QUITO, ECUADOR - Mitad Del Mundo - the Center of the World

Nov 28

WED NOV 26 – DAY 48 – LIMA, PERU TO QUITO, ECUADOR

I was up at 5:30 to get myself ready and uber to the airport. My flight departs 8:50 and it’s an international flight so I have to be at airport by 6:50 and it is an hour drive. Jado’s flight is tonight 11pm so he has the day in Lima.

I arrived, ordered and Uber and ended up staying w my Uber driver in Quito all day until 7pm. I didn’t have plans today, my tour tomorrow is all encompassing. He offered to show me around, we dropped my bags at my hostel – and we had a great day. Visited the largest Basilica in the Americas…. Something I have never seen before, absolutely massive. Climbed wiry stairs to the very top and took photos. What an experience. After our day, we had dinner at a quaint Italian pasta place with live music. It was lovely.. I had a great day, thanks Alex!

THURS NOV 27 – DAY 49 - QUITO, ECUADOR

I woke up at 6am, with the intention of getting ready for my tour out to Copaxi, a volcano. But I woke up with diarrhea and kind of shivering. And Cotopaxi is up in the snowy mountains. As well, I do not have warm clothes here and I have been cold most of this trip.

I worked on my blog, then got dressed, called an Uber and went to the middle of the world – Ciudad Mitad del Mundo. It was very interesting.. the latitude is 0 – 0 – 0 .

I had a lovely massive lunch there, beans, rice, chicken, salad, potato cheese avocado soup, lemonade, and an ice cream cone ALL for $5! Everywhere I have been so far on this continent has been pricey. This tourist attraction of all places, everything is so incredibly low priced.

After lunch, I Ubered back home. Showered and got caught up on many things. Have had no time while traveling with the kids. Plus I am not feeling great today so it’s a good day to get caught up.

Since I walked the historical downtown last night, and I am staying there, and I saw the middle of the world today, I felt good to stay in today. It does not feel safe here either, so many young guys walking around stealing things. A lot more honking in Quito as well. This is not my favorite city. I saw some awful things on the streets I did not care to see. I do not feel safe walking around by myself outside here. So many people screaming and fighting everywhere.

Ecuador was a quick pitstop but enough for me to cover all the most important areas to see.

My flight is at 10am tomorrow, will leave hostel by 6:45. My friend Alex offering to drive me so I guess that’s good.

My new friend Alex offered to drive me to the airport in the morning, so I got dropped .. and away I go, back to Colombia.

QUITO, ECUADOR RECAP

The city of Quito has a population of approx. 2.1M people. It is spread out and massive. Like many other cities I have seen, the houses are on top of each other on hills. It is incredible how they build these homes. The population is growing here – it seems the economy is easier than others such as Venezuala.

People are selling on every single corner of this city. There is nowhere I went where there were not people yelling for sales… vegetables, toilet paper, ice cream, full meals, back scratchers, wipers, you name it!

The elevation is quite high at 2850 meters about sea level. It is the second highest capital city in the world, only La Paz in Bolivia is higher. It may be the reason I didn’t feel great, too many cities of high altitude recently.

Ecuador is considered the center of the world because it is less than 20 km to the line that divides the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The monument now marks the spot. The tourist thing to do is to stand on the yellow line which divides the 2 hemispheres, which of course I had to experience and get photos of.

There seems to be chaos in almost every part of this town that I visited. It is loud, people screaming, honking, fighting, it is not a peaceful city. I am glad I visited the center of the world, and met a couple of nice people, otherwise, this city is not for me. Having said that, I am certain the Galapagos Islands would have been a very different experience – in a good way.

Quito, I rate you 5/10. I would not come back here.

Here I am in Quito, Ecuador

The largest Bascillica I have ever seen in my life. La Basilica dle Voto Nacional - the largest neo-Gothic basilica in the Americas

I stayed in Historical Centro which was beautiful and interesting, but not very safe

Alex drove me around all day - we ended up going to a nice Italian place for dinner - it was so good.

My hostel room that holds 6 girls, except I was alone in the room until late my second night as I fell asleep and she was super quiet

Jorg back with her girlfriends at Briercrest, and also back with her guy friends - was so good for her

I went to Mitad Del Mundo - the center of the world. Was great! Been wanting to try guinea pig this entire trip as it is a major expensive delicacy everywhere here - you have to buy a half or whole guinea pig and i just could not do it!

I stood on the infamous yellow line that divides the North and South Hemispheres

My massive $5 lunch

Jado hanging in Lima wtih his new friends

I bought a huge cup of mango for $1

My 24 year old Uber driver. Very interesting to pick the brains of the young people here.. everyone trying to make a go of it. He says everyone stays living at home until they get married in Ecuador, then they move out

My last drive, Alex drove me to the airport as I head back to Colombia