La Mariscal...

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So, I have made it back to Quito and, better yet, found a restaurant that offers free wi-fi with purchase. That said, I have paid an relatively exorbitant price to sit in this relatively nice restaurant and use their internet. I guess it's not so bad, but my rum and coke plus a brownie is going to set me back about $7-8 with tax and tip (which most "sitdown" restaurants in Ecuador automatically add to your bill at 12% sales tax/I.V.A. and 10% tip) - a huge amount in Ecuador. That said, I did just sip my "Cuba Libre" and they didn't skimp on the rum (it frankly seems like the Coke is for coloring more than anything), so I guess I won't complain too much.

Anyway, this blog is short and sweet...it's about the Mariscal, a.k.a. Gringoland. In Quito, there is a neighborhood that contains a large amount of the nightlife and is also where the gringos in this town tend to congregate. I can tell you there isn't very much that's "authentic" about La Mariscal, but it is part of Quito. It is where, as a gringo, if you get a little homesick you can come here for something that reminds you of home. Now, keep in mind the prices will also remind you of home too. Whether locally owned or foreign owned, you will get stuck with "gringo pricing" at least relative to other parts of Quito. That said, it's the price you pay for a touch of home. I will also tell you La Mariscal is known for being more young and hip as opposed to mature and refined for gringos, but it's not overly so. Even this 36-year-old gringo doesn't feel like he's completely out of place; there's others around my age too.

I am told La Mariscal has come a ways in just a few years. My guess is the City of Quito saw potential dollar signs and invested in police and cameras in the area. Additionally, as new businesses opened and attracted more people, it also became safer. My hostal owner (well, the one I wish I was at tonight instead of where I am at, even though it's not so bad) tells me just a few years ago you didn't really risk going out at night in La Mariscal...at least not after about 9-10PM. If you did, you took a taxi even to go just a few blocks. However, Kevin the Irish half-owner of the Vietnamese restaurant in Ecuador and expat says within reason you are safe in La Mariscal later in the night. I think it is reasonable to think this trend will continue and new places will open in La Mariscal, perhaps making it all the more "hip and trendy". I think that comment would make some in Ecuador chuckle a little bit as I am told of the two biggest cities in Ecuador, Quito and Guayaquil, Quito is known as the more conservative and "staid/dull" city as opposed to Guayaquil being the commercial center and more liberal in their social trends.

Anyway, when you think about coming to Quito and Ecuador, remember you can get a little place like home. You'll likely have people that will speak English (at least to some degree) and have some people that will look like you. And, when you're ready to get away from all that you know, you move outside La Mariscal and outside of Quito. "Authentic", whatever that may end up being, isn't far away...

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Photos

Main Square, La Mariscal
This is looking towards the main square or Plaza del Quinde, in La Mariscal. Again, it's not what some think of as "authentic" and the locals you do see either are part of the wealthier classes of Quito or work at an establishment in La Mariscal. Again, it is part of Quito and when you want "authentic" you can find it not too far away (though not much going on at night).

Looking towards Nu House
If you want glitzier and fancier accommodations in La Mariscal than the hostals I am staying in (when you travel for 4 months, you learn to put up with basic, basic accommodations and save $70-90/night), you can stay at the boutique hotel Nu House. I don't know much about it other than it's here, but what pictures I found online look nice and comparable to hotels back in the States.

Fountains and nightclubs
Another view of the main square...there's various nightclubs geared to a younger crowd here, but also a wine/tapas bar that has a much more "mature" feel right on the square.