This city seems to be surrounded by hills so there is always potential of getting some really good views of the city depending on where you are. I will go ahead and highlight a couple but trust me, there are more!
Virgen de Panecillo
This is a big statue of the virgin Mary that can be seen from the historical district of Quito and probably beyond. The statue lies on a hill called Panecillo and this hill was used by the Incas back in the days to worship the sun. The statue of the Virgen de Panecillo is a popular landmark in the city and when you get up the hill you can enjoy some amazing views. It's advisable not to go up the hill on foot because the surrounding area isn't safe and you can be easily mugged, however; you can always get up the hill using a taxi.
The statue from a distance.
View from the hill where the statue lies.
Teleferico
The teleferico is a cable car that takes you high up in the mountains and you get to enjoy good views along the way. At the very top where the teleferico let's you out there are various hiking paths that you can take to get to one of the higher mountains, it is cold and very windy up there plus sometimes breathing can be a problem because of the altitude.
It's advisable to wear sunscreen and bring a warm jacket.
Yeah, this is the furthest I got before turning back. I wasn't ready of the hike because my thighs still hurt from the Quilotoa trip, that descent to the lake wasn't east. The path was very slippery so you had to use all the muscles in your legs to balance and control yourself from falling. It was a good work out though!
Random Thoughts of The Day:
Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure certain experiences are real because they just come across as a bit telenovela-ish or in other words, dramatic. I met a BEAUTIFUL man from Cuba, he owns a restaurant near the house I am staying at. I met him when I stopped by his restaurant to try some Cuban food, we ended up talking....and talking.....and talking. The restaurant was empty and I was the only customer there since I was having a very late lunch. He was awed by my adventurous spirit and he said I had captivating eyes. He put on some slow, soft Cuban music and pulled me up to dance, as he held me close my knees got shaky. I knew there was a mutual attraction but............
Here in Quito it is always better to take a taxi that has a meter. Actually the law mandates that the taxis have meters, certain taxi drivers have a tendency to hike up prices when they realize you are a foreigner so the meter helps prevent being ripped off. When I was going to the teleferico this one driver tried to charge me $5! I insisted it was too much so he said we will go by the meter. Guess how much the taxi ride cost according to the meter? $1.80!!!
I just love female friendships and camaraderie, I met this really sweet girl and the first time we hang out it felt like we had been friends for so long and we talked a lot. We hang out again and she introduced me to her friends who welcomed me like I was part of the circle. One of the girls in the group was going through some crazy mess and it was so sweet seeing how she was able to open up and have her friends rally behind her. This reminded me of how cool it is to have friends that you can really talk to.
Unlike Cali and Medellin I have yet to see a fake butt or boobs on the streets of Quito. The mannequins don't have huge boobs as the ones in Cali and Medellin either. Just an observation.
On my way home this evening I passed by a car that was parked on the street, I happened to look inside and saw two dudes making out. I was shocked and almost stopped to take a second look but kept it moving. Who I'm I to interrupt a couple's "fun time."
Virgen de Panecillo
This is a big statue of the virgin Mary that can be seen from the historical district of Quito and probably beyond. The statue lies on a hill called Panecillo and this hill was used by the Incas back in the days to worship the sun. The statue of the Virgen de Panecillo is a popular landmark in the city and when you get up the hill you can enjoy some amazing views. It's advisable not to go up the hill on foot because the surrounding area isn't safe and you can be easily mugged, however; you can always get up the hill using a taxi.
The statue from a distance.
View from the hill where the statue lies.
Teleferico
The teleferico is a cable car that takes you high up in the mountains and you get to enjoy good views along the way. At the very top where the teleferico let's you out there are various hiking paths that you can take to get to one of the higher mountains, it is cold and very windy up there plus sometimes breathing can be a problem because of the altitude.
It's advisable to wear sunscreen and bring a warm jacket.
Yeah, this is the furthest I got before turning back. I wasn't ready of the hike because my thighs still hurt from the Quilotoa trip, that descent to the lake wasn't east. The path was very slippery so you had to use all the muscles in your legs to balance and control yourself from falling. It was a good work out though!
Random Thoughts of The Day:
Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure certain experiences are real because they just come across as a bit telenovela-ish or in other words, dramatic. I met a BEAUTIFUL man from Cuba, he owns a restaurant near the house I am staying at. I met him when I stopped by his restaurant to try some Cuban food, we ended up talking....and talking.....and talking. The restaurant was empty and I was the only customer there since I was having a very late lunch. He was awed by my adventurous spirit and he said I had captivating eyes. He put on some slow, soft Cuban music and pulled me up to dance, as he held me close my knees got shaky. I knew there was a mutual attraction but............
Here in Quito it is always better to take a taxi that has a meter. Actually the law mandates that the taxis have meters, certain taxi drivers have a tendency to hike up prices when they realize you are a foreigner so the meter helps prevent being ripped off. When I was going to the teleferico this one driver tried to charge me $5! I insisted it was too much so he said we will go by the meter. Guess how much the taxi ride cost according to the meter? $1.80!!!
I just love female friendships and camaraderie, I met this really sweet girl and the first time we hang out it felt like we had been friends for so long and we talked a lot. We hang out again and she introduced me to her friends who welcomed me like I was part of the circle. One of the girls in the group was going through some crazy mess and it was so sweet seeing how she was able to open up and have her friends rally behind her. This reminded me of how cool it is to have friends that you can really talk to.
Unlike Cali and Medellin I have yet to see a fake butt or boobs on the streets of Quito. The mannequins don't have huge boobs as the ones in Cali and Medellin either. Just an observation.
On my way home this evening I passed by a car that was parked on the street, I happened to look inside and saw two dudes making out. I was shocked and almost stopped to take a second look but kept it moving. Who I'm I to interrupt a couple's "fun time."
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