bathroom. The rotary phone was amusing. Unfortunately, it was cold. Everything I owned was wet. While there was a heater, it didn’t put out enough heat to dry anything or take the chill off the room. I hung clothes everywhere and hoped two days might be enough to dry them.
A quick survey of nearby restaurants revealed an Indian place a couple of blocks away. I went there and, despite having skipped lunch, managed to overeat on saag with lamb, rice, and naan. I returned to my room, crawled under the warm quilt, and was soon asleep.
The blackout curtains in my room were very effective and I slept until 7:00. It was dark and rainy, outside, and I didn’t want to get up. However, I had ordered breakfast for 8:00, so got up to wash my hair and redo my braid. Usually, I would have done that on Sunday, but there was no hot water in my room at the Cotococha Amazon River Lodge. The shower was equipped with an electric heater of the sort we call “suicide showers” in Mexico. It wasn’t working and shocked me every time I tried to adjust it. The shower at La Rabida had hot water, at first, but it quit before I finished washing my hair. A cold shower in a chilly room was no fun. I dressed quickly and went to breakfast.
I was still full from the night before and couldn’t quite make it through the roll and two fried eggs that they served me. I forgot to bring my powdered milk, so had to make do with black coffee. Cream, milk, and creamer are just not served in Ecuador.
 |
| La Basilica del Voto Nacional |
After breakfast, I returned to my room to work on my blog for a couple of hours. It was gloomy outside and I wasn’t inspired to go out. Finally, about 11:30, I decided it would be warmer outside than in my room and set out to explore. I walked about 15 minutes to the La Pradera Metro station and rode the metro to the Alameda station near where I had stayed previously. Then I walked up the steep hill to the basilica. The basilica was built on a very steep hill. By the time you walked around to the back, you were looking across at the roof.
 |
| Basilica Interior |
 |
| Rose Window in the Basilica |
The Basilica del Voto Nacional, financed by the Ecuadorian government, was built as a symbol of the consecration of Ecuador to the sacred heart of Jesus. Begun in 1892, it was not consecrated until 1988, making it one of the newest Gothic churches in the world and the only one in South America. Unlike the medieval churches, this one was framed in steel because of seismic considerations. The stained glass was exceptionally beautiful. The rear courtyard boasted a dramatic staircase down from the street above and the entrance to the crypt where Ecuadorian leaders are buried.
 |
| Iglesia del Sagrario Altar Piece |
I finished visiting the basilica just before 13:00 and learned that the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco, my next objective, would not open until 15:00. I was still too full to think about eating lunch, so I took my time strolling down the very steep street to the Plaza Grande. I visited a couple of churches along the way. The early 18th century Iglesia del Sagrario had an impressive gold leafed altar piece and ornate doors and entrance pillars. The Iglesia de las Compañia de Jesus, constructed between 1605 and 1765, had an impressive carved facade but, between the narrow street and the sun backlighting it, I could not get a decent photograph. They were charging $6 to enter, so I decided to pass on that one.
 |
| Model of the Inglesia de las Compañia de Jesus |
The pedestrian mall in front of the church was a lively place and I stopped to listen to some street musicians and sample some strawberry espumilla, an airy dessert made from fruit pulp beaten into egg-white meringue and served in an ice cream cone.
 |
| Espumilla |
After turning the corner, I found myself at the vast Plaza San Francisco. One of the original buildings fronting the square has been turned into a metro station. I
 |
| La Plaza de San Francisco |
sat in the square for nearly an hour until the museum opened. Built in the Spanish Baroque style between 1535 and 1650, the Basilica and Convent of St. Francis is the largest colonial building complex in Latin America. The convent now houses a museum displaying Franciscan art and artifacts, including the original figure upon which the Virgin of Panecillo was based. The convent had many walled courtyards and once included a brewery which operated until the order switched from beer to mineral water in the early 1970’s.
 |
| The Brewery in the Convent of San Francisco |
 |
| Cloister Floor |
 |
| San Francisco Interior |
The museum occupied the cloister and the second story was floored with polished hardwood. Tourists were not allowed to enter the church, but could view the nave from the choir, which offered a unique perspective. The decoration of the basilica was very ornate and unlike any I had ever seen. The original bell towers had collapsed in a 19th century earthquake. They were quickly rebuilt and a climb to the top revealed a panoramic view of Quito.
 |
| View of Quito from the Bell Tower |
 |
| San Francisco Cloister |
 |
| Inspiration for the Virgen of Panecillo |
 |
| Bread Bowl with Curry |
I took the metro from San Francisco back to La Pradera and walked back to the hotel for an hour’s rest before setting out for dinner at Crepes and Waffles, a restaurant recommended to me by two hotel employees. Having eaten little breakfast and skipped lunch, I was hungry. I ordered a sourdough bread bowl filled with chicken curry that was so good that I stuffed myself and could barely waddle home. I spent the rest of the evening writing.
