Ep. 51 - Quito, Ecuador
Episode 51 takes us to Quito, one of the oldest and best preserved cities in the Western hemisphere and the capital of beautiful Ecuador. Situated high in the Andes mountains and perched beside Pichincha Volcano, this city is chock full of beauty, adventure, and history. Listen now and get this great city on your bucket list.
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Transcription:
*Intro music*
Hi there Fivers! You’re listening to the 51st episode of The Friday Take Five, the best five minute podcast for history and adventure lovers. I’m Mark Moran, the host of the show, and I do my best to help you relive awesome travel memories, or give you the inspiration to book your next adventure. Every episode, we discover a new destination and a new story. With that, let’s discover, destination 51.
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Adventure 51 brings us back to lovely South America and to its oldest capital city: Quito, Ecuador.
Quito, is the capital of Ecuador, and it boasts a metropolitan population of roughly 2.8 million people. The area, settled on by the Quitu people, before being conquered by the Inca, which was then overtaken by the Spanish, has seen roughly 6,000 years of human civilization in some way shape or form. The history, and the city itself, has been incredibly well-preserved. The basilica and convent of San Francisco, located in the historic city center, is almost 500 years old and still standing strong.
The fantastic preservation is undoubtedly one of the reasons Quito was one of the first UNESCO world heritage sites and the first capital city selected by the UNESCO World Heritage Convention nearly 45 years ago.
Nearby the nearly 500 year old basilica in Quito’s old town are more historic treasures, like the Plaza De La Independencia, a central public square dating back to the 1600s which continues today to be a hot spot for locals and tourists alike.
Right on the corner of that plaza is the Hotel Plaza Grande. Today, it looks much just like your typical fancy hotel, but surprise surprise, it’s got a story too. The lap of luxury was the former mansion of Juan Diaz de Hidalgo, one of the Spanish conquerors responsible for establishing the capital city.
Alongside the well preserved history within the city, there’s some pretty darn cool architecture as well. The San Ignacio de Loyola church and convent of La Compañía de Jesús de Quito is a great example. Taking over 150 years to complete, the church and convent have a unique blend of 4 different architectural styles including Baroque, Moorish, Churrigueresque, and Neoclassical styles. Though the exterior of the church looks cool enough, the inside is absolutely mesmerizing and it has done its job to get this incredible church on my list.
Though Quito has enough history to go on and on and on about, it also just happens to be a cool city that’s made its way on my travel bucket list even without the history.
Quito is perched on the side of the Pichincha volcano and high in the Andes mountains, meaning a visit to the city always allows for a quick escape to nature. In addition to the Pichincha, Cotopaxi National Park and the Cotopaxi volcano are just a short bus or car ride away.
Quito is also made a bit cooler by the fact that it’s the closest capital city to the Equator, with the “Middle of the World” landmark just outside the city.
Finally, the street food of Quito is calling me. High on my list of must eats for when I go are Llapingachos, which are essentially Ecuadorian fried potato pancakes. They are usually served with a peanut sauce, are stuffed with cheese and cooked on a hot griddle until crispy brown. Sign me up. I also have Bolon de verde on my list, essentially mashed plantain fried cheese balls, and more deliciousness.
There are so many incredibly cool things about Quito that it’s hard not to have this place on the travel bucket list. I know I’ll be going, and I hope to see you there too.
*Transition music*
Hey there! Thanks for listening to another episode of The Friday Take Five. If you haven’t already, be sure to give the show a 5 star rating on podcasting platforms, and share this episode with a friend. Have your own stories about Quito or feedback on the show? I’d love to hear it so follow me and DM me on socials @FridayTakeFive or email me at thefridaytakefive@gmail.com. Stay curious, stay adventuring, and have a great weekend!
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