Quito Old Town

Today we walked towards the Old Town in beautiful weather. At first, we walked in the wrong direction because our location was not accurately marked on the map.

However, we quickly found the right way. All the streets were car-free today. It was very pleasant. Many joggers, cyclists, and skaters took advantage of this great situation. It was also very nice for us. The Old Town was about a 30-minute walk from our hotel. We walked through a park where locals had set up stands. They were selling their goods such as wool ponchos, hats, souvenirs, etc.! Everyone was very friendly, even if we didn't buy anything. We always thanked them with a smile and continued on. At this point, I should mention that we were walking really slowly, almost strolling. The altitude was affecting both of us, so whenever there was even a slight incline, we were out of breath.

After the first park, there was a spiral staircase that led to a great viewpoint, but Daniela and I looked at each other and said "Naaah". It's crazy how quickly you get out of breath when you walk just a little faster, and anyone who knows me knows how fast I walk... laugh.

The journey to the Old Town was already very exciting. We often stood in awe in front of beautiful churches or old colonial houses. We didn't know where to look, it was so impressive. When we arrived in the Old Town, we were surprised by the high police presence there. But we learned that Quito, especially the Old Town, was not always so safe and it has now changed due to the increasing number of tourists.

There were massive crowds at the Plaza Grande (Independence Square). The streets surrounding it were filled with people. Friday was a public holiday, so there were many events happening over the weekend. The Plaza Grande houses, among other things, the Presidential Palace. It looks very impressive and the guards in their uniforms were quite something. We continued walking through the streets, and everywhere we went, locals were making music and people were dancing to it. The atmosphere was great, and the people's lightheartedness brought a smile to our faces.

With these incredible impressions, we walked back towards the hotel. Just before our hotel, we discovered a nice cafe/bistro. The walls there were beautifully decorated. We were also impressed by the drinks, and the comfortable large chairs almost made us fall asleep. After that, we went to the hotel and ended the evening nicely at the bar.

Tomorrow, we will take the cable car up to Rucu Pichincha and we plan to walk down. It should take about 2 to 3 hours and the scenery is supposed to be breathtaking. Well, I will report back.