Exploring Quito – Ecuador Capital                                                        19^th April 2019

The alarm awakes us at 5.30am for an 8.06am flight with Avianca Airlines. Scott slumbers out but soon is in his stride and we are both ready to vacate precisely on time. Our resort, Wyndham Guayaquil have organised their free shuttle service for us although the driver is stuck in traffic so they procure a taxi for us free of charge. What a win! The airport is only a 10minute drive though along the nearby motorway but seems a lot shorter now we are conversing with the driver in English. When he’s talking there is a slight wish for him to watch the road ahead, his head turn to look at us in the back seat … there is less traffic now, so that’s a blessing.

The airport is abuzz with both interstate and international passengers and when checkout is done one must be vigilant in making sure you venture through the right areas, much like a cattle run. We are now leaving Guayaquil at sea level in Ecuador to Quito, the capital city of Ecuador at 2850m 9350ft and is the 2nd highest official capital city in the world & closest to the equator. Being at this elevation the weather is quite cool and still jacket and beanie climate. The capital city was previously called San Francisco de Quito in the current location of Colta, some 230klms South of present Quito.  A new capital city of Quito was later relocated to its current location & was refounded on Dec 6 1534 by 204 settlers and proclaimed a city on March 28th 1541. It now possesses approximately 3.1 million people. Since 1541 Quito has suffered many civil unrests right up to the early 1900s.

Avianca Airlines continues to be our favourite airline with no hassles and friendly service … plus price of course. Apparently, South America is renowned for delayed or cancelled flights. Arriving at Mariscal Sucre International Airport at Quito after a 1hour flight we organise and pre-pay (25K Pesos = $46AUD) a taxi inside the terminal which is by far the best and safest method of transfers in Sth America (buses and shuttle buses included). Our taxi is the dearest option however, I felt the need for a good service. Scott is not one for taking the backpacking shuttle buses, especially when the taxi trip will be 45mins for a 42klm journey to Quito. We encounter 3 issues, one being a touch of wonderful peak hour, 2^nd; very winding streets within Quito, 3^rd; it is Easter; Good Friday in fact, and a lot of the roads close to the historical square (Independence Square) are closed off so we are forced to skirt the barricaded streets to get close enough to our hotel, Hump Day Hostel located in Calle Venezuela St which runs past the square. The journey exceeded 1 hour however, the driver was most obliging and calm.

The people were out in force in the streets and so are the police and security personnel. Our taxi driver finally concedes this is the closest he can get us to our hotel so he lets us out in a narrow street and points to the direction we must take (North) and states 2 long blocks and it’s on the right. With the rain cascading onto the pavement and our twin backpacks fully loaded we scuttle through the crowds and keeping a close eye not slipping and on any signage. We cross the last set of barricades and walk down the hill. Using a keen eye and checking Google Maps we notice the small signage above the doorway. The entrance is a typical steel gate in front of a large timber door. Pressing the doorbell, the lock clicks and we enter into a sea of activity and colour and a loud confident welcome by Reception staff. It was a typical, quirky hostel where everyone is alive, carefree and happy.

Our room type (twin room with ensuite) is not used much so we are able to square away our backpacks early and to meet Reception again within 10 mins. No time to waste. One of the Reception staff/ guide is very welcoming, speaks English and has allowed everyone willing to come to his unit further up in the same street, Calle Venezuela St, to see the Quito Easter March; but we must hurry. Talk about a sprint South up into the crowds, turn right, then left, then left again, then right, down a hundred metres of Calle Venezuela St again through a small door, up a flight of stairs and out to a choice of 2 balconies.

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Here we met a lot of other backpackers from the hostel, all younger than Scott & I however, very friendly from different parts of the globe. We all share the balconies and see the swarm of people, mostly in purple sheet clothing ready for the march from Independence Square going South and doing the streets where the major churches are (several churches involved). Being quite limited on religions I was trying to get my head around the purple costumes as per the photos and no-one could supply the answer to it. Glad to see I was not the only one questioning their attire. To me they were in the exact shape of the White Ku Klux Klan of the late 1800s to the mid-1900s but in varying shades of purple.  People are lined along the narrow footpaths below our balcony and across the road. There is not much space left now for anyone. The view is like a road of purple.

