Introduction:
To stand on the line that separates the worlds, the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, has been of interest for years. I have crossed the Equator previously, typically at 37,000′, and I have been to Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city, when a flight to Lima had to be diverted due to weather conditions that made a landing in Lima impossible. But that was a short stay with memories of guards with machine guns at the hotel, huge iguanas in the Cathedral grounds next door and a brief walk along the river. We flew out the next day along the tall sunlight snow topped range of the Andes. That was 2006 and much has changed since then. I was young, middle school, when Quito first came to my attention. The high school girl, who lived across the street, was selected to be an exchange student in the Ecuadorian capital city and there was a discussion about the elevation, 9350 ft. (2850m). I went home and found Ecuador on a map. Even much more has changed since then. Everywhere I travel I look for all modes of handiwork, any and all media, some of it termed art some just known as indigenous or local crafts. The creators, the artisans, the artists, the workers are people I want to meet and experience their visions. The town of Otavalo north of Quito with its large marketplace is reputed to be a regional craft center. The National Museum in Quito is reputed to have an extensive collection of art and artifacts. And of course, wandering the streets anywhere produces unexpected artistic results be it graffiti, murals, shops or a view to an interesting photo opportunity. Easy travel connections and no major time zone abysses added to positively rolling the dice in favor of a visit. Finally mix in a country that uses the US Dollar as its currency. Here we go!
Quito Trip 8/23-29/2017
Wednesday 8/23
Dark 4am ride to the airport. 64 degrees this morning in Denver, Colorado, which is the forecast high for Quito during my stay.
Not too busy at the airport and no delays through check in and security. Terminal B
McDonald’s was the only vendor open, medium coffee $2.26, I could only drink about half……
First flight is UA 44 to Houston where I connect to flight UA 1032 to PTY. At Panama City connect to Copa Air flight 159 to Quito. All flights have short interval connection times.
On the plane to Houston, 2 hour flight time.
Full flight, door is closed.
Early arrival into IAH. The above photo is pre-hurricane Harvey which struck Houston a few days later. A bit of a walk to gate E8, picked up a Starbucks en route. Easy boarding seat 2F. Checked mail & messages. Advertised flight time 4hrs 14 min. Flying down the coast of Mexico to Panama City, Panama.
Arriving into Panama City 20min late. Storm avoidance over the gulf. Flight attendant says I should fill out customs/immigrations forms just in case, but shouldn’t need them for transit. Big storm clouds hug the coast as we swing out over the ships in the bay entering and exiting the Panama Canal complex. I move out as the door opens and enter the terminal. There are no transit formalities and not seeing any information screens, I approach a nearby Copa gate agent and inquire about the gate for Quito. The agent tells me 19 and I hurry past the shops and wind through the travelers. I didn’t need to hurry. The gate is close and the line is short and I am soon on the plane seat 2A. Captain is advertising 1 hr 20min flight time to Quito. Chicken Pie and a Corona is my meal.
Arrive into a cloudy post rain Quito. No immigration documents required, only a passport scan, and proceed to bag claim. My bag made it through all of the connections and after a quick customs baggage scan I am officially in Ecuador. My ride arrives a few minutes after I clear and I am loaded into a small bus, the only passenger.
Maria welcomes me to Ecuador, she spent a year in Kansas as an exchange student and now works for Gray line.
The road in from this new airport is great until it meshes with the older infrastructure which is a two lane highway then a narrow winding road, then a city street. It’s rush hour and the smaller roads slow down with the increasing traffic. After an hour we pull into the drive for the JW Marriott hotel.
Only one person working reception creates a slow check in, but I end up with a great room, 833. I head up to the 9th floor lounge for a snack then back to the room and settle in and catch up with the family. Review the route for my Old Town walkabout and head to bed.
Thursday 8/24 9.4m walkabout
Sunny bright morning! The dire weather forecast that drove me to buy waterproof shoes and bring a rain jacket and umbrella has been replaced with this morning’s reality. Good breakfast in the lounge and I head to the lobby to get a map of the area.
