Quito, Walking Tour of Old Town

Tuesday, Feb 25, 2014

After a big driving day yesterday, we decided to follow the self guided walking tour of this old town, the first of UNESCOs World Heritage Site. The Lonely planet said it was 3 kms and 4 hours. Because we are so nosey, we got 2.5 km done in a record 6 hours! Ok, there was a cappuccino break in there!
The restoration over the last few years is phenomenal, and there still is evidence of more being done.

Our hotel is a block from Plaza grande, which is the starting point of the tour so off we went to see all the shoeshine guys busy at work and

2. the guards in front of Government House. They guards do a public change of the guards but only on Monday. Beautiful building, will do the inside of it on Thursday.

3.the Cathedral where we have visited vendors tucked into cubicles in the walls, beautiful interior. The Quito School paintings on display lovely.

4. this street is called Calle de Siete Cruces, street of seven crosses and there are seven huge churches, mostly all of them have a plaza in front.So down Garcia Morena to La compania de Jesus

They have their own bank system but  they operate with American dollars

Dave and his doors!!

Ecuador's Brinks!

5. then around the corner to Sucre and the Plaza and Monastery San Francisco

That means street of cotton

Where every shop is a cotton product shop

Getting ready for a military function

6. Muse de cuidad was a real treat, their old hospital converted to a three part museum: history, art and medical. Fascinating.

This baby weighing scale was used in 1950.

Wondering if mine are blooming on Willow Rd!!

The kitchen tools from the old hospital 

In the cafe where we stopped for a cappuccino, not sure what it represents

Next came a wrong turn and we climbed up three blocks....have I mentioned you are either walking up hill or downhill at any point in time in Quito. Okay, we are getting Dave ready for the Inca Trail but my calf muscles are just fine, thank you. And don't forget about the altitude here.... I am a little puff engine after three blocks straight uphill!! Fine, we turned the wrong way, down hill again to a lovely find

Note the restoration under way

7. La Ronda, an artisans area. Dave spent a half hour with a tourno, that would be a wood lathe , while I played with the toys this guy had made. have a few in my suitcase for the grandsons.

8. Plaza and church of Santo Domingo, a smaller plaza but the church has 17th century domes and a arched street entrance

The little lady with the brown shawl asked Dave to help her across the street, too cute!

Repair crew, always on call to keep buildings up to UNESCO's standards

9.Walked along Flores to Plaza del Teatro but were disappointed that the doors to the foyer were locked.
More restoration on this plaza still happening.

and the best for last, although there were three more sites farther along, we chose this one to end our tour.
10 Basilica del Voto Nacional WOW!! Humbling experience when you walk inside, close to Notre Dame in Paris but with local flavor. Instead of gargoyles protruding from the roof, we have turtles, lizards and iguanas here.
14 stations of the cross and stained glass windows are magnificent.

The floor has individual tiles from spain

University

Pope John Paul II has been here twice

Before we returned to our hotel, we stopped for a bite to eat and were highly entertained by the fun loving staff.

Protocol! lol

But one should be careful, Dave when they ask for the house special!!!!!! That would be lentils, rice, fries, salad and beef! Do you think it is worth $4.50?

eeeeeeew