Day 64: Quito - Monday January 10, 2011

The surprise about the drive to Quito is that we didn’t get lost and didn’t need to ask for directions. The elevation here is 9500’-10000’. Altitude suffering finally hit me. This teaches us to sign up for oxygen in Cuzco at 14000’.

Quito is a major international capital city in its beautiful Andes setting and eternal spring. There are lots & lots of colonial churches and municipal buildings, narrow streets, pedestrian walkways and traffic jams (tacos.) We are staying at Patio Andaluz, a restored boutique Colonial building right off the main plaza. The city is just too big for the plaza to be the center of social activity. The lunch and dinner were delicious – the tamales and seco chivo were noteworthy.

We are minimizing our colonial and beach exposure in favor of archeology, indigenous cultures and unfamiliar nature. Thus we head out to Ingapirca and Cuenca tomorrow.