The concierge points out the highlights and suggests an all day private guided tour which can encompass them all. I thank him and head out to find the way to the Magic Bean which is the meeting spot for the Saturday Otavalo tour. It’s an easy walk along Juan Leon Mera St to the Magic Bean and further down the same street is the Mercado Artesanal La Mariscal which is just opening. I do a quick walk through and get back on the track to Old Town.
I have been warned about the not safe neighborhoods, but I don’t feel or see any threats along the way. As I walk between the Mariscal (New Town) district and the Old Town on Av 6 de Decembre there is a commotion of police and sirens as roads are blocked and some “official” unmarked cars are ushered through with their motorcycle escorts. As I approach the top of the hill I reach the National Assembly building and a large noisy crowd in front protesting something. I move through and around the crowd and proceed on my walk. It is warming up so I shed a layer as I approach a construction zone which is for a new Metro Station. Pausing to take a picture of the site I am approached by a guard who tells me to not take any more pictures and to move on. I comply and continue my walk and shortly reach the edge of the Old Town by Parque La Alameda.
My Lonely Plant guide-book recommended a walking tour and I am roughly following it in reverse. My planned first stop is the Basilica del Voto Nacional and this old cathedral and its towers turns out to be the best stop of the day. I take a right on Briceno up a hill one block to Vargas Torres then one block left to Caldas then a right up to the Basilica. $2 gets you in the door. The stained glass work is Magnificent!
Some of the fun of the exterior are the numerous animal shapes that act as the “gargoyles” as opposed to the demons so often found on European cathedrals.
A major attractor for me to visit this site was not only the church, but the ability to access and climb up and into the towers. Walking around the Basilica to the South West side there is a small office to buy the $2 ticket for entry which you present to an attendant across the courtyard inside the Basilica outer entrance below the clock towers. There is an option of stairs or an elevator which take you up to a landing outside a gift shop. A walk through the gift shop brings you out into a hallway with a huge beautiful stained glass window to the right. To the left is a wooden planked walkway that runs the length of the church above its ceiling.
At the far northern end is a steep metal ladder which takes you up to a circular outdoor walkway which circles the northern tower.
Another set of ladders takes you up into the tower which provides 360 degree views of Quito.
Once back down the ladders and across the Basilica ceiling via the wooden walk way a left takes you through another gift store and the entrance on the left to a stairway up to the eastern Clock Tower or down to the exit. Proceeding upward you enter the inner clock tower with the huge clock dials.
The Clock is not working and each of the clock dials show a random time.
There is a spiral staircase in a corner followed by a ladder that will take you up into the outdoor space above the Clock for more spectacular views of Old Town and the Quito environs.
Quito Old Town Overview
Getting back to the exit you climb down into the Clock Tower and continue down the stairs past the gift shop and exit into the other end of the hallway from where you start the climb.
Out in the courtyard are restrooms, a gift store and a small snack shop.
Old Town Quito sits on the side of a steep hill and there is a bit of up and down associated with traversing the area, but nothing extreme and the hustle and bustle of everyday life is omnipresent. Quito’s origins are traced back to the Quitu people and the Incas were the inhabitants when the Spanish arrived in the 1500’s. The architectural style of Old Town is Spanish and there are many enjoyable plazas and small parks. Churches, museums, shops and restaurants abound.
The Grande Plaza was busy with townspeople for the most part with some protestors, maybe the contingent I had walked through earlier by the National Assembly. Nearby on a pedestrian street I found a lunch spot called the Restaurant Plaza Chicafe for my $2.50 Almuerzos. Down the street was the Galletti Coffee Roasters which had a selection of Ecuadorian ground/bean coffees for sale as well as a sit down area to enjoy a coffee and watch the world go by.
I completed much of my walking tour and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the Old Town. Late in the day I retraced my steps back through the Parque La Alameda pausing by the Observatory. Supposedly you can visit this site, however it was not open when I walked by, too late.
I continued into New Town/Mariscal towards the hotel. A blues band was rocking out in the Parque El Arbolito adding an unexpected bonus to my first day in Quito.
