Quito

I stayed in a nice hostel in the historic part of the city (a UNESCO World Heritage site), and the views from its rooftop terrace were incredible. I spent every breakfast and almost every night on this terrace, enjoying a fire and a couple (or three) beers before hitting the bars in another part of town.

Quito is so similar to San Francisco--the morning fog, the electric buses, the narrow streets that defy gravity, the crisp, cool air. But there´s something about Quito that made me feel more alien than I ever have during my travels. I couldn´t quite put my finger on it. Maybe it was the fact that there were so many people walking around in traditional costume--the women wear their hair in two long braids down their back, a bright, embroidered skirt and jacket, and a stiff white hat; the men wear felt hats and short trousers. Maybe it was the altitude---the city varies between 10,000 and 13,000 feet, and I was definitely huffing my way up hills. Maybe it was the Ecuadorean accent; after some time in Colombia I had gotten used to Colombian Spanish, and Ecuadorians certainly speak differently. Maybe it was all in my head...

Doesn`t this look like California street? Or is it just me?

The internet connection here is the slowest I´ve encountered so far and only lets me post one photo at one excruciating time. I left Quito after a couple days for Parque Nacional Cotopaxi for a glacier hike and a horseback ride through exquisite countryside. More tomorrow.