Alone in Quito

   

 

Quito is an interesting city to spend the best part of a week in.  It is locked between two ridges of the Andes, 40k x 5k, and surrounded by volcanoes.    The altitude takes some getting used to at 2800m.  I was based in the historical centre, a world heritage sight and not quite what you would expect of the best preserved colonial city in Latin America (allegedly). The best shops and restaurants in Quito can be found in a different part of the city, the Mariscos, along with dancing and karaoke and lots of hostels and hotels.  Tourists are told that they must get a taxi or bus between the two areas but in truth the two areas are very close and it only takes an hour to walk right across both areas.  Read into that what you may but it probably has something to do with the Government's overt efforts at trying to make Quito a safe city for visitors.  

Until very recently only the poor lived in the historical centre; the shops are for locals and there is a distinct lack of tourist shops and restaurants, apart from on two relatively small and well publicised streets.  The area is thriving with locals going about their business throughout the day and goes very quiet after about 8.30pm, but then October is not high season.  There are lots of churches.  Respectablea l beggars, if there can be such a thing, sit outside the churches.  I frequently saw locals drop a few coins into their cups or hats.  This suggests that there is not much of a social welfare system but our guide said they do get about $80 a month which should cover the basics.  

Someone is spending a lot of money.  The roads are good, there are some impressive new skyscrapers, well kept parks and sports centres.  There are lots of good quality shops too in the newer parts and a well developed public transport system.  Taxis are everywhere as you would expect.  And they are just as cheeky as you would expect too.  I made the mistake of getting into one without negotiating the price first. When I got to the destination the driver asked for $10.  I looked puzzled and said that I had been told otherwise.  He looked a bit sheepish, smiled back and said, "OK, $5".   I paid up, but as I got out I noticed the meter said $3!  

Crime is a major problem.  There are police everywhere in the central parts - traffic police, tourist police, crime police and security police.  Traffic police can be found at every junction in the historical centre directing traffic and blowing their whistles even though there were functioning traffic lights there.   Tourist police can also be found on every street and in every square.  Just being there.  They are friendly and most understand a modicum of English.  However, they were quite insistent when I wanted to walk outside the patrolled areas about it not being safe and that I should turn around.  As a lone traveller spending 5 days in Quito I found this restrictive.  But better safe than sorry.  Interesting that the police are the highest paid workers in Ecuador.  They get much more than teachers and doctors.  The Government seems to have everything in this city well under control.  Just as well because the people are not exactly impressed with their president.  Not only is he trying to change the constitution to allow him to carry on governing for a third term, but he has also sold the next 20 years of their oil production to the Chinese at market prices!  Ecuador is one of the few countries in the world that has a huge supply of water and so it should have a bright future.  But guess who is funding the building of their newest dam?  Yes, the Chinese and with a 6.9% interest rate on the loan too.

It is a clean city, at least in the tourist areas where I was allowed to wander.  Street cleaners are permanently at work, and at the end of the day they go round the city sifting through all the rubbish, presumably sorting it into recyclables, etc.  They were usually followed by 2 or 3 stray dogs on the scrounge for scraps.  There are a lot of them here but look healthy enough.  

It was good to have some time alone and a chance to acclimatise to the altitude, and it was fun doing the things that tourists do: a trip to the equator was a must as was a ride in the cable car up to a hiking area in the clouds.  However I was more than ready to move on to the next stage of my travels when the time came.