Friday 8/25 7.3m walkabout
Cloudy rainy morning as I ate my breakfast. My plan for the day was a visit to the National Museum and, depending on time, a revisit of Old Town to some sites I missed yesterday. Walked up Mera to its end then headed left over to the Museum which is in the Parque El Arbolito. Unsure of the entrance I walked clockwise around the structure, but failed to find the way in. The entire area was surrounded by a tall fence. Back on Av. 6 de Decembre there was an entrance into a small museum, but it didn’t get me into the National Museum, so I continued next door into another museum where I learned that the National Museum was closed for renovation. After a quick tour of their art I exited through the rear door into the grounds of the National Museum and walked around through the gardens and statuary surrounding the Museum. Mid-point in my walk I found an entrance into the building which turned out to be a smaller off shoot of the main museum which surprisingly wasn’t closed for the renovation. This turned out to be the Museo de Arte Moderne & Instrumentos Musicales.
Very interesting and enjoyable collections, also had some historical/cultural exhibits about the indigenous civilizations of Ecuador. So what started out as a potential non-visit turned into a great viewing morning.
The afternoon was spent wandering through the adjacent parks back into Old Town and then some shopping and a late lunch.
Saturday 8/26 3.6m walkabout
Prior to my arrival in Ecuador, I purchased a Otavalo Tour on-line through Viatour. They offered a number of tours that included the Otavalo Market as one of the prime destinations. It was advertised as one of the largest indigenous craft markets in South America. Sounded good, so I signed up for one of the tours. Also on the itinerary was a visit to the “real” equator, a short hike in a national park as well as a visit to the town of Cotatachi, famous for their leather work. Viatour does not operate the tours, but acts as an agent for a number of tour companies. My receipt indicated that I should be at the meeting point, The Magic Bean restaurant, by 7am. The early morning was cool and cloudy with no immediate threat of rain. I ate a light breakfast and was out the door by 6:30am.
Street cleaners were picking up the mess left by the party goers from the night before. This section of Mariscal along Mera and Ave Foch is lined with Bars and Restaurants and is very busy in the evening. When I reached the meeting point two small coaches were idling and I was greeted, reservation confirmed and directed to one of the coaches where I joined a few other travelers. Soon we were joined by a few others, the driver and our tour guide Omar. As we headed out to a secondary pick up point in Old Town, we changed up seating to accommodate the various parties within the group and Omar introduced himself and gave a brief overview of the days activities. In Old Town a few more folks joined the tour and we headed out for the days first stop, the real Equator.
Advertised as La Mitad del Mundo, the middle of the world, the Equator is celebrated in at least two locations in very close proximity to each other. The site we visited is the more current and more accurate location of the line of 0 degrees latitude. This site had the aid of GPS technology to plot the line whereas the earlier site relied on older surveying techniques. Interestingly the newer site closely matches the measurements and findings of the original inhabitants of the area who measured the Equator through observations of the sun during the Solstice and Equinox risings and settings thousands of years ago. I used my phones compass app to verify and see the zeros, just for the fun of it. One of the benefits of equator living was described as the ability to see the constellations of both hemispheres. The older Equator site is still a popular destination.
Back on the bus, Omar introduced a young woman named Marta who had joined us at the Equator stop. She was dressed in clothing typically worn by the natives of the area and she and Omar explained the various garments and their uses/traditions. She also had a bag of craft work for sale that she and her family had made which she showed us as she moved through the bus. Marta got off at the next stop where we all filed out to see a demonstration of Panama Hat construction and an explanation of their history (They originated in Ecuador and made their way into Panama and found widespread use by the thousands of workers on the Panama Canal Project).
Next door to this small work shop was the true focus of the stop, a restaurant serving a local specialty, Bizcochos, biscuits baked/dried/baked over a period of days. We sat at long tables and ordered from a menu of options. My snack included some biscuits with a cut of local cheese, a caramel sauce for dipping and a coffee. Very enjoyable.
