After quite a long and adventurous day yesterday we were happy to somewhat sleep in this morning. We had a Quito Old Town Highlights & Food Tour scheduled for 10am today and our meeting spot was at Teatro Sucre in Old Town. The best option was to take the bus which would be about a 40 minute journey. We got up around 8am and left around 8:30am in hopes of stopping to get coffee/breakfast on the way.

At the bus stop the buses that came were crowded but they came frequently. Because we arrived around 9:35am at our designated meeting area we had some time to look around and find coffee but my mom and I were indecisive as to where. We both agreed since this was also a food tour we’d just wait. We waited in the plaza watching people, dogs and birds as they roamed the streets. At 9:55am our guide Marcello arrived and lucky us my mom and I were the only ones on the tour today.

Marcello began by telling us the significance of the building in which we met at, Teatro Sucre. Teatro Sucre built in 1886 was originally a building in which they housed animals and bullfighting would happen outside where the plaza is. Today, Teatro Sucre is now used as a theater. Marcello is very much into history (and you can tell with his wealth of knowledge) and he stated on September 8, 1978, Quito and the Galapagos Island were deemed UNESCO World sites. A few other things he shared with us include:
• Quito is known for it’s 16th, 17th and 18th century European art
• Quito is at 9,000ft
• Quito means the place the sun casts no shadow (and this happens twice a year once in March and again in September at a designated time)
• Quito is the 3rd oldest city after Santo Domingo, DR and Mexico City, MX.
• 90% of the Central Market shops are owned by women (and they are family owned and operated)

As we walked around the Old Town area we stopped at many churches to admire the architecture and Marcello explained the styles and meanings. We stopped in the Central Market and had a look around at the different stalls there. There were many meat markets in which you could see all parts of the animal displayed. We stopped by an herb/natural stall and were informed of different plants that will help remedy different things. Then, we wandered over to a flower stall where we saw the most beautiful blue layered roses. With them being $12 for the bundle (which isn’t bad) we instead went with a smaller blue rose half bundle that was only $2.

On our journey we stepped into many different plazas and got a chance to see what was in the neighboring area. By now we were a little hungry so we went into a convent/church area where the pation that was setup was pretty on the inside. Because the building was big there were other businesses within it such as shops, restaurants and etc. Marcello stopped at a sorbet place and we got a chance to get two scoops (they could be different flavors).

My mom and I popped in at a few neighboring souvenir stores to take a look around and my mom ended up buying a very nice poncho with traditional cultural designs on it. Marcello also got us some beef empanadas to share and those were good. Next up we headed to where the president used to stay but now works out of and then to the Convento San Francisco which was huge and very pretty inside. We admired the flowers out in the garden and then went upstairs to see a view inside the church. The most interesting thing to me though was the fact that my mom and I stood on opposite corners and spoke through a hole in a wall and we could hear each other loudly and clearly. The reason for that being that people from the outside who were sick and ill, to keep from spreading diseases could come and confess their worries to the people inside. That wrapped up our time with Marcello on the tour.

By now with not much to eat and being really hungry and a bit tired from all the walking, my mom and I wanted to eat. I looked up this place called Heladeria Restaurante San Agustin which looked like they had good seafood dishes and it was located close to our meeting area earlier so we went there. The food was very good and cheap we were able to get a full fried sea bass meal with 3 sides for only $12 (and the piece of fish was big). We sat and enjoyed our meal (my mom also got a garlic shrimp dish) and it was so much we were able to take some to-go for leftovers.

There was a shop I went into earlier and after consulting with a local I decided I wanted to go back and get a mug to add to my collection of mugs from the different countries I go to so we walked back there, I got my mug and then we hopped on a nearby metro. The metro was easy to navigate as there’s only one line it’s just a matter of knowing which destination you’re going towards. We took the metro to the nearest stop by our Airbnb and somehow got twisted around on the walk home after deciding to stop by Tuti (our neighborhood supermarket) to get more rose beers which extended our time out walking trying to figure out where we were.

Finally when we got to the Airbnb, we were very exhausted and we both went to our rooms and took about a 2 hour nap. When we got up we ate the rest of our food from earlier and began looking at where and what time to meet for tomorrow’s activity. Tomorrow is going to be another long day like yesterday where we will visit Octavalo and go to a large market. Our blue roses are on display on the table from the market earlier. It’s now after 1am and it’s about time for me to go to bed.