June 17, 2025
La Rabida Hotel Boutique
Quito, Ecuador
 |
| Toiling Up the Hill |
I decided to practice hiking at high elevation by walking from my hotel to the Telefériqo in Quito. This involved climbing 5.3 kilometers up streets that were at times steep enough to require stairs. It took me about two hours to make the 1,000’ climb and I was really huffing and puffing by the time I left the city and started climbing through the mostly eucalyptus forest. It was an interesting walk through middle-class neighborhoods. Children were getting out of school for lunch as I passed by and the streets were crowded with snack vendors.
Just before I reached the Telefériqo station, I came upon an amusement park. It appeared to be closed on a Tuesday during low season, but their music was blaring.
 |
| View from the Telefériqo |
The Telefériqo went straight up the side of Pichincha, although it didn’t reach the summit. The taller of Pichincha’s two peaks, Guagua Pichincha is 15,696’. I only got to 13,162’. The hike to the summit takes about five hours and I would have had to have taken the first car up to give myself enough time.
It was very cold at the top. I stopped at the café for a hot chocolate and then went out and wandered around the trails near the upper station. There was a church at the top that looked like it was popular for weddings. There were also snack and craft vendors, although most were closed.
 |
| Church at the Top |
It was unfortunate that most of the volcanoes were shrouded in clouds. At times, clouds passed below where I was standing. It was, however, possible to see just how huge Quito is. I took some photos and then headed back down after about 90 minutes. The ride down was even more spectacular than the ride up. It was easier to see just how steep the cables ran.
 |
| My Ice Cream Dinner |
Back at the bottom, I still had five plus kilometers to walk, although it was mercifully downhill. About halfway back, I realized I was ravenous. I stopped for an ice cream. That gave me just enough energy to make it back to the hotel where I took a two-hour nap and slept through dinner. About 20:00, I woke up enough to work on my blog.
June 18, 2025
Hotel Endamo
Latacunga, Ecuador
 |
| Quitumbe Terminal Gates |
It wasn’t a long bus ride to Latacunga, so I spent the morning in my hotel, working on my blog. When it was time to go, I called an Uber to take me to the Quitumbe bus terminal. I thought the quoted fare of $1.56 was ridiculously low for a 41-minute drive, but it showed the right pick-up and destination. For some reason, the driver was directed to a random office building about a mile away. That explained the fare, but didn’t get me to my bus. I asked if I should request another ride, but the driver said he would take me for $12 cash. That was a fair price, so I agreed. Unfortunately, after I got to the terminal, I discovered that he had adjusted the ride in the application and Uber had also charged me about $9. I only regretted giving him a $2 tip.
 |
| Vegetables Growing in Mejia |
The woman at the bus counter made up for some of it by assuming I was a senior and only charging me $1.25 to get to Latacunga. It was a local bus and took about two hours to make the 60 minute drive. We took secondary roads and I got to see more of the vegetable fields in Mejia. Still, we retraced some of the route we had taken to get to Cotopaxi. I got off at La Estacion, which turned out to be a shopping mall, instead of the bus terminal. It wasn’t really any further from my hotel and there were plenty of taxis. The fare to the Hotel Endamo in the center of town was $1.50.
 |
| Parque Central in Latacunga |
The hotel Endamo was pretty nice, although just as cold as La Rabida. At least there was a hair dryer. A room cost me $25. I rested for a bit to catch my breath and then realized that I was hungry. I walked a couple of blocks to the Parque Central and then stopped into an artisanal brewery where I got some not exactly authentic nachos and a really nice glass of Irish red style ale. I was glad to see that the IPA craze had not ruined beer in Ecuador, too.
 |
| The Church in Latacunga |
The Parque Central or Parque Vicente Leon was filled with palms and flowers. It was surrounded by banks, the city hall, government offices and the church. Only a small chapel was open at the church. People were in there praying, so I didn’t take any pictures. Many of the buildings were fronted by arcades that sheltered vendors, but it was not a touristy spot.
 |
| Parque Bolivar |
On the other side of the City Hall was the Parque Bolivar, another beautifully landscaped park with less traffic surrounding it. On the other side of my hotel, was the Parque Filantropia. This was more of a neighborhood park and families were out enjoying the late afternoon sun. Having drunk a glass of beer, I was feeling sleepy. I returned to my room to rest, write, and work on my blog.
