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| Rucu Pinchincha from trail |
This morning we took a gondola to a ridgetop high above the city, at 13,500 feet. From there, you can hike to Rucu Pichincha, a craggy peak 15,400 feet high. We didn't realize the hike to the peak started at the top of the gondola, so we just started off up the ridge thinking we'd walk a few hundred yards and reach the end of the trail. Fortunately, we had water, even though no food, because the trail kept going up and up and up and so did we.
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| deep purple lupine lines the trail |
We hiked to about 14,500 feet, halfway to the peak, when we decided it was time to turn around before the gathering thunderheads unleashed their rain and lightning on us. Neither of us has climbed a '14'er for 2 years, so we were pretty pleased with ourselves for making it rather easily to a point higher than any of Colorado's highest peaks. Next time we're here, we'll start earlier and try to climb the peak.
The views are spectacular. Quito spreads out far below, surrounded by mountains. There are terraces left over from earlier farming efforts, even as high as 14,000 feet. Because Quito is close to the equator, the weather must be a bit milder for farming, but I can only guess how difficult it was to lug plants or seeds up the steep valleys to these tiny terraces and hope for a crop before winter set in.
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| Quito from the Tereferico Trail |
Back in the city again, we spent much of the afternoon exploring Quito's charming historical center with its beautiful colonial buildings, 17th century churches with intricately carved facades, and narrow cobblestoned alleys lined by homes, shops and countless restaurants. Here, you do a lot of walking up and down steep streets, which means a bit of huffing and puffing, given the 9200 foot elevation of the city. Well worth the walk.
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| indigenous woman |
Since Ecuador is an Andean country as well as a Pacific Coast country, there are many indigenous mountain tribes. Many of the women from these tribes sell their wares along the plazas and from stalls lining the streets. Their languages are official languages in addition to Spanish and many people speak only their local language.
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indigenous women outside their shops
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Some photos of this lovely city:
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| Basilica (cathedral) of Quito |
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| facade of church built in 1604 |
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church at Plaza Independencia, the main plaza
convent in Plaza San Francisco
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