Hacia el Sur Rápidamente: On to Quito

The big, slow bus lumbered along the Panamerican, grinding gears up the long grades. The landscape became more arid and rugged until we skirted off the Panamerican and down into the Cambaye valley. On each side of the road were greenhoused butted up against one another. This is the Rose valley, where industrial scale farming of roses supplies the US market for fancy flowers on holidays like Valentines Day. The rose industry brings huge money to the valley, but also the use of lots of chemicals and preservatives. The hidden side of this industry is chemical danger to the workers, the accusations of child labor, and the damage to the ecosystem.

The greenhouses are usually screened off from the road or behind walls.

One of the smaller greenhouses.

The bus slowly climbed its way out of the valley and began the real ascent towards Quito, which sits at over 2,800 meters above sea level.

climbing into Quito

And then there was the grind through third world city traffic. First there was the bus crawl to the terminal and then there was the really bad taxi crawl to old town. To put it in perspective, it took two and a half hours to get from Otavalo to Quito and cost $2. It took over an hour to get from the bus terminal in Quito to the hotel and it cost $6, with a $1 tip for $7. Very fair taxi, but a brutal ride.

Gridlock in New Town

I checked into the new place, threw my bags on the floor and headed out on a mission. How long would it take me, in a strange city with no smoking culture, fot find a cigar store and make a purchase? The answer is about 45 minutes. I found a likely place on the very good Quito tourist map, and noted that it was quite a ways North in new town. So, onto the bus system, careful about the notorious pickpockets, and voila! I got off the bus at the very place I wanted to be, walked into the MegaMaxi and found the cigar shop. A box of five Habanos clutched in my hand, I was back out on the street, mission accomplished and a good go at the transport system under my belt. Tip: stand with your butt up against the wall inthe standup area, mind your pockets, and keep a sweater tied around your waist.

I bused it back to my neighborhood and walked the remainder to find some lunch. There are huge parks here, and some wide boulevards.

Nuns on paddleboats!!

I chowed down an economia plata at one of the local places and hit the streets of Old Town for a quick impromptu walking tour before dark.

The basilica, soaring into the afternoon sky to awe the blelievers.

A chiva bus. This is basically a rolling party on an old bus. A group can go "Sight-seeing" complete with a lot of booze, throbbing music, and a packed standing deck.