 |
| Parque Filantropia in Latacunga |
June 19, 2025
Hosteria Alpaka
Quilotoa, Ecuador
 |
| Latacunga Bus Terminal |
My hotel in Latacunga was hosting some sort of youth conference and, between chattering teens and a screaming baby, I didn’t get a lot of sleep, despite the comfortable room. They did serve me a ridiculously large breakfast, half of which kept me full until dinnertime. I took a taxi to the bus terminal in Latacunga and quickly bought a ticket to Quilotoa, which was much easier than the internet had led me to believe. I chatted a bit with a local woman who invited me to visit her village, but I didn’t have the time. The pictures she showed me looked gorgeous, though. There were flowers everywhere.
 |
| Sheep on the Road to Quilotoa |
 |
| Field of Lupines |
Of course, the bus was late. It was 10:40 before the 10:15 bus left. We started climbing as soon as we left Latacunga. We followed the highway through Pujili a couple of hours to Zumbahua. It amazed me to see farming going on above 10,000’. We passed through fields of wheat and lupines being raised for their white beans. Many of the fields were very steep and the surrounding mountains were rugged. Sheep and cows grazed on steep mountainsides. I saw a few llamas and alpacas. The older women all sported skirts with thick stockings, wool sweaters, shawls, scarves, and black fedoras. The younger women dressed more fashionably.
 |
| Traditional Dress |
At Zumbahua, we left the highway and climbed up an even steeper secondary road to Quilotoa. At the entrance to Quilotoa, I had to pay $2 to enter. A local man with a pickup ferried me to my hostel and agreed to take me back to Latacunga the following morning for $30. Quilotoa was a ghost town and the few businesses that were open all had their hands out.
 |
| Hosteria Alpaka |
There were only two of us staying in the large hostel. My room was large and had a comfortable, king-sized bed with a thick down comforter and a heater that really worked. The room leaked heat like crazy, so it never really got warm, but it took the chill off. The bathroom was like a walk-in refrigerator, but the glass bottles imbedded in the wall were pretty. I had a nice view of the mountains and good internet.
 |
| My Fourteen Dollar Room |
 |
| The Caldera on Quilotoa |
After checking in and dropping off my luggage, I set off to look at the lake. Laguna Quilotoa is a caldera and filled with beautiful green water. The lake was perhaps a thousand feet below the rim and I just didn’t feel like walking down there. I followed the rim of the crater for half a mile or so and took lots of pictures. The wildflowers were abundant, especially the lupines and a yellow flower called bolsa de agua that looked like a snap dragon. Some of them grew straight out of the rock. The scenery was incredible in every direction and the clouds made it more dramatic.
 |
| Bolsa de Agua |
 |
| Lupines |
It was cold and windy. I had on my down jacket, two fleeces, hat, and gloves. I started back when it began to drizzle. Of course, I had to stop to have my picture taken with a bad-tempered alpaca. I stopped into a café for a hot chocolate. The proprietor had to go out for milk. We chatted a bit. Many people in Ecuador have been curious about life in Mexico.
Back at the hostel, I sat downstairs around the woodstove with the family, all of us absorbed in our phones. The mother made me chicken soup with potatoes and a side of cheese for dinner. I didn’t want more. Then I went upstairs to huddle under the comforter and write.
 |
| Scenery Around Quilotoa |
 |
| Sunset at Quilotoa |
June 20, 2025
 |
| Toachi Canyon |
Hotel Gran Quitumbe
Quito, Ecuador
Friday was just supposed to be an easy travel day. My driver, Augustin, was supposed to pick me up at 10:00 to take me to Latacunga. Then I would just have a 2.5 hour bus ride to Quito and could relax until my ride to the airport in the morning.
I was eating my humongous breakfast and chatting with a fellow guest from Santa Cruz when Augustin showed up about 8:50, telling me that we were going to take a German couple to Sigchos before going to Latacunga and would need to leave at 9:00. I was mostly packed, so had no trouble being ready (I was getting the $75 tour for $30, after all.) However, in my haste, I neglected to make the bed. Apparently, I had left my Kindle tangled in the comforter. I didn’t know it at the time.
