Quito: A Peaceful and Stylish Gateway to the Heart of Paradise
Following my overnight stay in Otavalo region, an extended stay was necessary to explore Ecuador’s beautifully preserved capital city of Quito, also known as the “Ciudad Mitad del Mundo”(Middle of the World City)
Saturday, 16th of April marked my second night at the stunning JW Marriott. I had a chance to check out the neighboring district of La Mariscal and ended the night with a fun dinner with friends at a really cool and funky restaurant, La Boca Lovo. The service was superb and we enjoyed savoring the great food that we didn’t even feel the 10-minute city-wide power shortage that occurred that night. La Mariscal district is a popular destination among tourists and locals for its wide variety of restaurants and bars.
In this article, I am once again delighted to feature Metropolitan Touring, the leading destination management corporation operating since 1953, focussing on Galapagos, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brasil, who sponsored my visit. For more details about their products and services, visit www.metropolitan-touring.com and for Ecuador specific travel, go to www.metropolitan-touring.com/ToursinEcuador.
Sunday, 17th of April was the city’s observance of Palm Sunday. At exactly 9 am, Metropolitan Touring staff, Ramiro and Enrique, picked me up at my hotel ready to show the hidden charms of the colonial town of Quito. Sunday is generally a family day for Ecuadorians. Most of them spend their Sundays in the parks or join the crowd of the Sunday bike riders. Hundreds of people normally live that fantasy on Sunday. And almost half of the day, cyclists, roller-skaters and strollers occupy the streets of Quito.
Our first stop was on the hillside of the San Juan neighborhood where Ramiro took me up to El Ventanal Restaurant. We went to the rooftop of the restaurant to enjoy the amazing panoramic view of the city of Quito. From where we were, we could clearly see a good view of the two finest monuments of the city: the Virgin Mary, which sits on top of El Panecillo; and then the Basilica del Voto Nacional, which is the most impressive NeoGothic Ecuadorian architecture.
After the nice relaxing moment at the restaurant’s rooftop and enjoying the breathtaking city view, we then hiked down and started our walk-about tour of the historical city characterized by a wonderful discovery of old town’s colonial streets, gateway to both the Plaza de la Independencia (also known as ‘Plaza Grande’ – Big Square) and the Plaza San Francisco, a cobblestoned plaza considered to be one of the major attractions in the heart of the city. Plaza Grande houses the prominent Palacio del Gobierno (Presidential Palace), Metropolitan Cathedral, House of the Mayor, Archibishop’s House, and Statue of Liberty, the centre monument.
Noting that it was Palm Sunday, the most remembered gate entrances were Iglesia San Francisco and La Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús. Palm Sunday observance in Ecuador was the most festive religious activity that I have ever witnessed. Everyone were proudly displaying and raising their palm branches, each with basil and floral arrangements, ready to be blessed with the holy water. With no palm branch on my hand, I braved myself to join the mass of people queuing to be blessed by the legendary priest.
By 2 pm, Ramiro and I finally reached Hotel Patio Andaluz, a centrally fine and charming hotel located in the heart of Quito for a relaxing hosted lunch. Soon it was time for me to say goodbye to Ramiro as I prepare myself to my next trip – to the town of Mashpi.
Mashpi is located in the northwest of Quito. It took Juan Carlos, the assigned Metropolitan Touring driver, less than 3 hours to reach Mashpi on a luxurious 4×4 car via paved and secondary roads. From the winding roads to the fertile and pristine landscapes, we finally arrived at the site construction of Metropolitan Touring Mashpi lodge, a refuge that will soon provide a wonderful year round tour service and activities to nature lovers around the world. It is in Mashpi where you will witness and experience the remnants of true science, a world of mysterious pure beauty and a relatively high level of endemism.
The welcoming Luis Miguel from Metropolitan Touring hosted my site visit. Mashpi lodge is scheduled to open by the end of November this year. The rainforest experience will include a variety of exciting activities like a guided night nature walks by a resident and knowledgeable naturalist, an indulging and intimate getaway, a luxurious accommodation with facilities catered for couples or families, and gourmet foods combined with an awe-inspiring view whilst relaxing on the rooftop, pool or the comfort of your room.
Whilst it was a raw visit, I enjoyed the night and morning guided walk hosted by Carlos, the resident Biologist. As a nature lover myself, I would love go back to Mashpi once it is fully operational, to experience the first-rate service and the singular natural and cultural wonders of the Ecuadorian rainforest. What an awe-inspiring trip!
By mid afternoon of Monday, 18th of April, I was back in the comfort of my city haven, JW Marriott. On my last night in the city, I had the opportunity to meet with the gracious Sakura Kamimura of the Marriott Sales Department before meeting up with Dominic Hamilton, Head of Communication of the Metropolitan Touring, and party for a dinner at the stunning and elegant Hacienda Rumiloma. Though it is located in proper Quito, it feels like you are in a countryside when you are in Hacienda Rumiloma. It indeed offers you a quiet and elegant escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. It also has an illuminating night view of the city of Quito. Dominic was a gracious host and held the key to my memorable and enjoyable visit in Ecuador. Service at Hacienda Rumiloma was impeccable and the food to match. I would recommend ordering the “tasting of 10 dishes.” Every piece of the tasting dish was absolutely delicious and phenomenal!
The key to a successful touring business is to have the best and competent staff that can efficiently manage assigned tours. Metropolitan Touring provides you that kind of service. They have staff like Ramiro, an exemplary tour guide, who is very passionate about his job. Metropolitan Touring staff got the winning formula to provide the exceptional service and possesses remarkable knowledge that any travelers crave for. My experience with Metropolitan Touring was smooth flowing, stress free and one of the most enjoyable and memorable travel experiences I ever had. However, my Ecuadorian adventure did not end in Quito. In next week’s article I am yet to share the best part of the last leg of my South American journey, my Galapagos expedition.
Click here to view Mashpi Lodge slide show
© 2012 by Michelle Riel, retains sole copyright to her contributions to all the contents of this site.
