After my intermezzo at the coast, I came back to Quito for additional Spanish courses. In my first week in Quito, I had not visited many parts of the city yet, not even the historic center. Therefore, I decided to spend this weekend entirely in the city. On Saturday, I walked through the historic center of Quito. The cosy plazas, the steep cobblestoned streets and the many churches made it very different from the new part of the city. Unfortunately, I do not pictures yet because I had forgotten my camera that day. The historic center is said to be even more beautiful at night, so I will for sure come back. I had already noticed that gringos often receive a "special" treatment in Ecuador. In many cases, this implies that the price for foreigners is ... read more

I have arrived at Mariscal in Quito on Easter Sunday. In the coming months, I will spend 6 weeks in total in Mariscal, which is the touristy area of the city. People warn me immediately that this is not the safest part of the city, and that Mariscal is even more dangerous on after dark, particularly on Easter Sunday. Therefore, I decide not to look for an ATM to get some money yet although I did not have any dollars on me. Fortunately, I could go out for dinner with Dutch and Austrian travelers who paid for me. In Ecuador, is is possible to have a good meal for 1.5 to 3 USD, including a soup, a main course and a desert. It was a relief to know that the budgets mentioned in the Lonely planet ... read more