Around the World in 180 Days with D and N: June 2015

A Few More Scenes of Quito

Houses on the Hillside Below the Aluminum Copy of the Winged Dancing Virgin. This and Other Southern Suburbs are Where the Poorer People Live, According to Our Landlord Ken

Traditional Colonial Houses Along La Ronda

Women Chatting at the Plaza Grande

Street Seller Toting Dog Coats, and Leading Dog

Woman Sellng Produce on a Corner. The Street Sellers Rather Loudly Chant Their Offerings.

Along a Street Specializing in Pinatas, Balloons, and Other Party Goods. This Guy is Trying to Fit All the Balloons in His Car

The Plaza at Night

Another Street Seller

Selling Lottery Tickets (Across the Street from a Church)

Shoeshine Stands and Cops in Front of the Arcbishop's Palace

Steam Venting from the Pichincha Volcano. View from the Quito Airport

Although we didn't stay there, we really enjoyed the Plaza Grande Hotel, the only hotel actually on the plaza. We ate dinner in the cafe there our first night in Quito, and returned for dinner and opera one evening in the hotel's La Belle Epoque restaurant. Two very good young singers entertained us that night with highlights from a series of operas. The dinner was excellent too!

The Plaza Grande Hotel

The Tenor and Soprano

Singing to Nick

Such Fun!

We'd also noticed an interesting desert being delivered in an interesting way the first time we ate at the hotel. We made sure we returned to the cafe our last day in Quito to experience it for ourselves.

To the Ringing of a Gong, a Hooded Figure Appears (a "Cucurachu")

Bearing a Steaming (Dry Ice) Bowl of Ice Cream

Presenting It With a Flourish, Accompanied by a Musical Fanfare

Absolutely Delicious! We Ordered Coconut and Rum Raisin, Topped with a Blueberry Sauce

The Papal Visit!

Quito has been all astir anticipating the visit of Pope Francis to Ecuador. The Pope is visiting three South American countries from July 5-12, going to Boliva and Paraguay following his time in Ecuador. Interestingly, he's not stopping in his native Argentina. He lands in Quito, flies to Guayaquil (the largest city) the next day for a few hours, then back to Quito and to the Cathedral. There will be a public mass in Quito's Bicentennial Park, and he'll also meet with lay leaders at the St. Francis Church, which along with the Cathedral was closed during our visit. The Pope is of a Jesuit background, so he's making a "private" visit to the very ornate La Compania church, which we were able to visit. There are signs up all over welcoming Papa Francisco, which at first puzzled us, since papa is also Spanish for potato.

The Official Kit: T Shirt, Cap, Rosary, Bag. Not Available in Church Gift Shops (We Tried to Buy One) But Must Be Ordered by Phone

Sign on the Cathedral

Explaining Canon Law

Some Quito Museums

The Colonial Museum contains a large number of objects from the "Quito School" of art. When the Spanish arrived and began building churches, they initially obtained decorations for these churches from Spain, but the number of churches quickly outpaced the availability of these imports. Spanish experts began training indigenous artists to meet the demand. The resulting "Quito School" is known for the excellence of the wood carvings and oil paintings of this group. The churches still contain much of their work, but a good representation is displayed in the Colonial Museum.

Large Carving by the "Quito School"

Carved Wooden Altar

Painting of Santa Mariana de Jesus, Also Known as "Mariana of the Lillies", the First Ecuadorean Saint

Oil Painting of the Holy Family. The Donors of the Works Often Had Their Portraits Included in the Painting

Carving of the Flight into Egypt

We stopped for lunch and to view an exhibit at the Centro Cultural Metropolitano. The building, originally constructed by the Jesuits in the 17th Century, later became a public university after the Jesuits were banished. It then became an army headquarters for the Spanish troops. Today it hosts a number of specialized libraries as well as museums. While we were having lunch, a number of people began arriving, some with television cameras and equipment. There was an increased level of milling around. They were going to be filming a program for Italian television the next day. We still aren't sure what exactly was going on. Again, just one of the mysteries of travel.

The Italians Arriving

What's It All About? Darned If We Know!

