Quito, Part 2

On our second day in Quito we decided to explore some more or the Old Town and read in Lonely Planet about a Gothic church that had a rather terrific climb up the towers. The church was not a disappointment even from the outside.

It had 2 magnificent clock towers.

With a third smaller tower.

In the basement were the ´Catacumba´. Tunnel after tunnel of graves from way back to present day. Bodies piled high and wide - a little unnerving - but some decorated beautifully.

Finally inside the church and at the top of the first set of stairs the most beautiful stain glass window.

Which looked down, from the balcony, over the rest of the church. It made such a change to see bare stone walls after the gold which plastered the city´s main cathedral.

The view from the first balcony was incredible, this is looking over the Old Town with the Virgin perched high on the hill at the other end.

But of course all I was keen for was to climb the tower and prove Lonely Planet wrong, that there was nothing scary about climbing a tower.

The first obstacle, a wood bridge, which is actually above the church ceiling.

Pah! No problem, even if it did sway a little!

After climbing a short ladder we came out onto a balconey opposite the 2 main clock towers.

´Was that it?´I thought, feeling rather proud of myself, taking this photo, leaning casually over the high balcony rail.

Then I turned around.........

3 sets of stairs (well ladders), exposed, on the outside of the tower supports, with no safety ropes. Actually no safety at all.

Kenny climbing up gives a little more of an idea of how exposed these were.

Wow! The view from the top.

Looking pleased with ourselves despite the breeze blowing freely between the very suspect railings.

The third tower, opposite the 2 clock towers.

On the way back down the ´ladders´we noticed that some repair work was going on. There are loads of differences between Ecuador and home but their approach to Health & Safety has to be one of the biggest as this ´scaffolding´ demonstrates.

Looking back at the tower.

After heading back over the wooden bridge we discovered that you can also climb up one of the clock towers. It was both crazy and delighting to be inside a clock! Here is me showing the time 10 to 5.

Kenny reckoned it was like a scene out of ´Back to the Future´ (apparently you boys will know what he means?!?)

Even though these ladders were at least inside the tower they were still pretty tenuous ladders as many had rungs missing.

I loved it in here and even though the clock no longer works it made me giggle to be in with the bells.

Once again at the top.

A top that was even higher than our previous climb looking rather lame beneath us.

And what could be better than climbing a clock tower?

A clock tower with a lovely cafe selling liquor coffees half way down.

Me doing a ´Ta Da´, that's where I´ve been face.

The rest of Quito seemed pretty boring after my tower climbing frenzy but there were loads of street performers out doing really weird performances. Here is a cross between local dancing and French mime (What?).

Every second and last Sunday of the month they close the roads in the Old Town so people can cycle them safely, brilliant idea I reckon. We looked all over to hire bikes but ended up just walking for ages.

I huge jump in time now as this is Wednesday afternoon. We have been so hard at work studying Spanish that I have had no time to go anywhere worth taking pictures.

Nostros estamos viviendo en Ecuador por un mes. A hora, yo estoy viviendo en Quito circa de la Floresta con una familia Ecuadoriana. Hoy levanto a los 6 de la manana. Yo desayuno pan y mermelada.

As a break from Spanish one of the other students organised a trip out to the hot springs of Papallacta. When we arrived it was raining hard and very cold!!!

But the springs, which were filtered into various pools of different temperatures were incredible. The biggest hot tub you can imagine.

It should also be noted that the trip consisted of 7 girls & Kenny, although I am not sure if that was lucky for him or not?

The pools were surrounded by the most amazing scenery and apparently on a clear day some of the volcanoes can also be spotted.

Kenny - with 2 of his girls.

It was so hot in the pool that I often had to sit half in but it was so cold outside it was like a temperature regulation nightmare.

So school finished and I am proud to say that I now order all my food in the native language and have had a number of conversations with Spanish only speaking people. I have found the best combination is to find someone who wants to practice their English so I speak in Spanish, they in English and usually we can both understand most of the conversation that way.

For the week after school we are booked on an 8 day package packed full of activities based at a hostel called ´PapaGayo´(recommended by one of my friends back home due to all the hot men that run it).

We wanted to take it easy though so our first day was a touring trip of various local attractions, the first being a biscuit shop that made its own biscuits.

Picture - the biscuit dough.

The biscuits baking. They are more savoury than sweet and are commonly eaten with yogurt.

The finished product.

The biscuit makers. Not sure why they did not want me to help!

After a short drive we arrived at a view point. Volcanoes, not sure which ones.

The locals never miss a trick.

We then went on to a famous locall market in Otavalo which sold mainly textiles but also some wonderful smelling spices.

The market.

The textiles were so amazing and so cheap that Kenny and I went a little crazy. So much so that we had to buy a bag to put them all in. (They willl shortly, slowly be making their way home so look out for them mum).

Some local women resting under a palm tree. The local dress is beautiful, long dark skirts, white embrodiered tops with colourful woven waist bands.

After the market a short stop at a lake in a cretor, again, I cannot remeber its name but I think this has more to do with our guide not really telling us anything about where we were rather than my memory.

A town famous for leather products. I enquired as to the price of an incredibly decorative Ecuadorean saddle, $450, a barguin! (Don't worry mum one is not on its way home!)

The leather shop street with a very pretty road surface.

Back to Quito with just enough time for one last visit to 'Coffee & Toffee' the famous 24 hour cafe in New town, Quito.
Yes that is a coffee! Their signature toffee coffee.

So we leave Quito for the next week, it has been our longest home yet since leaving the UK and is a really pleasent place but we are ready for the next stop.

PapaGayo! Located in the Cotopaxi national park around 1 hour south of Quito. A wonderful old lodge with creaky rooms and wooden floors.

Yes I am starting to feel really at home here, I have embrased the local dress and look the part of a seasoned traveller, all I need now are half a dozen thread bracelets and a hair braid!