Quito Street Life

We have had a fascinating day today on a guided walk around Old Quito.  This is a very busy city which has grown tremendously in population over the last few years and which, according to our guide, now has a very unpopular president who is doing nothing to boost the economy of the country.  There are protests...

There are a lot of street vendors selling a range of products from scarves to food.  We have been encouraged to ignore them today unless in a quieter area as there is a problem with distraction muggings in some areas of the city.  The street vendors seem to work in family groups like this a lot of the time.  

There are two main squares in this area of the city so I have put shots of each of them in extras.  The one contains the Presidential Palace and is subject to closures from time to time, the other is the one with all the pigeons and yellow taxis.  The birds on the Condor Statue are in Plaza Grande.

We have just had a three course lunch ending in a spectacular serving of ice cream - also in extras.  I'm not sure we will manage much of the three course dinner later on!  

Tomorrow we are venturing to an area some way north of Quito to see some of the scenery.  That means an earlier start.  :((