Well, we´re in Quito. We´re only a few miles from the equator, yet 9,000 feet above sea level, so we´re simultaneously hot and cold, but in a different way than when you´re skiing. We wandered through the Ciudad Antigua, the historic center of town, and the colonial buildings, streets, cathedrals, combined with the city´s setting completely surrounded by mountains and volcanoes made for a lot of scenery. Quito is generally considered the religious capital of South America, and it´s clear that the Spanish wasted no time before setting in to build cathedrals after their arrival. We toured a monastery and were allowed to climb to the top of that church´s bell tower. Then we had lunch at a Krishna vegetarian restaurant with a friendly couple from California who are, seriously, riding a tandem bike through South
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