Typically we don’t take this type of bus tour but for Quito, it was a great way to see the city. With our Senior Discount, it was a bargain at $7.50 each.
This neo-gothic cathedral, Basilica del Voto Nacional took 100 years to build and it’s not yet complete! The most interesting features are the gargoyles, many in the shape of Ecuadorian fauna.
Another important landmark we saw on our bus trip around the city was El Panecillo with the statue the Virgen of Quito, (she’s made with 7000 pieces of aluminum).
It’s an excellent vantage point for an overview of the city.
For a small country, Ecuador has many bio-diverse regions. To learn more, we went to Quito’s Botanical Garden. In a beautiful setting in La Carolina Park, we saw examples from the wetlands, cloud forests, plus many orchids and tropical flowers.
Here are just a few:
We are staying in a neighborhood called La Carolina rather than the Old Town. We like it as it’s lively with many shops and restaurants.
We’ve had an interesting time in Ecuador. While we haven’t felt particularly unsafe in Quito, we’ve had more than one cab driver or restaurant server tell us how unsafe this city is – we’re cautious but they’re quick to remind us that we’re easy targets.
We have one more full day here before we make our way home!
