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So last night I arrived on Quito just before nightfall and rushed off to eat before it got dark but didn't get to do anything else.
Today I had a lovely breakfast in the hostal and then set off to explore. I left my phone behind in case of theft but then forgot my camera as well! So alas, no photos of Quito aside from the pic here which is just of the entrance to my hostal.
I decided I wanted to go to the botanical gardens and the best way of getting there was going to be the Ecovia, a bus (maybe electric?) that runs on its own path in the middle of the road. Everything that I had read about this form of transport mentioned pick-pocketing so I was a little nervous! (Hence leaving my phone behind).
Turns out pick-pocketing is the least of your worries on one of these things! It was so damn crowded I waited for three to pass before I realised that they weren't going to get any less so. You just barge your way on while a whole pile of people barge there way off! When I got on a poor old man was trying to get off and couldn't! Fear of death by trampling, suffocation, or getting jammed in the door were way more worrisome than pick-pocketing!
BUT, it only costs 25 cents no matter how far you go so it is pretty worth it. It just pays to count the stops so you know when to get off because there ain't no way you can see any signage out if those windows!
The botanical gardens were lovely and pretty but all the signage was in Spanish so I couldn't really read much about any of it. After that I set off home again but stopped to have lunch at a vegetarian restaurant which was AWESOME! It was nice to not have for worry about ordering food without meat and just say yes to whatever is on offer. I got the set lunch menu which was great for only $2.75!
For dinner I was heading for another vegetarian restaurant which I'd read about when a guy outside a Mexican restaurant stopped me and said "you want Mexican? We have vegetarian!" Do I look vegetarian or what? Anyway it worked and I ate there instead which was great.
Tomorrow I go to Mindo. I'm a bit gutted I can't have more time in Quito because I really wanted to go up the Teleferico (a 2.5km gondola thing). I've decided that two nights is a dumb amount of time to stay somewhere because you just get settled and into the groove and then have to leave so I think I'd rather see less places on the trip and be able to stay longer at them.
So anyway, sorry for rambling. Will let you know how Mindi goes. I do look forward to escaping the CRAZY Quito traffic, it is worse than Bali!!
- comments
Mary What an interesting time you are having. Peter would love to have been at the B G. He says 'Good on you for working things out well' we are impressed with your attitude. can't wait for the next installment.