Quito is the pleasant capital city of Ecuador. Its high altitude (9350 ft) probably contributes to the bluer skies, brighter
Outside the city we visited the country's namesake, the Equator of the world, where the Earth is scientifically and markedly divided into South and North halves.
Going east, passing the continental divide we entered the western fringe of the Amazon rainforest, where we anchored ourselves in a cozy lodge by the river, and spent two days learning the indigenous way of life, trying exotic food, hiking and flying through the jungle on a zip line basket, canoeing and rafting and swimming in the river... things I never thought I would have done before I came here.
Going up the 8000-ft high mountains of Machu Picchu--one of the New Seven Wonders of the World--sounded like another indomitable task to me, but in reality it only took a long train ride from a small valley town to an even smaller foothill village, a short bus transfer to the site, then final legwork of no more than 20 minutes of climbing up that strenuous as it might be was no more treacherous than trudging narrow muddy trails in the Amazon jungle.
It was open, serene, panoramic, misty and mystique all around.
In Cusco we watched an Indian shaman perform the old ritual of praying and presenting offerings to their pantheon gods, visited a historical cemetery that houses tens of thousands of deceased behind well decorated glass windows, and a local market flush with colorful fruits and vegetables and rows of eatery booths that offered exotic fruit juice and lamb head potato soup, etc.
Outside the city, we explored an ancient fortress whose stony structures were mostly destroyed and not much was left to see except for the magnificent view of the city from its lookout point.
With one extra day of our own in Lima, we took to its ocean parks, shopped at a cliff side mall, then sauntered our way back through its busy streets, quiet neighborhoods, leisurely parks... to get a feel of what life in one of the oldest and largest metropolitan cities in the Spanish New World might be, before flying back to our own half of the continent en el norte!
For more photos and trip details, click on the following (and swipe the photos upward for descriptions):
