Blogs from Historical Center, Quito, North, Ecuador, South America - page 9

The main bulk of the trip was planned for South America where I wanted to spend at least a couple of months in Ecuador including XMAS and also visit the other countries I’d missed on the 2008 trip (Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia and Chile). I arrived on Santiago on 22nd November and after three days headed up to Quito with Lan airlines (the same route as I’d done on the 2008 trip so it was a bit weird at Santiago International airport as nothing had changed!). It was great to see Marilu and her family again and also my Goddaughter Mady who was growing fast!!. Some of the highlights of Ecuador were (1) Going back to my favourite Pollo restaurant (2) Lagunas de Mojanda near Otavalo and having a barbecue (3) Centro Historico and the pigeons ... read more

Diebe, Räuber und Ganoven...können meinem Urlaub nichts! Nach mehreren, aus Zeitgründen fehlgeschlagenen Versuchen, einen neuen Blog zu verfassen, versuch ich es heut erneut... mal schaun, wie weit ich diesmal komm... :) Die letzten Wochen vergingen einfach super schnell und waren vollgepackt mit Ausflügen, Urlaub und abendlichen Unternehmungen in Quito, so dass ich es gar nicht groß an den Laptop geschafft hab... und wenn, dann musst ich auch ab und an mal Unterricht vorbereiten, denn mittlerweile mach ich wieder an der Schule, aber dazu später noch mehr... jetzt spul ich noch mal eben 4 Wochen zurück, um euch zu berichten, was seitdem so in Ecuador passiert ist... Also, nach meinem letzten Blog hab ich mich ja auch auf den Weg an den Strand gemacht, mit dem Nachtbus nach Salinas und von dort aus nach Montanita, wo ich ... read more

This is my second trip to Centro Historico. Both times I wanted to do a walking tour but none was to be found...maybe because I was there both times on the weekend? I prefer the Old Town to Mariscal because of all the historical buildings, fantastic people watching opportunities in Plaza Grande and all the wonderful and cheap restaurants on the side streets. Plus there are more opportunities to have authentic interactions with people. ... read more

Saturday 1st October Our hostel has picked us up from the airport!! We had a feeling they were going to, and there they did. Its a little place in the heart of the Old City and on the oldest street in Quito. Kenya and her Mum Gloria have made us feel really welcome. The hostel rooms actually surround the restaurant downstairs so its pretty noisy. When the TV is on down there, its blaring, and if the music is one its blaring too. Sunday 2nd October The roads in the old city are closed to cars today so its all pedestrians and push bikes. Its so charming. We climbed to the top of the the Basilica this morning. What an amazing view of the city!! It has the tallest church towers in South America, and while ... read more

Flight from London to Quito via Atlanta went reasonably smoothly apart from the air hostess in London screeching at us " you don´t have an Esta?? Oh no... go downstairs and get an Esta right now, there´s not much time." Turns out all British citizens are now required to get a visa to enter USA even when just in transit. That would have been nice to know in advance... thanks STA. Arrived in Quito at midnight to a man holding our names...a warm welcome. Obviously we had booked the cheapest beds in the ´most sociable hostel in Quito´so could not turn on light as boys were already sleeping.. forcing us to unpack and change in the hall with the night guard watching us in amusment. First day we befriended 2 guys from our room and went ... read more