Back on the bus we headed for the Otavalo Market. On the way we made a brief stop at an overview of the Cayambe Volcano valley. The Cayambe Volcano is the 3rd highest mountain in Ecuador at 18,996′ (5790m).
The busiest day for the Otavalo Market is Saturday and the parking lot we entered was filling quickly. We had approx. two hours to wander this market which encompassed a large square and then spread out into the adjacent streets like an octopus. Lots of color, lots of repetition of crafts, some vegetable sellers and not enough time to completely investigate all of the market, but it was interesting and I returned to the bus laden with gifts for family and friends. Otavalo would be an interesting overnight destination to have the time to not only take in the market, but also the town and the surrounding area. I picked up an additional item from a man named Martin who came on the bus and sold me one of his small paintings on Llama skin. Probably my favorite souvenir from the trip. All travelers accounted for, we headed out to take a walk at the Reserva Ecologica Cotacatchi Cayapas.
A short walk up some steps then along a graveled path brings into view the Cotacatchi Volcano and Cuicocha Lake. There are three islands in the crater lake and the overviews are great. Unfortunately, a complete traverse of the lake is not included in the days activities so after a short walk and a group picture opportunity we all head back to the bus for the drive into Cotacatchi for our late lunch and some last chance shopping opportunities for those interested in the towns renowned leather products.
Cotacatchi is a small town and was quiet when we arrived. There are some musicians jamming in the lot where we park the bus. The restaurant is close and I enjoy a vegetable omelet lunch accompanied by some music from a performer set-up close to our table. We are given a “back on the bus time”and we drift off to see the town. Some folks enjoy the local ice cream and coffee shops recommended by Omar while others head into the leather shops. I head to the bank on the square to use the ATM for some much-needed cash following my market spending spree, only to find my card doesn’t work! I had a new card issued prior to the trip and obviously something has gone amiss. Something to deal with back in Quito. As evening light arrives we all end up back on the bus and head back to Quito, about two hours to the south.
The arrival back into the Mariscal area drop off is limited by traffic and crowds of fun seeking bar hoppers, so we exit the bus about a block from our original departure spot. Omar gets me oriented and I say my good byes and, overloaded with the “trophies” of the day, I head back to the hotel and a late dinner in the lounge.
Sunday 8/27 3.2m walkabout
Short sleep cycle due to my ATM card failure and the subsequent search for alternative funding. Front desk couldn’t advance $ against my hotel charges, but they referred me to an ATM down the hall where I could use my Credit Card. I don’t often use a Credit Card for a cash advance, but luckily the password worked and I had cash. I had breakfast and headed to the lobby. This was the day for my Tren Ecuador tour down the Avenue of the Volcanoes.
My request for a taxi turned into a private car to the Chimbacalle station. Check in required id and reservation, I get a number 9 sticker to wear, the 9 corresponding to the coach I would travel on. Busy chilly station platform filled with families, tourists, vendors and staff. The train lines the tracks and appears to be ready to go. Coach 9 is directly behind the engine and I have seat 57.
We depart at 8:05 and spend the first 25 min winding south through a graffiti covered wall of concrete, multi type buildings with occasional mountain views and glimpses of old town and housing covered hills.
45min in and we are going through a mostly industrial area with occasional open spaces, leaving Quito entering Santa Rosa. Cloudy day hiding the Volcanoes.
1hr+ in and we are pulling into a station for a 25min stop.
We are in a rural farming and ranching area with smaller communities, hilly and green with clouds still obscuring the mountains. The tourist train arrival brings out the police, some artesian vendors and a food stand. In the terminal is a cafeteria and an out building has banos. The engine is decoupled and moves up the track and all of the passengers disembark.
We sit on the side of a hill with an overlook of the town and green fields reaching up the sides of the mountains to the east.
The sun is making an appearance as the engine reconnects to the coach and we reload and crawl out of town.
The windows are fogging up as we roll through potato farms and cattle ranches. The sun is hiding and the mountain tops are in the clouds that are hanging over these green valleys. The train is greeted by waves and photos when we pass road crossings and homes near the tracks.