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Eventually, the drumming music starts from a band up from the front line of marchers and the procession gets underway with different notifications of banners with Christian emblems and the like. They stroll through with a strong Police line leading the way. Amongst the marchers you can see in the distance large floats with statues and flowers and other decorations. As the slow walk continues there are an ever-increasing number of Jesus actors in dress, coloured in blood wounds and crown of thorns all carrying different sizes of crosses; some quite heavy too; practically far too heavy. Apparently, the more strenuous the effort, the more cleansed you become. We note each number of municipal and school drumming and brass bands at staged intervals within the marching groups provide similar versions of the same song for the entire march. A favourite song of mine ‘Sounds of Silence’ by Simon & Garfunkel however, no singing is forthcoming.

As we look to the right (South) the march is already 2 long blocks in length and as far as we can see to the North there is still purple in the distance. I think this will be one long march and now there are long pauses happening as similar road peak hour congestions happen. The floats come into view just when it starts raining; Jesus is not providing any sunshine and several women come out in droves loudly selling umbrellas and ponchos for sale. Talk about quick enterprise. No-one leaves the march, nor seems to be upset over it. Someone says Jesus is crying after seeing so many people showing their faith in this single event. Some of the floats are massive, all with elements of Jesus, the cross or the Virgin Mary in glass cabinets or carried by human bearers like the Romans or Egyptians did. There are portrayals of the Roman soldiers in full costumes whipping the Jesus characters, some of the marchers are whipping themselves with heavy red marks shown on their skin. All seems very full on.

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After about 1.5hrs the purple marchers cease and plain clothed marchers appear making the slow march just over 2hrs long. Due to the march length we were able to converse a little with some of the backpackers and share some stories but we are cut short now that we all can leave the apartment and venture out around the city.

Scott and I stroll back slowly to the hostel North down Calle Venezuela St and stop at the Independence Square. We can’t take good photos due to the park area being fenced by temporary fencing and shadecloth. Such a shame this is required on such a beautiful area but can see the area must be protected from the volume of people present for Easter and also being a Government precinct. The park is formally called Plaza Grande and is the centre of Government with surrounding buildings including Carondelet Palace where the Government resides as well as the residence of the Ecuadorean President. In the square’s corner is the large Cathedral of Quito where it began its construction in 1562. Construction finally completed in 1806. It has a Spanish architectural feel and in brilliant white. Another ancient church within the historical centre is called The Church of El Sagrario.

In serious need for food we are told about the café next door to the Hump Day Hostel. There’s no signage; however, a woman runs this smallest of cafés totally on her own. The food is tremendous, along with the fresh juices. I think we have found our oasis. You cannot imagine how small this café is and with the smallest of tables and chairs. It offers so much character far beyond its size.

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Back to the street, the most domineering of all churches is the Basilica del Voto Nacional and is a longer walk up Calle Venezuela St to the South of the Independence Square located on a higher hill. It fills the view to the South (rear of the marching photos). This cathedral is huge at 140m (460ft) long x 35m (115ft) wide. Its dual spire height is 115m (377ft) so it certainly commands the scenic view. We went to this cathedral twice over Easter and it was closed the entire time. Inside this church up on the Sanctuary level is a very popular café and 14 large bronze images representing 11 apostles and 3 evangelists. In the crypt, there is a pantheon containing the remains of several heads of state. Visitors can pay a small fee and climb the stairs to the top of the towers for a beautiful view of Quito. That still leaves me bewildered as to why it is closed on its most sacred of weeks when everything else is basically open. The Basilica is still not finished in its completion; and in addition to this, has had some, say colourful history where on Good Friday 30th March 1877 Bishop of Quito, Jose’ Ignacio Checa y Barba was murdered with strychnine dissolved in the consecrated wine. Apparently, it was sanctioned by the start of The Freemasons against the Catholic religion. Politics would be my thoughts in not being too far away in this event.

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Looking to the North along Calle Venezuela St again, the other domineering sight is El Panecillo.  A hill in the middle west of Quito with an altitude of 3,016m/ 9,895ft and a huge white statue of the Virgin Mary where it can be seen in just about every location in Quito.

