Blogs from Historical Center, Quito, North, Ecuador, South America

Another year and another trip for Kirsten and Chester, but with everything going on in our lives, we decided to stay in the western hemisphere and keep the trip a bit shorter than our normal vacations. Also because we couldn’t find more than 8 straight days with no one visiting us in Denver. With that being said, this did not mean we couldn’t check-off another bucket list item. We are heading to Galapagos Islands off Ecuador for 8 days. Our usual decision on destinations was a bit rushed and this was a bit of a last-minute selection, simply because we are running out of places Kirsten or Chester haven’t been. But this is one of those places neither one has visited. The days leading up to the trip were a bit hectic. Kirsten had to travel ... read more

Today we’re going sightseeing in Quito – primarily churches as most tourist attractions are shut on Mondays. The Colonial South American town centre is so formulaic I could walk it in my sleep; main plaza with cathedral and government palace. On either side, plazas containing the churches of San Francisco and Santo Domingo. And somewhere in the middle, the Jesuits, who took a vow of poverty but coated their churches liberally with gold. We try to start in the main square but there is a demonstration underway. The square is completely blocked off and circled by riot police. More and more people are arriving and most are wearing surgical masks. And I don’t think they’re doctors…. We bypass the square and head for the enormous Basilica del Voto Nacional. The old man decides to climb the ... read more

It was cold and raining when we woke up and went down to breakfast. The four of us sat and discussed what we would do as we had a whole day in Quito until our flight after midnight. We decided to get a taxi and go into town. It was the first time that Don and I had been into town which was about an hour’s drive from the airport. Fortunately the weather improved somewhat, but it remained cool and overcast all day. The taxi service that the hotel used was a limousine service! We piled into the immaculate car and went into town. Caroline and the taxi driver were chatting in Spanish and we added our comments in a mix of Spanish/English. The journey into town was quite staggering. The road crossed a deep ... read more

Upon arrival in Ecuador, the 23rd and final country on our round the world trip, the beach started calling and we found ourselves in the beautiful coastal town of Montañita. Down to our last couple of weeks and acutely aware of the weather at home, we were keen to savor the sun and enjoy the beach life for a few days. Hammocks, beach strolls, amazing sunsets and tasty food - it was pure bliss. But all too soon it was time to say good bye to the beach bum life and we made our way to the city of Cuenca, a natural stop from the coast to Baños. Cuenca was originally established as the second capital of the Inca Empire after Cusco but today it is a famous expat destination. An exact number of expats hasn't ... read more

I'm in Quito! My 6th continent, meaning another tick on my bucket list. My first impression of Quito was at 1am getting a taxi to my hostel, but already I can see that the people are very friendly, and remind me more of Mexico and Guatemala. I only have 2 days in Quito, so my plan is to make the most of it. The first morning I headed out to the old town for a walk around admiring the old building and people watching in the main plaza. I'm glad to see things have considerably gone back down in price compared to my recent spending - breakfast is $1-2. There are a lot of interesting vendors and little shops to look at, so I quite happily pass the morning wandering around the streets observing. Heading away ... read more