We depart for the capital city of Ecuador, Quito by bus. Quito, with a population of 2.8 million, sits in a narrow valley along the Pichincha volcano which is still active. Its last eruption was in 2002. Hmm, it’s amazing that this city is still standing.
Recently, I have not heard good things about Quito. Phil (my son) and I watched a CNN documentary last fall about the Quito gang wars. This was after I had booked this tour. I must say, I can understand why we are staying outside of the city.
Guayaquil and Manta are port towns that are ruled by warring drug gangs (Jalisco New Generation and Sinaloa), but recently the violence has moved to Quito. A presidential candidate was shot and killed after leaving a rally in 2023. The U.S. and Ecuadorian military have joined together to battle drug trafficking. 70% of the world’s cocaine flows through Ecuador according to Chat GPT. That is crazy!
The drive downtown during the morning rush hour is slow and plodding but it gives me a chance to see the outskirts of the city. It seems run down and tired. Garbage litters the streets but it might also be the grey skies. The weather changes quickly. One minute it is cloudy and drizzly, and suddenly the sky clears and blue skies prevail. I see people crossing over the highway along steel walkways to catch a bus. On the highway, there are different brands of vehicles such as Mazda, Ford, Chevrolets and Volkswagen.
The bus finally breaks free of the traffic but the streets are getting narrower and steeper as we approach the historical centre of Quito. Our first stop is a chocolate store on calle Venezuela. Not a bad first stop!
Kushimkiap Quito
We enter the storefront where we are greeted warmly and asked to take a along a double row of white painted wooden chairs. Sadly, Elena is not feeling well this morning and disappears for a while. We are hoping she is better soon because we have a long bus ride coming up shortly. She does return and it seems she has some sort of stomach bug. Thankfully, her mom is here. Feel better Elena!
At Kushimkiap, we learn about the making of and different percentages of chocolate. We taste pure bitter chocolate and various flavours. I believe this is a free tour and is included in our package. Coincidentally, they have bars of chocolate for sale. I purchased some with red chili and another made with cardamom. I’m sure the kids and Phil will enjoy it. If not, I know someone who will. Wink!
As we are leaving, another tour group is entering. Outside we are approached by vendors selling their wares. Beautiful scarves and jewellery. Handmade, not sure, but still colourful and not too heavy for someone travelling with a carry-on.
Basilica del Voto Nacional
Our guide escorts us along the narrow streets where we arrive at a side entrance to the Basilica del Voto Nacional with it’s immense neo-gothic arches and beautiful stained glass windows. It is said that the architecture is inspired by Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. I can certainly see that. There are 24 chapels around the perimeter of the basilica representing the different provinces of Ecuador. It is beautiful in its simplicity and is apparently unfinished. Click on the link above to read more interesting facts about the Basilica.
As we are leaving, we are once again approached by women selling their wares. Even with ‘no gracias’, they keep coming at you. Further down the steps, we see quite a few militia brandishing machine guns in their green fatigues.
Independence Square
Walking even further down calle Garcia Moreno, we see a beautiful photo opportunity of the Virgin of Quito a.k.a. the Virgin of the Panecillo that can be seen from anywhere in downtown Quito. We stop and take photos, but I didn’t get one of myself. There were many people walking towards us, so I didn’t want to step in front of them but I did manage to grab a quick shot of the statue.
The square is exactly that, a square and is immense. There are beautiful gardens and seats in the centre and around the edge is the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral of Quito (which we couldn’t gain access to today), the Municipal Palace (Town Hall), the Plaza Grande Hotel and the Archbishop’s Palace.
The Old Town of Quito was designated a UNESCO site in 1978. The Monument of Heroes in the centre represents Ecuador’s fight for independence from Spain. Our guide points at a floor inside a building that is decorated with the vertebrae of horses. He says it is an homage to the Ecuadorian culture’s love of horses. Apparently, this architectural feature can be found in Europe and this ‘art form’ can date back to the 15th century. Off to the left is a military tank where we see many uniformed military members walking by. One waved at us as he marched by.
There is lots more to see in Old Town Quito. For instance, I would have loved to get inside of La Compañia Church with its baroque architecture and La Ronda with its pedestrian streets filled with music, shops and restaurants. It is not possible as we are on a tight schedule today.
Before we begin a 5-hour bus ride to the Amazon Basin, I grab some water and snacks, use the facilities and enjoy watching the pigeons in the park. The vendors have finally given up on me. They are annoying and relentless but I guess everyone needs to make a living. You just take it in stride. The bus arrives shortly and we are off on another adventure.
