Even More TTDWFCTV

Things To Do When Friends Come To Visit, that is. I have been lucky to have a number of friends both willing and able to make the trip from the northern hemisphere to spend time with me here in the southern. Most recently, this lovely, talented, lovely, driven, and lovely lady set herself to the task of globetrotting, Destination: Ecuador.

I think we make a great pair.

View of the Parque Ejido in Quito. We spent our first day traipsing around the capitol.

Traipsing, of course, calls for snacks along the way.

These are cevichochos. They're harder to find on the coast, especially in big portions like this. Chochos are the small, bland white beans. They're served with onion, tomato, a bit of salsa, and chifles (a lot of the same ingredients that go into Ecuadorian ceviche - hence the name "cevichochos"), with the added bonus of pig skin if you so desire. Which we did.

We spent all morning exploring the Basilica.

We climbed the tower, which first required a walk across this bridge spanning the in-between space of Gothic arches and roof.

The top affords a view of the Panecillo, thus named (supposedly) because the statue sits atop a hill that resembles a loaf of bread (pan).

Another staircase took us to the belltower, where we found this sign:

Clock machinery Constructed in October 1993.
Clock machinery Retired in September 1993.
Are they talking about the same machinery? There may be something Dr. Who-ish about this whole thing.

These gargoyles take the form of various bird species native to Ecuador:

Later that evening, we got very wet.

Yes, it is still the rainy season. Fortunately, there were these:

Picture the one on the left with blue flames, which is how it was served us. A delightful way to warm up.

Thus endeth our journey to Quito. Fare thee well, intrepid explorers. We exit with a sunglasses salute.

Photos by Cristina.