Thursday, June 12th, 2003 – Day 114
The bus left last night at 9.30pm just after Ecuador and Peru drew 2-2 in a football match. It seemed everyone is town was watching the TV, many from sidewalks into restaurants. The female bus steward gave everyone a VERY thorough body and bag search before we got on. It was pretty full for the 10 hour journey. Slept pretty well because of the good road. The only perks of the journey were a glass of coke and a Hollywood movie called “Big Fat Liar” dubbed into Spanish. Frankie Muniz from TV’s Malcolm in the Middle, playing a Michigan eighth-grader whose penchant for lying results in parental scorn when he claims that a Hollywood movie mogul has stolen the kid’s hastily written English essay and turned it into his upcoming summer blockbuster. Very poor.
We are rudely interrupted by the police who came everyone get off the bus at 1.00am for another body, document check and bag search. We arrived in Quito (which was cold and misty) at 7.00am in the morning. I could have walked about 20 minutes to my chosen hotel was but got a taxi for 2 US instead. The hotel was full, so moved onto my second choice by walking, but it was too expensive at 16 US per night. I walked to a third option which was 8 US for a 3 bedrommed room with TV overlooking a small plaza. Fine.
My first stop (2 minutes from my hotel) is La Plaza de la Independencia or the main square.
This became the main square of Quito in the 16th century. The Spanish were afraid that the Incas might poison their water supply, so the Spanish set up their own protected well here, and this plaza subsequently became the social center of town. The plaza also served as a central market and bullfighting area. Today, Old Town’s main square is bordered by the Government Palace on the west, City Hall to the east, the Archbishop’s Palace on the north, and the Cathedral to the south.
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Click on the picture to see it in it´s original size
Quito – Ecuador – La Plaza de la Independencia (12-06-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in it´s original size
Quito – Ecuador – La Plaza de la Independencia – Cathedral (12-06-2003)
Next stop Iglesia de San Francisco This was a free entry church.
“San Francisco is the first church built in Quito. Construction began in 1535, just 1 month after the Spanish arrived here. (It took more than 100 years to finish it.) You’ll notice that Plaza San Francisco is distinctly sloped; for several hundred years, it was assumed that it followed the shape of the Earth. However, a group of archaeologists recently discovered that San Francisco was built over an Inca temple, which is the reason why the actual church is much higher than other structures in Quito. As you walk up the stairs from the plaza to the church, you can’t help but realize how wide the stairs are. Supposedly, the architects designed the stairs this way so that as you approached the church, you had to keep your eyes on your feet to watch where you were going–in other words, it forced you to bow your head in respect. The ceilings have a beautiful Moorish design. In the entryway, like in La Compa??a, you will notice all the images of the sun, which were used to lure indigenous people into the Christian religion. You will also find important mixtures of indigenous and Catholic symbols inside the church. For example, the interior of the church is decorated with angels in the shape of the sun–and the faces of these angels have distinct Indian characteristics.”
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Click on the picture to see it in it´s original size
Quito – Ecuador – Iglesia de San Francisco (12-06-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in it´s original size
Quito – Ecuador – Iglesia de San Francisco (12-06-2003)
Next store is the San Francisco Museum and Convent (Museo Fray Pedro Gocial) which has a separate entrance and entrance fee. I got in with my fake student ID for 1.50 US (normal price for adult foreigners is 2.50 US).Personally, I highly recommend a visit to the museum and its highlight: the choir. Here, you can see the church’s original wood ceiling, as well as a beautiful wood inlaid “lyric box” that was used to hold up the music for the singers in the choir. No cameras allowed. Bags have to be deposited.
Next stop is the beautiful La Compana de Jes?s. Normal price is 2.00 US but with student ID it is 1.00 US.
“This Jesuit church is one of the great baroque masterpieces in South America. It took 160 years to complete all the work (1605-1765). The facade won’t fail to impress you–the carvings are unbelievably detailed. Notice the Solomonic columns, which are symbolic of the Catholic doctrine that life’s journey starts at the bottom (on earth), but by following the holy path, it ends at heaven.