The historic centre of Quito has one of the largest, least-altered & best-preserved historic centres in the Americas. Quito & Krakow (Poland) were the world firsts to be declared World Cultural Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The central square is 25klms Sth of the equator (Ecuador is Spanish for Equator). The monument & museum marking the equator is known locally as La Mitad del Mundo (The middle of the world). The nearby Solar Museum is actually more accurate to the equator siting using the latest technology than the equator monument which is actually 240mts south of the real equator.

Quito covers an area approx. 40klms long & 3.1klms at its widest & is a majority in a North to South arrangement. The main arterial streets are called Calle Venezuela, Chile, Garcia Moreno & Guayaquil.

It was my preference to reside within the Historical Square precinct rather than the La Mariscal precinct which is considered the main city’s entertainment & night time precinct some 10minutes away by taxi from the square. Usually these area types have more issues with social issues and I can see these areas basically anywhere in the world if it was to my liking. I much prefer to see and touch the ancient history, not so much the social ‘history’.

Quito has some of the largest city parks in the Americas. Parque Metropolitano Guanguiltagua is the largest at 1,376 acres whereas in comparison, New York’s Central Park is 843 acres. Bicentenario is the 2^nd largest at 200 acres & occupies the old Quito airport site. They even use the old runway for walkways and cyclists, etc. La Carolina Park is where Pope John Paul 11 headed a Great Mass in 1985 & a giant cross was erected in that honour. El Ejido forms the other remaining major park.

TeleferiQo is Quito’s aerial tramway station, visitor centre, amusement park, restaurants, go karts, paint ball, shopping mall, located at Cruz Loma and commissioned in 2005. The ride takes you to 4,100mtrs and the weather can be quite cold with added winds too. There are hiking areas and viewing platforms for the views of Quito.

We require a short break from Quito for a 2day volcano overnight trek and arrive back for a one-night stay at Hump Day Hostel for the last day before heading off to Santiago Chile so stay tuned for the next blog on the volcanoes and then onto Chile.

Arriving back at Hump Day Hostel was again, so welcoming and we quickly get settled after a random taxi ride from the entertainment area, La Mariscal precinct where the tour bus made us evacuate. They were completely in the wrong and dropped us off at the incorrect location in solid rain at night. Luckily, a local bar gave us WiFi to gain our location and organise a taxi. Again, barricades were in place so we had to skate quickly down the road to avoid being soaked as we have to pack for the flight the next day. We were so thrilled to find the neighbouring café open as it is now 7.30pm on Easter Sunday. I could have given her a huge hug in being able to fill our stomachs. Scott, with a higher metabolism rate was more thrilled than me of course.

After having the best hot shower and packing our bags differently for international travel we gain the best of sleeps, after tenants stopped using the stairs immediately above my bed from 10pm (house rules).

The next morning, we have a great breakfast from the 2 lovely indigenous ladies (omelettes are my preference mostly). We had a quick walk up to the Basillica, took more photos and headed back to check out in time and place all our backpacks into their lockers for $1USD until our taxi arrives at dusk. I was contemplating a quick taxi to visit the Equator Monument however, Reception stated it will rain on time today (early afternoon) and it sure does. You can bank on it actually and it even hailed for a few minutes too. The temperature plummeted so all Scott and I could do was to find the comfy seat in the communal room and wait for the taxi that we had already booked. After a couple of hours, we climbed into the taxi for the 42klm journey, battled through Customs, Immigration and had our last Ecuadorian coffee. Our flight departed late from our 6.35pm schedule so it will be a tight stopover at our beloved Lima Airport (sarcasm) before our next flight to Santiago Chile.

Stay tuned for the 2day Ecuador Active Volcano trek in my next blog.

Footnote 1:

With Quito at 2,850m 9.350ft it is unlikely High-Altitude Sickness becomes effective. It is at the lower end of the scale. However, we met a young lady from Norway on The Cotopaxi volcano trek and she stated she collapsed and fainted within the Quito airport upon arrival and they put it down to altitude sickness. She spent some time recovering but managed her 3 months of teaching and working as a community volunteer within Quito and is in great health now with no issues. It is highly unusual to suffer at this altitude so there may be other influences for persons afflicted to look into.

Footnote 2:

I didn’t realise when I booked Guayaquil that being there for more than 3 days at sea level after Cusco can readjust your body back to normal situations therefore, you should, or may need to re-acclimatize all over again if going back to high altitude.