There is a crossing guard who periodically appears as he keeps pace with the train on a motorbike. His role is to get ahead of the train to ensure that the crossing gates are functioning and the track is clear ahead of the train.
We pull into the “Cotapaxi” station which is our turnaround point.
The conductor hands out a $1 coupon to use in the station cafe. It is cold here, so as the majority of the passengers gather outside to watch a craft presentation I go inside and use my coupon for a Humitas which I smother with salsa and devour out on the “sun porch.” The train moves out to turn around as I take a quick walk to check out the area. Cold and cloudy at the El Boliche National Recreation Area where I assume we will be walking after snack time so I head inside and camp out next to a space heater and put on my rain jacket for its minimal extra layer of insulation. The plan is to return to the train following the walk and head back to Machachi for lunch. My seat 57 will look out to the west on the return but I will still have a rear facing view.
Quick walk through the forest. I started out with the guided group, but it was too slow so I moved out ahead taking some photos on the way. The train started up near the end of the walk so I boarded and now the final whistle and we are off. 12:55pm. The windows have cleared up and I am looking to the west at a number of Alpaca walking down a road as we glide by.
The clouds still cover the mountain tops as we pull into the Machachi station and a light rain starts to fall as we file off the train to view a folk dancing presentation by a group of colorfully costumed young men and women.
Following the dance we group by coach number and hike over to a nearby ranch where we are greeted by the owner who welcomes me and is excited about the fact I have traveled from Denver. I am seated at a table with three women who give me some flack for my lack of Spanish language skills. The lunch is good and there is wi-fi so I get on-line to check my mail and discover that my flight from Panama City to Houston has been canceled due to Hurricane Harvey which has closed the Houston Airport. While the others proceed to checkout the collection of animals on the ranch following lunch, I get my phone activated and make a call to United. After a long hold, during which we all get back on the train, I get connected to a representative. As we roll down the track back to Quito I am able to get a new itinerary back to Denver. I was originally scheduled to leave the next day, Monday 8/28, but there is no availability so I am now scheduled to leave on a 5am flight on Tuesday 8/29. A call to Marriott extends my hotel for an extra night, but there is no way to get in touch directly with Gray Line to change my airport pick up to Tuesday. That can wait until I am back in Quito.
The train slowly pulls through southern Quito with the late afternoon sun highlighting the folks along the track waving and taking pictures of the train. I hail a cab at the station for a quick trip back to the hotel where I email Gray Line and leave a message at their emergency number to alert them of my change of schedule.
Monday 8/28 6.2m Walkabout
I sleep in a bit. This was my original departure date, but now I have an extra day to explore and enjoy. I got an email response from Gray Line with their confirmation of the schedule change. They will pick me up from the hotel at 1:24am Tuesday morning for the ride to the Airport.
After breakfast I head back to Old Town and explore the Basilica del Voto Nacional once again and then wander around the area.
It is a cloudy day with a few brief showers and I head back to the hotel for an early dinner and attempt the packing of too much into too little. I did bring an extra travel bag with me and that gets quickly filled. I hear from some friends I met on the Otavalo tour about meeting up for dinner, but I reluctantly decline as my departure time is quickly approaching. Somehow everything fits into my luggage and I set my alarm to 12:30am and sleep poorly for a few hours.
Tuesday 8/29
I head down for my early checkout at 1:30am.
My scheduled hotel pick up time is 1:45 am and the Gray Line van pulls up just as I complete the checkout. William and Mario are the two representatives who drive me out to the Aeropuerto Internacional Mariscal Sucre. This new airport is approximately 14 miles east of Quito and opened for service in 2013. The old airport was in a residential area in the city, similar situation to the old Hong Kong airport, and presented a significant risk to the growing population. The old airport is transitioning into a new park and hub for the new Quito Metro project.
