Happy 22nd birthday Sivanne! Amadeo from the hotel gave her a rose this morning for her birthday. Such a sweetie. Had a great day exploring Quito yesterday with the knowledgable help of Sivanne who seems to know her way around like a local. Made the orientation so much quicker and easier. After a great breakfast at the hotel with amazing Ecuadorean coffee, fresh pineapple, tomatillo juice, eggs and rolls we ventured out into the sunshine to find the Israeli embassy. After a 15 minute uphill walk (with me gasping for breath) we arrived only to realize that we had forgotten the passport! Duh!! Sivanne and Omer went back to get it but when they returned it turned out that the embassy was closed for the day! Damn! Turns out they are open on Friday. Go figure!
So we grabbed a taxi and drove up to El Panecillo. There is a huge statue of the Virgin of Quito on a hill with an amazing overlook of the whole city. The weather was beautiful and the view was spectacular. Still couldn't see the famous volcano Cotapaxi but that's apparently not unusual. We could see Pinchancha and the other hills and valleys surrounding Quito. After that we headed down the hill. You must do this by taxi only because it is too dangerous to walk. What a shame because it is a beautiful park and really not so far to get down to the historical UNESCO center of Quito. We are learning quickly that you can't fool around with the real security issues that plague Quito. To their benefit there is a huge showing of tourist police everywhere trying to maintain a sense of security in the city.
We wandered around the small streets and alleys of the Old City all afternoon. Sivanne introduced us to the typical Ecuadorean lunch which is the main meal of the day here. there is the daily menu (almuerzo) costing $2 to $3 for soup, rice, chicken or beef or fish, fresh fruit juice and a cookie. Cheap, tasty and filling. I could have done without the big kid that came up behind me and sneezed all over my head (with his mouth full of ice cream) and then asked for money for food. Sivanne tried to explain to him that he should buy nutritious food instead of ice cream but I'm sure the good intention was lost. After lunch we visited the Museo de Ciudad. Very nice, well laid out history of the city in a beautiful old building with pretty courtyards in the middle. Recommended! After that we took the bus back to Mariscal area. An adventure to be sure. Absolutely packed bus that drove fast, starting and stopping with a vengeance. Lucky it was so packed that you were protected from flying down the aisle by the other passengers. It didn't feel so safe though. You have to watch your bags like crazy.
Back in the tourist quarter we had coffee at Juan Valdes coffee shop. Who remembers those commercials with good old Juan wandering around the supermarket with his mule! Apparently Juan has evolved since then. It is just like a Starbucks and was a great place to spend the afternoon while it's pouring rain outside. The weather here changes so quickly.
So today we visited the Israeli Embassy, who were off celebrating Yom Ha'atzmaut yesterday, and now Sivanne has a new passport issued in Quito! That's something special. After that we took a bus out of town to visit Mitad del Mundo or "middle of the world". This is the exact spot where the equator is and they have set up a very touristy little area with museums and recreated village scenes with a lot of handicrafts. Sivanne finally saw her llamas there too. Pretty "kitchy" but it was okay.
The rain started again (same time each afternoon?) so it was back to Juan's for coffee for the rest of the afternoon. Finished off the birthday with a nice dinner out at the central square.