Part of a Large Exhibit by an Artist Named Miguel Varea. A Very Big Painting of a Computer Keyboard and Screen

Another Miguel Varea

A third interesting museum, the Museum of the City, is housed in a building which functioned as a hospital for over 400 years, until 1972. The hospital was founded by the Belem, or Bethlehem Order, and furnished lodging to travelers as well as treating the sick. The museum displays exhibits of everyday life in Quito over the centuries, including displays of its hospital time.

Courtyard, Museum of the City

The Chapel of the Hospital

Display of an Early Butcher Shop

Patients Were Housed in Beds in Alcoves

A Visit to the Presidential Palace

The current president, Rafael Correa (first elected in 2006) is the first chief executive to open the Presidential Palace to the public. He is currently proposing some controversial law changes, including an inheritance tax on legacies over $35,000, and there are ongoing pro and con demonstrations. These are taking place in the new part of town, so we only saw them on local television. We had an excellent tour of about an hour. We were the only English-speaking members of the group, and the guide took particular care to give us good explanations in English as the tour progressed. This president has chosen not to reside in the palace, but has his offices there. (He was in Brussels at the time we visited.)

Guards at the Entrance to the Palace

One of the Courtyards, Where We All Had Our Pictures Taken, to Be Downloaded. "The President Would Like You to Have a Souvenir of Your Visit" - Good Politics!

We Were Asked to Bow Before the Ecuadorean Flag. A Somewhat Recalcitrent Nick.

Mural of Pizzaro's Brother Battling the Amazon Women, for Whom the River was Named. (I Didn't Know That)

The Cabinet Room

The State Dining Room

It Was Pointed Out That the President Gives All Gifts He Receives to the "People" - a Gold and Precious Gems "Oasis" from the Sultan of Quatar

Crystal Bowl from Hilary Clinton

At the Podium Where the Presidential Press Conferences Are Held

Rafael Correa. Looks Like a Politician, Doesn't He?

Churches of Quito

The old historic district of Quito is an area of about a square mile. Within the area there are over twenty churches and convent chapels. Each religious order built at least one church for their particular order over a period of 200 years. Construction of the oldest church, San Francisco, was begun in 1542. The newest, the Merced church, was started in 1742. The Avenida Garcia Moreno is known as the "street of the seven crosses" for the crosses along its length, placed to remind citizens to embrace piety. The photo quality of the church interiors was effected by a "no photos" edict.

San Francisco Church and Plaza. The Oldest Church in Quito

The Adjacent Catuna Chapel. Legend has it that the Builder, an Indigenous Man Named Catuna, Was Behind Schedule and Sold His Soul to the Devil to Help Him, Payment Due Upon Completion. The Chapel Was Never Quite Finished.

Exterior of the Jesuit La Compania de Jesus Church, With an Extrordinary Elaborate Facade and an Even More Elaborate Interior

The Altar of La Compania. The Interior Decoration Supposedly Contains Seven Tons of Gold.

The El Sagrario Church, Originally the Main Chapel for the Cathedral

Doors of El Sagrario, Carved by Famous Indigenous Artist Bernardo de Legarda. It Took Him 17 Years.

The St. Augustine Church

Beautifully Painted Interior of St. Augustine Church

The Merced Church. The Newest in the Historic Area (1742)

First Communion Being Celebrated at the Merced Church

The Chapel at the El Carmen Alto Convent

The Cloistered Carmelite Nuns Sell Their Traditional Handmade Products (Cookies, Wine, Rose Water, etc. List on the Left) Through this Turnstile

Birds on a Cross

We also paid a visit to one of Quito's "newer" churches. The Basilica of the National Vow (del Voto Nacional), located about eight steep blocks up from the center of the historic area (we took a taxi). Construction of the Basilica began in 1887 and in 1895 the government instituted a tax on salt to continue building. The structure is the largest neo-Gothic church in the Americas. It is technically "unfinished" since legend has it that the end of the world will come when the building is completed. We arrived in the sanctuary to find that a special feast day was being celebrated, so witnessed the procession of the Archbishop and accompanying clergy, to the applause of the congregants.

Towers of the Basilica

Interior

Rose Window With Some Missing Panes

Archbishop's Arrival

Mass was being said, accompanied by guitars and soloists, and as the Archbishop began his homily we took an elevator up to the church's towers. A catwalk crossed over the tops of the Gothic arches led to a ladder, which could be climbed nearer the top of the towers. We abstained.