All smiles.
As I boarded the bus to head to the capital city of Quito, I was nothing but smiles. My belly was full of a delicious brunch of a local dish called Bolon – it is a mix of green plantains, yucca, and onions – along with chorizo and eggs and don’t forget the strong americano. I also had a sweet treat locked and loaded. While I had such a wonderful time exploring the volcanoes, waterfalls, and swings in Baños, I was ready for the next adventure. I am happy to report that the journey to Quito was only three hours on a pretty empty bus. The views along the way were amazing, the bus was air conditioned and I was well rested. Upon arrival to the south bus terminal in Quito, I got a cab to the hostel, Secret Garden (https://www.secretgardenquito.com/). I choose this hostel because it was rated the best hostel in Ecuador and had an amazing terrace with a view of the city with volcanoes in the distant. I knew I had to be there. I checked in and went straight to the terrace to enjoy the beauty of Quito. I got a margarita, ok I got a few margaritas, and went to bed early. Tomorrow I needed to be fresh and ready to explore the city.
Big city life.
I have lived in big cities for my entire adult life. From Chicago, to NYC, to Seattle. I love the freedom of convenience and being able to walk or take public transportation to anything I need, since I do not own a car. So it was only right that I check out city life in Ecuador. I had 3 full days to explore. Quito is HUGE! There is an old part of town, a new part of town, different neighborhoods with unique characteristics, and is surrounded by parks and huge volcanoes. Day 1, the hostel offered a free walking tour of old town. I thought this would be a good place to meet people and learn the history of Quito. The tour lasted three hours. We learned a lot about politics, churches, chocolate, and local artists. During the tour, I chatted with many people, but one from Brazil stood out, Gabriel. He didn’t speak much English and I don’t speak Portuguese. So Spanish it was. A real test of my skills. However after a month in Latin America, my Spanish was definitely improving (but not like it used to be). After the tour ended, Gabriel and I decided to get lunch at a local spot. We wondered around, went up to the towers of the basilica to see the city from the top, and drank the signature Quito drink called canelazo (fruit drink with cinnamon, a cane sugar alcohol, and served warm). We were enjoying each other’s company and ended up spending all day together. In the evening I wanted to DANCE. So we did. Until 4am. Started at a local club and danced to Latin hits and reggaeton. Then moved to a popular club with a mix of American and Latin music and way more gringos. I left the club looking like I just jumped into the pool. Don’t tempt me with good music and cold beer! Day 2, I slept in a bit and went to get breakfast. Gabriel and I joined back up and took a cab to the newer part of the city to an area called La Floresta to see some graffiti and a more local area. After we headed up to the Virgen de Penecillo, one of the largest angel statues in South America, to see Quito from a different angle. The sun set over the city as we took in the beauty of our surroundings. We ended the night at a nearby spot with live jazz music.
Hard to breathe.
Quito is the second-highest capital city in the world, sitting at 2,850 meters (or for my American friends 9,350 feet) of elevation, which already makes it a bit harder to breathe even when walking on flat ground. There are 32 volcanoes on mainland Ecuador and more than 15 surrounding Quito alone. One large volcano closest to the city is Volcan Pichincha which has a hike up to the top called la ruta del rucu Pichincha. Gabriel and I agreed to hike this together, because who doesn’t love a good challenge and having someone to do it with it is the necessary motivation. It was about a six-mile trail (full loop) with 2,400 feet in elevation gain. I just hiked Patagonia, I could totally do this (at least that is what I told myself). We headed out to the start of the mountain around 9:30am. You can take a teleferica (cable car) up to the top of the first part of the volcano (at about 13,287 feet above sea level). This is where most people start and end their venture, with many viewpoints and cafes to enjoy the city from the clouds. However for the more adventurous folk – obviously me – there is a trail that takes about 3.5 hours to get to the very top of the volcano. We started out strong, however, every few minutes you have to take a break because the elevation makes it hard to breathe. The last mile of the trail took about 2 hours. It was rock and dirt scramble. I have never experienced the kind of physical challenge where my body is OK but I cannot catch my breath, it was pretty intense. Nevertheless, the summit, or el cumbre, was WORTH IT. Pics don’t even do it justice: LINK. We enjoyed the views from all angles at the top and I was just glad the hard part was over and we could now enjoy. It took about 1.5 hours to descend the volcano to which there was an hour line waiting for us to get back on the cable car. I was hungry and tired (not a great combo). Upon arriving at my hostel I immediately ordered a gin and tonic. Gabriel and I celebrated our accomplishments by shoving our face with pizza and sharing stories and photos of the incredible day. A perfect day with even better company.
The jen essentials for quito.
- Walking shoes (the city is big and there is lots to see, so be ready with comfortable shoes)
- Altitude sickness medicine (I told my doctor I didn’t think I needed this – thinking of Patagonia only. THAT WAS A MISTAKE!)
- Sunscreen (I ran out of sunscreen in Baños…turns out the sun is still strong at the center of the equator)
- Wind breaker (at the top of the volcano, it was cold and windy since we were basically in the clouds)
- Small bag (gotta be prepared for all types of weather, activities, and snacks [you always need snacks])
- Uber app (Ubers are about $4-5 to get to most places in the city…I wish that was the same for Seattle)
- Cash (almost no where accepts credit cards, and if they do there is a 7-20% fee)
- Spanish skills (this realllllly came in handy in Quito as many people didn’t speak English in smaller stores, restaurants, taxi drivers, etc. so download Duolingo ahead of any trip to Quito)
- Ear plugs (because I choose to stay at the fun hostel, the party went until 11pm every night and then again upon return from the bars/clubs, wax ear plugs for the win)
- Toilet paper (if I learned anything in Baños, always be prepared – this message is mostly for my females out there)
Wrap it up jen.
It is easy to blend in in a big city. Something I am used to since I have been living in large cities for the last 18 years of my life. For the most part I felt incognito in Quito with all the people and busyness surrounding me. However, I want to thank Gabriel for making me feel SEEN. We had such a wonderful time getting to know each other in those three days, building a bond I will never forget. I look forward to the next time we meet again – no idea when, where or how. But I guess that’s the reality of a traveling nomad. Until then…
Next up: After three weeks in Ecuador, it is time to cross the border into Colombia to beach town of Palomino for a week-long yoga retreat!
Signing off for now,
Jennifer