Guayaquil, Ecuador - February 2023

Guayquil is a port city in Ecuador, known as a gateway to Pacific beaches and the Galapagos Islands. We made a stop at Guayaquil on our way to the Galapagos. On the way back, we spent our last day with Gate1 tour group in Guayaquil and overnight at Unipark Hotel. 

The city walking tour started from the popular Seminario Park aka"iguana" park, across from Unipark hotel. We passed by city high lights, monuments, library, city hall to get to the river walk, Malecon 2000. 

Seminario Park

St. Peter Church in Seminario Park

Inside St. Peter Church

Iguana in the park

Many more iguanas

Small shopping plaza near the hotel

City Hall

The Guayaquil monument inside City Hall

Sucre Monument at the City Hall Plaza

Municipal Tower of Guayaquil 

The municipal tower

Monument of Leon - The beginning of the Melacon

On Malcon 2000 along Guayas River.

The Tall Ship

Jose San Martin and Bolivia Monument

Our tour group

"Almost" sunset on the Malecon 2000

Heading toward Santa Ana Hill

The Curve Ferris Wheel

 

San Carlos Fort

Lighthouse on top of Santa Ana Hill

Commute cable cars going across the river.

Penas (neighborhood) steps.

From the river walk (malecon 2000)

We climbed half way of the 444 steps of Penas neighborhood. We came back to the Malecon for a group dinner. It was a lovely evening and also a last evening of our group together. 

Historic Center of Quito, Ecuador - February 2023

 We spent some time in Quito Old Town before the "Quito and Middle of the World" tour with Gate1. It was a pleasant walk to the historic downtown from the basilica on our own. We encountered pick-pocketers on a rather quiet, hilly street leading to the old town. A young man threw some stuff on the back of Paul's shirt from behind to cause some commotion while his team member, a young woman tried to help out by pouring water to clean up. We knew something going on. They did not get anything from us. But we had a story to tell later at the hotel.

On our walk through the historic streets, we see beautiful churches, lively plazas and shops. 

Venezuela, a main street in the old town. 

Our hotel (Viajero) in the historic Quito on the left with the balcony room facing the street. It's where we stayed when we came back from the Galapagos. 

Monument to the Heroes of Independence- Center of Plaza Grande

Independence Plaza in historic old city of Quito

Independence Plaza

The Metropolitan Cathedral, one of the city's first catholic temples.

Government Palace area

Governor's Palace

The new royal shopping center

Archibishop's Palace, shopping center in the Grand Plaza

Morning walk to the Old Town Center

El Sagradio Church

The church's main portal

High altar of La Iglesia de El Sagradio

Inside El Sagradio Chruch

The indeginous dancer in the historic city.

A busy pedestrian narrow street inside the city gate

Plaza de San Francisco 

San Francisco Church and Convent

San Francisco Catholic Chruch, the first church in Quito

The San Francisco church door

Inside San Francisco Church

The underground of San Francisco Church - a gift shop

The underground gift shop.

La Compania de Jesus Church or simply as La Compania. The facade of its main temple is carved in volcanic stone. It's one of the main tourist attractions in Old Town Quito.

Santa Clara Monastery 

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Leaving the UNESCO Heritage Site of the historic city Quito, the tour continued taking us to "Miltad del Mindo Monument" . We had a nice lunch next door to the monument.

View of the "Middle of the World" monument from our lunch table

Lunch

Our IPhone Compass shows we're at the middle of the world.

At the monument

The South side of the monument

"Middle of the World" monument park

It was a busy day with the tour group. It was our last night at the Hilton Quito. We'll leave very early in the morning for the Galapagos.  

My favorite Ecuadorian corn & potato soup