There is absolutely no other traffic on the road until we get within a few miles of the airport. Mario pulls up to the International Departure area of the terminal and my bags are quickly unloaded. William shows me to the Avianca check in and departs. There are a large number of people lined up at check in but all goes well and quickly. Then a short walk to go through the security/immigration procedures.
Luckily I have a Lounge Pass where I get on the internet and take care of some business until 4am when I head down to the gate for the first of three flights to get be back to Denver. Check in is easy and I am soon flying out of Quito through a cloudy still dark morning.
Avianca flight 456 seat 2K
5:00am ct scheduled takeoff
San Salvador is in Mountain Time
Arriving 27 min early
Cloudy approach over the Pacific
On the ground at 6:34am
Out of the plane at 6:43 and locate a flight information display to find the gate number.
Through a Security Check at gate 10 for the Los Angeles Avianca flight 522
Checked San Salvador Airport on google maps. Long way from the city, approx. 25miles.
Flight scheduled for 7:45 departure.
Butt in seat 2K at 7:18am mt
Advertised flight time is 4hr 45min
Long flight through cloudy skies over a hazy jungle, now turning into hazy desert with some crop tile mazes over Mexico as we approach the border and our landing in LA. I have a long layover at LAX then on to Denver. Last time in LAX was following a nasty 12hr flight from Shanghai that got in late and I made the crazy run through United’s construction mess only to miss my connection by minutes.
Hopefully this will be a better experience. On the ground in Los Angeles 11:40am pt.
Flight 1285 to Denver
Seat 5F
Advertised flight time 1hr 56min
The captain stood in the cabin, greeted the passengers and gave a talk about the flight.
Nice touch.
The fuel equivalent of approx. 13gal of gas per passenger to get to Denver.
En route there were some sightseeing alerts from Captain Gough as we proceed over the Southwest, which are refreshing and appreciated. He has a rarely seen enthusiasm for his job and customers.
On the ground in Denver 7:15pm mt.
Summary:
I need to learn Spanish. Not just the phrases I can get by with in Mexican beach towns, but more advanced conversational Spanish. I need to test new ATM cards before I travel. My phone worked well in Ecuador, even on the train in a very rural area. The Ecuadorian people I met were friendly and gracious and maybe I was just lucky, but I felt no danger walking around Quito with my camera hanging around my neck and later with my arms full of souvenirs walking back to the hotel at night through the Mariscal Party Zone. The train tour down the Avenue of the Volcanoes was a victim of cloudy rainy weather as the volcanoes were hidden for the most part, but the lunch meal/location was amazing, the dancers were entertaining as well as unexpected and taking a train ride is always good. I didn’t bring a warm enough jacket, but I made good friends with an electric heater in the train station at El Boliche. The Otavalo tour was well done. I had originally planned to do it myself and take the public bus up to Otavalo. Yes, it would have been much less expensive, but I wouldn’t have met the great folks on the tour or experienced all of the add-on sites. And it was good to have the bus as the secure nest/haven for our long outing. Omar was a good guide and all of the stops were of interest +/-. I didn’t find the product originality or the creative artists at the Otavalo market, except for Martin back on the bus. Maybe I just didn’t cover the area well enough. My hotel location was great, the room was exceptionally peaceful and comfortable, the lounge was very accommodating, and the staff were all top-notch. My airport/hotel transfers through Gray Line were safe & efficient and well staffed. I got to the Equator, actual stood there, it was good. The flight cancellation/re-booking due to Hurricane Harvey was not unexpected and Janna, the United Agent I worked with as the train rolled through the Volcanoes, was very helpful. I enjoyed walking around Quito. Climbing the towers of the Basilica del Voto Nacional was certainly an unexpected highlight. My flights were all good. Thank you United Captain Gough for the personal approach to flying. I am full of experiences and memories. I hope I have captured something you can relate to should you journey to Quito.
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References:
Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands, Regis St Louis, Greg Benchwick, Michael Grosberg and Luke Waterson, Lonely Planet, August 2015
Wikipedia.com
Viatour.com
UnitedAirlines.com
Marriott.com
TrenEcuador.com
Jay Geiss - Walkabout 