My vacation got off to a rocky start last Saturday with airline malfunctions threatening my first day in Ecuador. But, persistence pays and got me to an alternate city, Guayaquil, with a free hotel. I ended up having a ball in the coastal town of Guayaquil, an easy flight to Quito the next day and a great story to tell.
Quito is not only the capital, but also the soul of Ecuador. Nestled in the Andes, at almost 10,000ft it is the world's second highest capital. The area called Old Town is a Unesco World Heritage Site, and the location of my hostel home base in Ecuador, The Secret Garden. The top floor of the hostel is an open air cafe/bar with a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains and lively Quito.
Within minutes of arriving at the Secret Garden, I met an delightful Australian couple who were headed to the art museum that happened to top my list for the afternoon. The Museo del Banco Central put the pre colonial, colonial and revolutionary periods and art movements in context for me. I am now eager to learn more as I travel around this small and proud country.
By some miracle, my luggage arrived on the evening flight from Miami and I picked up my bags without incident. I made it back to the hostel in time for dessert and to spend the evening sitting around a fire built in a wheel barrow hearing travel stories and soaking up the lights of Quito. My list of places to see is growing by the minute.
The next morning me and about 16 others from the hostel hopped in two trucks for a ride out to the middle of nowhere. We tied the backpacks on the roof and headed to the Cotopaxi National Park.
1 comment:
What was the story to tell?
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