Ola from Ecuador

La Plaza de San Francisco
The volcanoes to the west of Quito, view from a park near the Hotel Los Alpes

The cloisters of La Iglesia de San Francisco.

We made it to Ecuador safe and sound. The flights were long, made longer by the “economical” entertainment systems on Continental airlines, i.e. none at all on a 4 hour flight to Houston and 2 movies on 5 inch square screens every 5 rows on the flight to Quito. I suppose we now know who bought the systems they took out of most other international carriers’ aircraft.

We were met when we expected to be and spent the first night in small hotel that is more like a bed and breakfast. It was quiet, is full of beautiful local crafts and the hot water works (what more can one ask!). After breakfast where we got a wealth of tips from a pediatric neurologist from Kentucky and his wife who are making their 6th trip to Ecuador, we went for a 4 hour walk up into the old colonial district. It certainly seems we are here before the peak tourist season; I was one of only about 3 people wielding serious cameras. We got nabbed for a man in the street TV interview outside La Iglesia de San Francisco, probably one of the most photographed spots in Quito – an idea that lasted as long as it took to find out how much Spanish we didn’t speak.

Our first tour starts tomorrow, it turns out we are 2 members of a tour group of 2 so we spend the next 13 days traveling around Ecuador in a red Chevy Blazer with a private guide, Jorge. We have been moved to a much grander hotel for one night and a couple more whenever we come back through Quito, although it is really just like any other North American hotel with a slightly Spanish flavour. It does have Internet access and hopefully that means we can post to the blog regularly every few days.