Life in Quito

Since I started working here in Quito I hadn´t really gotten out of the city and was eager to do some hiking. So a group of us headed to Guagua Pichincha which is the active volcano located just outside of the city of Quito. Unfortunately, it just wasn´t in the cards for us because it had rained the past 2 days and the windy, dirt (now mud) road was blocked by a bus that got stuck. The entire group was really bummed and our guide felt awful and said that in his 17 years of guiding, he has never had to cancel a trip to Guagua Pinchincha. It figures!!! So we decided to go up on the Teleferico which is the cable car that takes you high above the city. This usually offers great views of the city but it was so misty you could barely see 50 meters in front of you. We had some lunch in town and called it a day. I took a few photos (which included some great shots of numerous Equadorians trying to pull the bus out of the mud!) but unfortunately I didn´t have a memory card in and I don´t have the original cable for my camera so they are stuck inside my camera. But my friends Emma and Andy will be sending me pics so I will post a few then.

Since then, I have been working 6 days a week here and really enjoying it. Every night the guests sit at the long communal table and eat, chat and drink. The atmosphere at the hostel is very warm and inviting and encourages conversation, of which I have had many interesting ones with people from all over the world. The computer on the terrace also has close to 17,000 songs so I am enjoying my stint as DJ Teen!! ;) Staff faves include Superstylin by Groove Armada, Dashboard by Modest Mouse, Staring at the Sun by TV On The Radio and Ghostwriter by RJD2.


Working hard.

The hostel is also very eco-conscious which I love. All soda and liquor bottles are saved and reused in Equador but they don´t have a formal recycling system so the hostel does it´s best and reuses cardboard & newspaper for the fire. They also have energy efficient lightbulbs and they have water bottles with purified water all over the hostel to cut down on the usage of disposable plastic water bottles. All of the produce is bought from a local farmer and sodas are served from large bottles in glasses to reduce the use of plastic. It is nice to be working for a hostel that cares about the environment and is trying to make a difference.


Bottles are reused as windows here
at the hostel.


The hostel grows most of it´s own
herbs and there are lots of plants.


A view of the ground floor. Mosaics
are used all over the hostel and most
are made from remnants from the
renovation of the building.

One day I decided to check out the Basilica del Voto Nacional located in the Old Towne of Quito. The basilica was built in 1873 and is a major landmark in the city. It´s structure and style is compared with two of the great cathedrals worldwide: Saint Patrick's Cathedral, New York, and the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris. It is distinguished for the substitution of the classic gargoyles by reptiles and native amphibians of Equador. This church is really spectacular and you can climb up in the clock tower which offers great views of the city. Here are a few shots.


Basilica del Voto National.


Behind me you can see the Cerro El Panecillo
which is the figure of Virgin Mary that looms
over the city.


A game of football in the courtyard.


A cool view of the city.


Alex and Sebastien enjoying the view.

So, life is good here in Quito. My friend Julie Campbell arrives tonight and I cannot wait to show her around the city and take some trips. She will be traveling with us in Equador until I am done work and then we are headed up to Colombia along with my new friend Liz & Jules. I am eagerly awaiting her arrival!