Our flight to Ecuador took longer than expected when a weather delay out of Boston caused us to miss our connection in Panama. The weather in Quito, by contrast, was exceptional despite a forecast for rain all day. Maya and I did a walking tour of Quito’s Old Town covering 6.5 miles before stopping for a late lunch. We spent the rest of the day relaxing at our posh hotel, quite likely our last taste of luxury for the balance of the trip. The BasÃlica del Voto Nacional, pictured below was one of our favorite destinations. My fear of heights prevented me from joining Maya who bravely climbed what amounts to open scaffolding to reach the spires of the church for an unsurpassed view of the city. I was content to photograph her from the ground.
The inside of the church was impressive by any standard but it did not hold a candle to the interior of La Compania whose entire interior is virtually covered in gold leaf, seven tons of it by some estimates. Regrettably, no photographs were permitted there.
Making good use of our guide book we took in the most famous sights of the city including, Plaza Grande, Plaza Santo Domingo, Plaza San Francisco, Plaza del Teatro, several churches in addition to those already mentioned, Museo de la Ciudad, and the magnificent Colonial era buildings in the La Ronda district.
Maya’s feet at the end of the day bear witness to the distance we covered. Note to Jeanine: your daughter, of her own volition, washed these before turning in for the night.
