Monday, 29 August 2011
Saturday, 27 August 2011
Telefériqo
Saturday 27 August 2011
This morning I got up early to visit the Telefériqo, a cable car that runs to the top of a nearby volcano and has fantastic views over the city of Quito.
Lx
This morning I got up early to visit the Telefériqo, a cable car that runs to the top of a nearby volcano and has fantastic views over the city of Quito.
Lx
Relaxing
Friday 26 August 2011
Today I had a relaxing day. I met up with a former volunteer (the girl I went to Cuenca with) as she's leaving this weekend. We had lunch in La Mariscal and then walked all the way along to the handicrafts market at Parque El Ejido as she still needed some souvenirs and I'm still looking and making small purchases. It was quite hot and the sun was really strong, not pleasant! We took a taxi to the centro histórico and wandered round there a bit before heading our separate ways. I headed home and then later in the afternoon walked down to the big shopping centre near my home and have a look at all the shops. The names of the shops might be different but the basic idea is the same as in Europe.
Lx
Today I had a relaxing day. I met up with a former volunteer (the girl I went to Cuenca with) as she's leaving this weekend. We had lunch in La Mariscal and then walked all the way along to the handicrafts market at Parque El Ejido as she still needed some souvenirs and I'm still looking and making small purchases. It was quite hot and the sun was really strong, not pleasant! We took a taxi to the centro histórico and wandered round there a bit before heading our separate ways. I headed home and then later in the afternoon walked down to the big shopping centre near my home and have a look at all the shops. The names of the shops might be different but the basic idea is the same as in Europe.
Lx
Friday, 26 August 2011
Quilotoa
Thursday 25 August 2011
Today I went on an organised day trip to Quilotoa. Quilotoa is a lagoon located inside a volcanic crater 3800m above sea level.
After leaving Quito at 7am, we headed south along the Avenue of the Volcanoes and collected our guide. After about two hours we stopped at Saquisilí, a traditional indigenous market. We visited the animal market (I decided not to buy an alpaca as it would be a bit difficult to transport it back home!) and the weekly market selling everything from fruit, vegetables, meat and fish to cookers and troughs for animal feed. We then visited the handicrafts market which was quite similar to the ones I have seen in Quito. What is typical in this area, however, are paintings painted on animal skin and small pottery vessels encased in straw. They were not quite to my taste so I decided not to buy anything.
We then headed up to the crater. It was a very long, twisty road with lots of roadworks on it. Due to the heavy rain, there were a couple of sections were there had been landslides. In other areas they are widening the road. We finally arrived at the Quilotoa. The first view of the lagoon, down the first narrow stretch of the trails was incredible. A huge expanse of emerald green water surrounded by steep mountains. We hiked, or rather in some parts slid, down the side of the volcano to the lagoon. It took about 30 minutes. When we got to the bottom we were all covered in volcanic dust! After a short break for water and to take photographs, we started the climb back up. This was much harder than the journey down. About one-third of the way up I started to feel very ill, dizzy and disorientated, so I had to ride the rest of the way up on a donkey. Quite an experience as the path was very, very steep! Once we arrived at the top we had lunch (soup, followed by rice and chicken, a typical meal). I felt a bit better after some food, although as we drove down the mountain I developed a really severe headache, all perfectly normal according to the guide. The journey back to Quito took about four hours. I was shattered by the time I got back home. When I took my shoes and socks off, my feet were grey from the volcanic dust! I had emptied my shoes several times before leaving Quilotoa but there was still rather a lot left in them!
An enjoyable and exhausting day!
Lx
Today I went on an organised day trip to Quilotoa. Quilotoa is a lagoon located inside a volcanic crater 3800m above sea level.
After leaving Quito at 7am, we headed south along the Avenue of the Volcanoes and collected our guide. After about two hours we stopped at Saquisilí, a traditional indigenous market. We visited the animal market (I decided not to buy an alpaca as it would be a bit difficult to transport it back home!) and the weekly market selling everything from fruit, vegetables, meat and fish to cookers and troughs for animal feed. We then visited the handicrafts market which was quite similar to the ones I have seen in Quito. What is typical in this area, however, are paintings painted on animal skin and small pottery vessels encased in straw. They were not quite to my taste so I decided not to buy anything.
We then headed up to the crater. It was a very long, twisty road with lots of roadworks on it. Due to the heavy rain, there were a couple of sections were there had been landslides. In other areas they are widening the road. We finally arrived at the Quilotoa. The first view of the lagoon, down the first narrow stretch of the trails was incredible. A huge expanse of emerald green water surrounded by steep mountains. We hiked, or rather in some parts slid, down the side of the volcano to the lagoon. It took about 30 minutes. When we got to the bottom we were all covered in volcanic dust! After a short break for water and to take photographs, we started the climb back up. This was much harder than the journey down. About one-third of the way up I started to feel very ill, dizzy and disorientated, so I had to ride the rest of the way up on a donkey. Quite an experience as the path was very, very steep! Once we arrived at the top we had lunch (soup, followed by rice and chicken, a typical meal). I felt a bit better after some food, although as we drove down the mountain I developed a really severe headache, all perfectly normal according to the guide. The journey back to Quito took about four hours. I was shattered by the time I got back home. When I took my shoes and socks off, my feet were grey from the volcanic dust! I had emptied my shoes several times before leaving Quilotoa but there was still rather a lot left in them!
An enjoyable and exhausting day!
Lx
Volunteering Day Eight: Chillogallo Indoor Market
Wednesday 24 August 2011
Today was much like yesterday, in the morning we practised and made invitations for the end of summer celebration in the afternoon. As we were inside today, it didn't rain, typical! Fingers crossed that the rain has now passed and we can go back to sunny dry days.
