Quito, Ecuador with a population of 1,400,000 sits in a Andean valley at a lofty height of 2850m (9,350 feet) which makes it the second highest capital city in the world. And without a doubt - you feel it! Stairs feel like an unbelievable task, with or without the backpack. We decided to spend the first couple of nights in the Old Town area as it was said to be a bit safer than the more heavily touristed Mariscal Sucre area.
Our hotel - Hotel San Francisco de Quito - was over our budget but we wanted to get our bearings with a little more comfort before heading to our normal hostel digs. The place was located in an old colonial building with a great internal courtyard set with lush greenery and water fountains. Right outside our room was the electric bus line which would hum past, loudly, on a regular interval. Then, I guess to test fate right off the bat, we head out after dark in search of eats.
The streets are relatively quiet and just seem to have been set by a Hollywood crew with backlights in just the right places for stunning photography. Quito gained recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. Extensive renovation took place and was completed in 2006. Its dark, so the details are uncertain - but the colonial buildings are just spectacular, intricate, ornate at times, but amazing pieces of architures. John ushers me along - dinner was the goal. We roam aimlessly - luckily the area is well-lit, the entire area is also well patroled by security and we don't feel a threatened even though we know its best not to linger in the streets after dark. Finding dinner in Old Town is harder than you might think. The area is pretty dead at night but eventually we find a little restaurant right before it closes.
Here's another shot of Quito at night.
