Love Quito....not exactly a beer city, haven't been there in 10+ years.
Bar La Reina Victoria is owned by a Brit (forgot his name) and Dorothy (from Chicago). Darts, Guinness in a can, about the best you can do. Used to be in a dart league there with the DEA boys. If Andy the Pratt and Whitney repp is still there tell him Oscar says hi ... (the Continental pilot)....if he remembers me...he may not remember yesterday the way he was going....do NOT get in a car with him, unless you don't scare easily. "Adam's Rib" is a crazy American who cooks the best ribs South of Miami......(if he's still alive) Careful if he's been drinking (anytime after 11am) he's packing.......
The Magic Bean is a youth hostel with a nice restaurant......catty corner is a bicycle rental... there's a Dutch chick there that's cool....forget her name. They take you up the mountain in a van, you just gravity zoom down.....it's a hoot.
Another Dutch friend, lost his info too, took me to the opening of the first brew pub....the closest thing to formaldehyde I ever drank. I'm sure they've come a long way. If they survived I'm sure they're in the book.
If you don't blend in, a la "I'm a gringo with a target on my arse", be careful, especially after dark. A little cash in one pocket for the mugger, if you're so unlucky, and some more in your sock or a money belt to settle any disputes with the law. Not as bad as some other Central/South American countries, but still. Know where the US embassy is at all times...there are some neighborhoods you do NOT want to go...you know, the usual.
La Mitad del Mundo....the middle of the world. Ignore the tourist stuff, there's a small "pre Incan invasion" museum next to it. GOOD chicha, and guinea pig, roasted to perfection. If he trusts you the owner will pull a GPS out of his pocket and show you the equator is really in the jungle behind his joint.....but the "red painted line" is where it is, and the government wants it to stay there.....entiendes?....
There's a big outdoor craft market next to the Hotel Colon.....it's worth strolling through. Still wear a sweater I bought there....
http://www.answers.com/topic/gonzalo-endara-crow Endara Crow was a kid that became a famous artist....I love his stuff, see picture. He paid back to the community by teaching. His disciples are famous too now. Morales was one of the best. But, it's become a folk art, thousands are doing it and you can buy paintings in most of the gift shops, usually signed "Morales" I have some at home and love them.... I'm sure there's a museum with Crow's stuff, it's amazing.
All the stuff I have described, except for the equator museum, is within walking of each other.
The place can be really cool, hook up with some locals, or expats that have been there for a while, there's many of them. They can get you around safely and show you the fun stuff.
Topic: Traveling Ecuador (Read 2507 times)
