Quito has, I suppose, two claims to fame as a capital city. At 2,800 metres it is the second highest city in the world (La Paz is the highest) and it can with some justification claim to be in the middle of the world being just a few kilometres from the Equator. It also has one of the most spectacular locations of any city, sitting in a valley surrounded by mountains that rise to nearly 6,000 metres. These facts combine to give Quito a unique feel. The altitud...