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We stopped there on a military flight and were warned about the dangers. That's all I remember. Maybe that there was an awesome little shop where we were taken to buy some awesome textiles.
Same here, but I don't remember any danger warnings. That was the great thing about being part of the C-130 world. We went everywhere, as opposed to the bug suckers that only went from big airport to big airport. The sad thing is, I don't even remember what I got in Quito. I have too many trinkets from too many places.
Fly into GTO City, but head to Antigua. Walkable, safe, great restaurant scene thanks to the many Euro expats. So many old churches, plazas, and the chocolate...oh, the chocolate!
Antigua is about as good as it gets in Central America. It's the 18th century capital, gorgeous, quiet, and mostly safe with a lot of foreigners studying in the Spanish language schools.
If you find Quito overwhelming, not attractive, you can always take a quick >1 hour bus ride up north to Otavalo, a more touristy type city. Lots of Indian shops there to browse through!
And, yes, it sits at 9400 feet in altitude, and you need a sweater or light coat at night for comfort, even though you're only 15 miles to the Equator.
I loved Banos in Ecuador.......sort of a "hippy/backpacker" town with lots of outdoor activities available.
There's a church there with wonderful paintings; my favorite one is about the man who fell off a mountain and was caught by the hand of God, which then turned into a cloud and deposited him safely on the ground. Anyway, that was his story and he's sticking to it....
Antigua is about as good as it gets in Central America. It's the 18th century capital, gorgeous, quiet, and mostly safe with a lot of foreigners studying in the Spanish language schools.
It does have an amazing skylin with the volcanoes but I don't get why people are so enchanted with the town. It is overpriced, the ruins and history aren't that compelling, it is absolutely clogged with tourists especially when cruise ships are docked on the west coast running 'em in by the van load, due to strict architecture requirements (that granted preserve the look I get it) it lacks outdoor cafes like most other places have around their town squares.
It's worth seeing the Semana Santa stuff in town once in your life but I'm always shaking my head when people talk about how wonderful it is it visit. It's not bad, but sheesh it's a colonial tourist trap.
Have fun! I'm trying to think of stuff we did there...
There is a cathedral with quirky gargoyles and an amazing view of the city where you can up on ladders on the roof above the bell towers. That big crater with the lake in it is worth the day trip, depending on weather can get amazing pictures. Lat-0-0-0 is fun and cheap/easy to get to on public buses, they have both the main equator line and the newer more accurate one in the other museum five minutes away in a residential neighborhood. Lots of people do the jungle trips, cheaper to arrange in town where discounts can be had. Most people go out on the night bus at 11:00 pm, spend 3/4 nights, then come back.
To eat cheap get off the main drag, just going a block or two off and you can find meals for $2-$3 in smaller comedors. They usually have stuff like chicken soup (and I mean sopa de gallina with entire chicken leg, potatoes, corn on the cob, etc.) or small churascos with beans/rice. There is also lots of street food in some of the parks, follow your nose.
Oh yeah for something different there is a carnivorous plant museum in town, it was free when we went (dude said he's planning on moving to a bigger spot and charging) but it's interesting and he explains everything, however you need to speak Spanish.
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