first week - Ecuador

Wed 20 June

My first day here in Ecuador I climbed up some huge hill (El Panecillo) to see ´La Virgen de Quito´, which is a huge statue of the (I think) Virgen of Quito. It was a hell of a climb as I was not aclimated (still not) and I had to stop several times on my way up to rest. My guide book said not to do it but I figured if everyone reads the guide book then no one will climb, thus the bad guys will be hanging out at different locations (yeah I know Deb, not really sound logic) and I would be safe. I am so glad I did it, the view was worth it, the climb was great for me and I went up and down safe and sound.

La Virgen











The view from the top









Thurs 21 June
Walked around town and just soaked in the sights of the old town. Figured out the trolley car. The mass transit system here in Quito is awsome, $0.25 to basically go anywhere. There is the trolley and the metro buss. You pay at a station and they only stop at the stations (quessing at about .5 km between stations). The trolley is electrical but looks like a buss and both them and the metro busses are huge - like a buss with a buss trailer. Other observations about Quito is that it is cleaner than Guate and very little litter. Food is very cheap $1.5 - $2.5 for a good meal and beer is cheap.
Friday 22 June
Went to the ´la mitad del mundo´which is where the equator is. Took the metro bus ($0.25) to the end of the line and then took the buss ($0.15) for about an hour to the spot. The busses are modern nice busses. Once there I took a few pictures and had a cup of coffee. checked out the shops but I did not spend much time there. I asked one couple if they would take my picture and he asked if I was a packer fan - he was skeptical if he (a viking fan) could take my picture. Afterwords we were walking and I said viking and packer fans could coexist here and he said ´as long as we were on opposite sides of the equator´, it was humorous. took the metro buss back ($0.40) and apparently it doesn´t go to the end which was confusing - I got off somewhere in the old town and walked back.
ciao