November 18, 2007

Quito

After waking up and having breakfast with Heidi, G and I fed her ducks. It was so much fun watching the climb all over each other trying to get the corn feed. We then drove the 15 minutes to the restaurant and had some juices. The fresh juice here is amazing. My favorite is mora (blackberry).

Then Heide, G and I headed to Quito for some sightseeing. We first drove by HCJB, Hospital Vozandes de Quito, and my elementary school, Alliance Academy. It was so cool the see where I attended and how much has changed. They now have a walkway over the street for the students to cross the street.

We then drove to Pichincha where we caught the TeleferiQo, the cable car up the mountain. Pichincha is an active volcano right in Quito. The view is amazing. We then walked, with me panting all the way, up to the viewing platform. Once back to the staging area, G bought a coca leaf tea and I had a hot chocolate. It is quite windy at 4100 meters, which equates to about 3 miles high.













Once back in the car we drove to El Panecillo. The Virgin Mary is a huge statue on the top of the hill. We then stopped at Pib's for lunch. I had Yllapingachos (potato pancakes), locro, Spanish tortilla, and salad for lunch. G and Heide shared some steak and chorizo along with the locro and Spanish tortilla. It was quite good and the view of Quito was great.

We then drove thorough old town taking pictures of the churches and old buildings. It was so much fun to drive thorough the old cobbled streets.




















Then it was time for some souvenir shopping before heading back for dinner at Thomas and Toby's house.