rpics: Quilotoa loop contd, Quito

We are now in Quito, ready to head for Amazonia tomorrow. Did a walking tour of the city today, pics below, after some extras from the Quilotoa loop. First, shots from a woodcarving school in Tsinlivi (sp?) named Don Bosco, where they train kids from poor families in wood working of all kinds, including artistry. The figures in the amazing relief on the right all look pretty Spanish.


Dana discovered a little girls dance troop in Chugchilan and got them to our hotel. They were quite good and very high energy. They used an excellent gimmick of dancing with the gringos before taking up the collection.

Yesterday we did a very strenuous but gorgeous hike around the Quilotoa crater lake. I think it rivals our southern Oregon national treasure.

National flag day in Quito today. Lotta folks out for the day, with cooperative weather.

They had an excellent Andean band accompanying these dancers.

And of course what Flag Day would be complete without a facist fun band. These guys were serious - the National Police Band I believe.


The flags were in evidence on La Ronda, the restored colonial street that has become the favorite night drag - nearly deserted on Sunday morning, however.

We also visited an amazingly gothic basilica, where you can climb into the steeples. Nice variation is that the gargoyles are Ecuadorian wildlife e.g. turtles, condors, boobies, pelicans, iguanas, and even a mating male frigate bird with its balloon extended.