Best Western Casino Hotel Plaza Quito

... surrounded by mountains plus one gigantic active volcano. I had such a lovely weekend, the first night I stayed in a ´luxury hotel´well for Ecuadorian standards - but it was nice, and had a spa with a it´s very own hot spring. The second two nights I reluctantly checked into a dorm (pushing the comfort zone so early in the trip!) as there was nothing else available. I had managed head out of town on the only 4 day ...

... the textile and artisan markets, fruit and vegetable market and the farm animal market. As we were arriving by bus we missed the animal market which had already finished by the time we arrived but our main aim was to see the textile market anyway. We had heard from some tavellers that due to the popularity of the market it would be hugely busy with people everywhere and when we arrived we were pretty surprised as there weren´t that many people there at all ...

... from last year in Mexico...coffee, strong and black like the darkest night while admiring the snow-capped mountains surrounding Quito slowly emerging from the early morning fog, the rising sun promising another mild spring-like day despite the roughly only 25 kilometer to the equator. <br><br>The airport lounge is full with colorfull indio women dressed in black long skirts and white shirts laced with blue embroidery and the typical South-American dark felt hats, boiling tea over ...

... community has to come to at least one minga every month. The community even has their own laws and is in return recognized by the Ecuadorian government as an independent community. Six years ago, before the police were present here (now they have one office and one or two officers) a thief was caught, beaten to death and burned. Such is the indigenous law all over Ecuador, Freddy my host dad told me. <br>So living in Lumbisi each person has their rights and their obligations. Many ...

... it has been going since 6.00am. The animal market has everything edible that Equador has to offer: Cows, bullocks, sheep, chicken, pig, dogs and guinea pig. Guinea pig is a speciality here and you can buy one for $10 but you have to kill and gut it yourself. Or you can go to a restaurant. <br><br>There are sheep and pigs being dragged complaining to cars and trucks. Sheep have their front and back legs tied together and are then bundled into the boots of cars still protesting loudly ...

... the corner to visit what we understood to be "the most beautiful church in Latin America" It certainly lived up to its reputation. The richly decorated interior is covered in pure gold and was breathtaking. There wasn't much explanation about where the gold came from though!<br><br>Off to Galapagos tomorrow so might not be able to do more blogging for a week.<br><br><br>

... the animal and fruit market, colourful and smelly... not good for the faint hearted like me, every part of every animal imaginable for sale, the worst was the poor live chickens hanging upside down by their feet, i skipped lunch that day.<br><br><br>Quito<br><br>now it was time to pay the historic capital city of Quito a visit.Quito is divided into ...

... makes me want to barf. I took a bus ov** th**e to find me a spanish-english dictionary since my translator was stolen. I saw some white people walking down the side walk when i first arrived and yelled to them. !Hola Gringos! they didn´t laugh. I thought it was amusing and then lat** realized gringos ev**ywh**e! The new city is wh**e all the lame white people have been hideing. It took me far to long to find the book store as i wanted to get out as soon ...

... where to go, thanked him before proceeding to find someone else to ask for directions. Only after coming across Calle 6 de Diciembre, did the puzzled look the waiter gave me make sense.. <br><br>We were somewhat creeped out by our hosts and accommodations at Hostal Titisee so we moved one street over to stay our second night at Hostal Galeria. Our main objective of the day was to visit La Mitad Del ...

... to be levitating, the picture is awesome. We arrived in Ilinizi to the clamor of their Good Friday celebration. Almost immediately after locating the hostel, we watched Jesus, cross-in-all get paraded by us along with three or four effigies and the rest of the usual suspects for a Easter celebration. The parade proceeded to the top of the hill where they had a ceremony and then paraded back down to the church. They then sang hymns for the rest of the day ...