Sunday (11-2-2008). Quito. The Clouds.

We woke up in time to catch the complimentary breakfast that comes with the hotel room. It was served underground in room of stone bricks and arches. Afterwards, we caught a cab and took it straight to the Teleferico, Quito’s new cable car system that rises over Cruz Loma, a hill at the skirts of the volcano Pinchincha.

In a small cable-car, surrounded by tourists chatting enthusiastically in German, we slowly climbed upwards until we were 4,100 meters above sea level.




10 minutes after we had climbed aboard, we were at the summit of Cruz Loma, looking upwards at Pinchincha and downwards towards Quito. We were surrounded by the 14 peaks of the Andes at what is known as the Volcanoes Avenue, in the thick of the clouds.






These are what clouds look like up close:



We watched them wisp over the hillsides below us.


This is Quito from a distance:



Sick as I was, it was glorious. But neither of us were in a state that we could handle a three hour hike to the volcano and it was very chilly, so we walked around a little more and caught a cable-car back down.







Afterwards we stopped by La Basilica, one of Quito’s most magnificent constructions. There was a mass in session, so we snuck past the “No Tourismo” signs and into the catacombs, meandering through the labyrinthine passages and briefly through the mass. Directly outside, we found a café and sipped mint tea and coffee.




For lunch we headed to Fruteria Monserrate. I was out of steam at this point and told Ryan that all I cared about was a bowl of tropical fruit with raspberry topping and whipped cream that the Lonely Planet guide had promised would be delicious. He came back with the fruit bowl, the sandwich for himself and a chocolate milk with orange blossom sponge cake and tres leches. This definitely made me feel a little better.

Afterwards we found a small teatro in a market where there was flamenco dancing and then wandered to Plaza San Francisco where a huge crowd had amassed around a beautiful woman playing an electric violin. With my last bits of energy, I searched for a sturdy canvas backpack (which seems to be the style in Ecuador) so that I can replace my shoddy backpack that I have been using since 9th grade when I return to Philly and will be living out of a backpack and couch hopping.

By the time we accomplished this mission it was raining and my cold was overtaking me. With no strength to find dinner, Ryan brought back pizza and sangria. I was unable to partake in the Sangria. The rest of the night was a struggle to stay warm and pack.

Infirmity aside, I was glad to have stepped into the clouds today.