Almost every inch of the interior has intricate decorations. When you enter La Compa??a, look for the symbols of the sun in both the main door to the church and the ceiling. The sun was a very important Inca symbol, and the Spanish thought that if they decorated the entryway with indigenous symbols, it might encourage local people to join the church. The walls and ceilings of La Compa??a are very typical of Moorish design–you will only see geometric shapes, no human forms. “
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Click on the picture to see it in it´s original size
Quito – Ecuador – La Compa??a de Jes?s (12-06-2003)
I then walked up to the El Panecillo hilll or Virgin Monument . I should not have done so as I had read warnings online and in the Lonely Planet not to do so as many tourists have been attached, robbed, rapped on the way. In my wisdom I thought It was another hill. the steps some dodgy areas including a prison. Once I got 2/3 up, I had a choice of left and right. I took a right but was faced with about 8 baying dogs. I made a hasty retreat and went the other way. I didn’t see many shady characters but in the heat I was exhausted when I got to the top as it is a steep climb. It was 1 US to to to the viewing tower. I only stayed there 20 minutes and made my way back down. A hesitant local couple were deciding whether they should walk as they knew the story and asked me to accompany them. They told me of the places bad reputation as we went down. I was happy to get back to the central plaza again.
“From a distance, the hill that hosts a huge statue of the winged virgin does indeed look like a panecillo (small bread roll). Since it’s directly south of the city, this hill was an ideal spot to construct the 148-foot (45m) high La Virgen de Quito. The panecillo stands at about 9,840 feet (3,000m), so you can also see the sculpture from the center of Quito. The significance of the panecillo hill dates back to Inca times, when it was known as Shungoloma (“hill of the heart”). Before the Spanish arrived, the local people used this hill as a place to worship the sun. Afterwards, the Spanish used this site to construct a fortress between 1812 and 1815 and to control what was going on down below. These days, most people come up here for the 360° views of Quito”.
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Click on the picture to see it in it´s original size
Quito – Ecuador – on the way to the El Panecillo hilll or Virgin Monument. La Ronda area. Situated in the heart of the Old City, Quito’s most famous (and possibly oldest) street is a living breathing time capsule of days gone by. The 16th century colonial buildings have been exquisitely preserved the whitewashed walls dotted with blue-framed windows and decorated with pots of red geraniums in traditional style. The area, though beautiful, is not one of the safest areas in town. Take extra precautions when traveling in this area and make sure to keep an eye on all of your belongings. (12-06-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in it´s original size
Quito – Ecuador – El Panecillo hilll or Virgin Monument (12-06-2003)
I next went to SAN DOMINGO church. this area is not meant to be safe at night.
On one side of the San Domingo plaza is the church and church museum. The church houses a statue of the virgin that was a gift from King Charles V of Spain. The Museum is home to a large collection of art from the Quito School.
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Click on the picture to see it in it´s original size
Quito – Ecuador – San Domingo square and church. General Sucre is the statue. he is pointing towards the point where he won a famous battle. (12-06-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in it´s original size
Quito – Ecuador – San Domingo Church (12-06-2003)
Finished my sightseeing at around 6.00 and took a bus to the New Town (gringo backpacker) area. Many international restaurants, net cafes etc here and local business have hired security staff to stand on about 30 street corners because of past attacks on tourists. I spend an hour on the net and walked New Towns most famous and modern street, called Avenue Amazonas. Luckily my hotel is right beside a main bus station (Teatre Sucre) so got a bus back. The cost is only .25 US. The hotel is fine and is called Hotel International Plaza Del teatro (Guayaquil N8-75). I have a balcony view. Got back to my hotel and ate in a restaurant close by for 5 US. Was in bed by 10.30pm.
BTW, those people who were kidnapped in Peru have been released unharmed.