riabamba.as dorota was still feeling under the weather we did not ride the rooftop train down the devils nose.we did however have the worst pizza we could find riabamba seemed to be completely under construction and covered in dust so we hightailed it out of there taking another bus ride to banos.a few words about bus rides long http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-733620.html First day on the trip after a long long flight from Australia 32 hours. Catherine and I slept off the jet lag meeting Bill and Wendell before breakfast. We have a pleasant hotel well situated near the touristic centre of the town. After our first cup of Ecuadorian coffee we headed off on foot to see several spectacular cathedrals and a museum of precolumbian art. Really quite freaky with o http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-730360.html Una de las ciudades que he visitado y que me han gustado mucho es Quito la capital de Ecuador. Visit la ciudad en el 2010 y la experiencia fue genial. Su centro colonial tiene un valor arquitectnico y cultural impresionante. En la foto se puede observar una estatua gigante sobre el monte de la ciudad. Esa estatua es la Virgen Apocalptica nica en el mundo.Luego tenemos el jardn botni http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-725774.html Historical Quito part II http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-721972.html Historical Quito part I http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-721963.html Lets just start off by saying that south america goes off. First day we got off to an early start and had an amazing breakfast at a chocolate caf called kallari. After a good cup of joeltspangt and tortas y huevos con queso decided to take advantage of a perfect day in Quito. Quito is situated in a valley roughly 2000m high ltspangt surrounded by mountains and volcanoes the closest http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-720000.html I hate it when you see something weird or funny and there is no one to share the joke with.For example I was in the cell phone store my first week here and there was a worker whose ringtone was Mr. Jones and Me. Really is 1993 calling youOr the time I discovered this giant statue alongside a house see attached photo. It was like seeing a Fat Boy in someones front lawn. My laughter dre http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-716078.html Kenny doesnt realize just how small he his. Kenny starts fights he cant finish. Kenny has Napoleonicsmall dog syndrome. Dachshunds were bred to fight animals bigger and meaner than themselves. OR maybe Kenny just doesnt like other dogs all up in his bizness and when they get inside his American sized comfort zone he snaps at them.Our 13th day in Quito only our second Saturday Kenny sn http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-716074.html Had a horrible day travelling via American Airlines from LA to Miami then Miami to Quito. Arrived late and very tired. Hotel is very pretty it39s exactly as I imagined a traditional casa to be. We were hungry but told its not safe to venture out so I ate a toffee apple that I brought on the pier in Montery Very nutritious.Today we wandered around the centre historic and took a 3 hour open top http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-715699.html First full day in Ecuador started off with breakfast in the courtyard of Casa Helbling. 2.80 gets you great bread tea or coffee jam guava and blackbery butter and fresh squeezed fruit juice... Eggs and cheese are about two or three extra.Nice place to eat breakfast surrounded by lots of potted flowering plants and a giant tree in the middle sticking up through a hole in the roof with som http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-713054.html Do you own an iPad but haven39t stuffed it up with applications as yet We imagine that is a massive disappointment And we urge you to rectify that very promptly. To support you with that the following is a record of what we believe are the must have apps for the iPad. It is time to fire up the App Store and begin downloading.ZiteOn paper Zite is just a news aggregator. But then open up http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-711482.html Oh the places youll go the smells that youll smell and the thoughts that youll think. Heres my working theory on showers body odors and excess cologneperfume.Lets start backwards with the excess cologne and perfume. One morning I got on my elevator ltem stylemsobidifontstyle normalgtalone and the perfume stink was so strong I thought I was going to have to bail o http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-707780.html Considering it was New Years day none of us were particularly hungover. However we were all suffering from a little sleep deprivation but that was quickly fixed with a Subway and diet coke.It was bank holiday and as a result nothing was open and there was very little for us to do. After some thumb twiddling and a rather questionable game of cards we decided to leave the hostel and do something to http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-707731.html Lessons with the first lady of Quito I ran into my landlady downstairs and she insisted I see her ltem stylemsobidifontstyle normalgtreal apartment so I could visit her whenever I wished. She also insisted that I take chocolates as soon as I entered her apartment which soon melted in my hand. She mostly insisted that we should setup lessons so that I could improve my Spanish and she http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-707495.html Wearing a sweatshirt in your apartment.Because we dont have heating or AC its not uncommon on a cloudy day or after a rain to have your apartment be 6265 degrees.Getting caught in a rainstorm.The weather not unlike Florida can change in an instant here. When the clouds cover the sun the temperature can drop 10 degrees and then 5 minutes later youre sweating through your tank top when http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-707347.html I smiled. I said Buenos dias. I avoided eye contract and then I noticed Quitoreans are nodders. Solemn respectful have a good day nodders. There are also marked differences between what greetings are actually passed and what we learned in Spanish class. In Ecuador we say chao not adios alo ahlow not hola and many times people will offer you a simple bien instead of bothering to piece t http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/Historical-Center/blog-707344.html