Quito Streets

The view from our bedroom window in La Mariscal district of Quito. We rented a room in a lovely Ecuadorian woman's apartment and were able to come and go from it as if it were our own for the 6 weeks we were in Ecuador! We loved Pilar and we also loved the feeling of having a home while we were there! Behind the clouds to the left of the huge Banco building, lies on of the many volcanos that encircle this giant of a city.

For real! Some of the best advice I could give on visiting Quito is this.... find yourself a good cevicheria and go... like, everyday! Ceviche is somewhat of a national dish in Ecuador, and Ecuadorian ceviche is my absolute favorite version! This ceviche de camerones I'm enjoying is, perhaps, my favorite meal of all time! Fish ordered a mixed seafood casserole which was like nothing either of us had ever had before, cooked in some kind of thick and creamy peanutty flavored sauce. Ceviche in Ecuador is typically served with popcorn, fried plantain chips and roasted corn kernels, all heavily salted, and meant to be added to the ceviche at will! Wash it all down with a glass (or pitcher) of freshly pressed lime juice and there you have bliss!!

A perfect mocha. Quitena style!

In the last few hours before we were to head to the Convent to meet up with our group, we headed out for some lunch and a quick stroll around our neighborhood, La Mariscal. It's an upscale neighborhood with many restaurants and coffee shops that you won't find anywhere else in Ecuador. The guidebooks led me to believe this was a touristy area, but I hung here quite a bit and found it frequented MUCH more by wealthy Quiteno youth than foreign travelers. And the odd backpacker I saw stroll through looked quite out of place amongst the well dressed and very fashion forward throngs of Quiteno youngsters. Anyway, after our mocha stop, we hopped in a cab and headed out with great excitement to meet up with our group, and begin our 2 week journey into the heart of this culture.