No volunteering tomorrow, I'm taking the day off to go to Quilatoa.
Lx
Today was much like yesterday, in the morning we practised and made invitations for the end of summer celebration in the afternoon. As we were inside today, it didn't rain, typical! Fingers crossed that the rain has now passed and we can go back to sunny dry days.
No volunteering tomorrow, I'm taking the day off to go to Quilatoa.
Lx
Volunteering Day Seven: Chillgoallo Market
Tuesday 23 August 2011
We were meant to celebrate the end of summer programme with the children today and we spent the morning practising and the children made invitations for their parents. Only for it to start raining at 1.30pm and not stop until early evening. It was so torrential that we had to move to a small room which is normally used by the market administrator. Not the afternoon we had planned but still fun.
Lx
We were meant to celebrate the end of summer programme with the children today and we spent the morning practising and the children made invitations for their parents. Only for it to start raining at 1.30pm and not stop until early evening. It was so torrential that we had to move to a small room which is normally used by the market administrator. Not the afternoon we had planned but still fun.
Lx
The changing of the guard
Some photographs of the changing of the guard. I wouldn't want to be responsible for hoisting the flag, it's a long way down!
Lx
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
Modern technology!
Tuesday 23 August 2011
It seems that the potographs in the post the changing of the guard aren´t loading properly. I can´t try to fix the problem until Friday, as I need to be on my netbook and the nearest wifi is in La Mariscal and I don´t have time in the evenings to go there.
Patience until Friday please!
Lx
Monday, 22 August 2011
Old town walking tour and the changing of the guard
Monday 22 August 2011
Today I did the old town walking tour recommended in the Lonely Planet guide book. It started in the Plaza Grande at the cathedral (incredibly ornate, tons of gold, very OTT in my opinion!) and the presidential palace. The square itself is not as nice as the one in Cuenca (in my opinion) but still pretty. The presidential palace is also on the Plaza Grande and the changing of the guard takes place on Monday at 11am. As I was there quite early, I did the first section of the our, visiting the Plaza and Monastery of San Francisco. The building of the monastery was started a few weeks after the founding of Quito in 1534, although it took 70 years to finish. As with all religious buildings, it has scaffolding on it at the moment as the outside is being refurbished. The inside of the monastery is just as ornate and full of gold as the cathedral. I then headed along to the La Ronda, a large square which is also being renovated.
From there I headed back to the Plaza Grande to secure a good spot for the changing of the guard. It's quite a long and grand ceremony involving the singing of the national anthem, a military band, the closing of almost the entire plaza, a large police presence and armed soldiers as the president himself is present for it. I'm not sure I can see the Queen agreeing to be present for the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace! I had a good spot and I hope I got some good photographs of it. It lasted about 20 minutes, and the whole ritual ill be repeated at the same time next Monday.
From there I head to the Plaza del Teatro and up a very steep hill to the Basílica del Voto Nacional. This building towers of the city and can be seen from almost all over the city. Instead of traditional gargoyles, it has turtles and iguanas protruding from it. From there it was down a very steep hill to Plaza San Blas (full of traffic) and Parque La Alameda. Like the park yesterday it also has a man-made lake with bridges, islands, fountains, pedalos and rowing boats. The park also house the observatory.
Then there was a not so nice stretch along a main road to Parque El Ejido. It has a large artisanal market in it which I had a look at. A lot of the stands were selling similar things, but the sellers were very polite and didn't pounce on me the minute I looked in their direction! This is quite unusual in South America! And that was the end of the tour. Photographs of the old town to follow!
Lx
Today I did the old town walking tour recommended in the Lonely Planet guide book. It started in the Plaza Grande at the cathedral (incredibly ornate, tons of gold, very OTT in my opinion!) and the presidential palace. The square itself is not as nice as the one in Cuenca (in my opinion) but still pretty. The presidential palace is also on the Plaza Grande and the changing of the guard takes place on Monday at 11am. As I was there quite early, I did the first section of the our, visiting the Plaza and Monastery of San Francisco. The building of the monastery was started a few weeks after the founding of Quito in 1534, although it took 70 years to finish. As with all religious buildings, it has scaffolding on it at the moment as the outside is being refurbished. The inside of the monastery is just as ornate and full of gold as the cathedral. I then headed along to the La Ronda, a large square which is also being renovated.
From there I headed back to the Plaza Grande to secure a good spot for the changing of the guard. It's quite a long and grand ceremony involving the singing of the national anthem, a military band, the closing of almost the entire plaza, a large police presence and armed soldiers as the president himself is present for it. I'm not sure I can see the Queen agreeing to be present for the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace! I had a good spot and I hope I got some good photographs of it. It lasted about 20 minutes, and the whole ritual ill be repeated at the same time next Monday.
From there I head to the Plaza del Teatro and up a very steep hill to the Basílica del Voto Nacional. This building towers of the city and can be seen from almost all over the city. Instead of traditional gargoyles, it has turtles and iguanas protruding from it. From there it was down a very steep hill to Plaza San Blas (full of traffic) and Parque La Alameda. Like the park yesterday it also has a man-made lake with bridges, islands, fountains, pedalos and rowing boats. The park also house the observatory.
Then there was a not so nice stretch along a main road to Parque El Ejido. It has a large artisanal market in it which I had a look at. A lot of the stands were selling similar things, but the sellers were very polite and didn't pounce on me the minute I looked in their direction! This is quite unusual in South America! And that was the end of the tour. Photographs of the old town to follow!
Lx
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