We drove down the incredibly deep and stunning Toachi River Canyon to Sigchos. The highway was empty and Augustin took it like a race car driver. There was no litter visible, anywhere, and Augustin told me that the tourist businesses picked up the litter along the highway. The road passed by fields of corn and potatoes and lots of grazing cows. An equal number of pigs and dogs crossed the road. We passed through Chugchilán and eventually arrived at the bus terminal in Sigchos where the Germans got out.
 |
| Quilotoa Loop Scenery |
My useless guide to Ecuador had mentioned the Quilotoa Loop, but didn’t offer a map or any description other than that it passed through the highlands. I was short on time, so elected to visit only Latacunga and Quilotoa because bus travel got iffy beyond there. I got lucky because Augustin took me back to Quilotoa via a different route, completing the loop. The scenery was stunning. I felt like I was in the Alps. The canyons were so steep and deep that photographs didn’t do them justice. Augustin stopped several times so that I could take photos.
 |
| Me on the Way to Latacunga |
From Sigchos, we drove beside the slopes of the Iliniza Volcano, but the summit was lost in the clouds and it actually rained on us. We stopped to pick up some hitchhikers because the buses are inftequent. Pretty much all drivers acted as combis. I had experienced this form of transportation in Colombia in more remote areas. Augustin left me at a bus stop beside the Panamerican Highway. This was easier for him and faster and cheaper for me, but I had been counting on the restrooms at the Latacunga terminal. I had to hold it for two more hours.
 |
| Iliniza Volcano Obscured by Clouds |
 |
| My Driver, Augustin |
The Hotel Gran Quitumbe was an easy walk from the terminal down good sidewalks. I had no trouble rolling my three-legged suitcase. The hardest part was getting past the taxis. Unfortunately, no sooner had I sprawled on the bed in my room, when I received the message from the hostel in Quilotoa about my Kindle. I didn’t have time to go back to Quilotoa before my flight to Lima, so I had to get creative. I asked if anyone was headed this way and offered to meet someone in Latacunga. The woman from the hostel said she could send it on the next bus. She gave me the name of the bus company and I rushed back to the terminal to grab the next bus to Latacunga. The woman at the counter remembered me.
 |
| The Hotel Gran Quitumbe |
I got to Latacunga about 16:00. The bus from Quilotoa was not due before 16:30. I spoke with the office, they called the driver, and confirmed that my package would arrive around 17:00. They suggested I go inside to the seating area to wait. Half an hour later, two employees from the bus company found me in the terminal and delivered my package for $2.00. By 16:45, I was back on a bus to Quito, arriving just past 19:00. So much for my relaxing afternoon. I was looking forward to meeting my tour group in Peru and not having to make so many arrangements.
June 22, 2025
Hotel Tambu
Lima, Peru
The Hotel Gran Quitumbe was on the main road to the Quitumbe Bus Terminal and there was a lot of traffic noise. The hotel also had a needlessly loud doorbell that awakened me every time someone pressed it. Consequently, I got very little sleep, despite earplugs. I gave up on sleep by 6:00.
My driver was an older man who was not tech savvy. He did not update me when he left, as promised. However, he did arrive as scheduled and, while he seemed to have trouble judging his speed and staying in his lane, he did eventually deliver me to the Quito Airport.
 |
| The Quito Airport |
I arrived at the airport at 9:09 for a 12:15 flight. When I checked in and printed my boarding pass, I discovered that my flight had been canceled and rescheduled for 20:15. The first flight listed on the monitor was at 14:00. I could not even check my bag until 16:30.
Having not eaten dinner the night before, I ate a little quiche and enjoyed a latte. Then I settled down to wait. There are not a lot of facilities at the Quito Airport. Beside the coffee shop, the only restaurant was a Johnny Rocket’s with U.S. prices. I had a $10 basket of cheese fries for lunch about 14:00 and then waited some more.
When I finally checked my bag at 16:30, they informed me that my little carry-on duffle bag counted as a second piece of checked luggage. Since the first piece had cost me $85, the clerk kindly suggested that I reorganize my belongings. I took my heavy jacket and travel pillow out of my bags, expanded my suitcase, and stuffed the duffle inside the suitcase. I had always traveled with a medium-sized suitcase and a small carry-on but, given the trend of charging for even carry-on bags, I determined that my next suitcase would be large.
I still had several hours to wait after I passed through security. I had hoped for a better choice of food, but found only a second Johnny Rocket’s. I decided to pass on dinner. I wasn’t hungry enough for a $20 hamburger. The flight left on time at 20:15.
I enjoyed catching up on all your adventures. I'm glad to hear you got a heater and access to a hairdryer. After reading all of your challenges about being cold and wet if I ever do a trip like that I'm definitely bringing my own hairdryer as a back up. Great photos!
ReplyDelete