Life in Quito will take you back to a simpler time. Upon arrival, I found people to be quite friendly. Although, I arrived late in Quito, the taxi driver was cordial and charged me five dollars (the going rate) to travel to La Mariscal. The night watch people were warm and friendly, offering me a tea before my decent to bed. My first night at a fifty dollar hostel was quite nice. At that price level, you should expect breakfast or desayunos and a happy ending but, that never happened. Upon waking up, on my first day in Quito, I went for a walk and found many kind Ecuadorians. And before the day had ended. I was already enamoured by an Ecuadoriana. As a gringo, you will notice Ecuadorianas are hot. And if your spanish skills are up to par, you can get a date quite easily. Please brush up on your basic and advanced Spanish. I recommend going to Community College and don't buy the Rosetta Stone, that software is a crock. You will get nowhere quick. I travelled with a German guy who studied using the Rosetta Stone software. I think all he could say was "Desculpe me". Sorry won't get you too far with an Ecuadoriana; they like strong men. In summation, Ecuador has very few English speaking people so, brush up.
My first day in Quito was a tough one and my activities were limited to relaxing, reading and planning my trips. I also made a phone call to an American friend whose family owned an apartment which was ready in ten days to rent. My first night was spent at Mariscal Foch plaza. It is a modern square with fine food and drink as well as many giant televisions to watch Futbol. On this fine day, Liga De Quito played, the Sur De America champions. It was a blast. A new English friend and I drank many Jarros or Jars of Pilsener (the national beer of Ecuador). It was a real blast, Liga won the match. The atmosphere went wild, people took to the streets in excitement, honking their horns and shouting song's of celebration. I felt part of the excitement, it permeated my existence. On my way home, I stopped by a bar which featured "ladies night". At this fine establishment, women can drink for free from eight to ten every Tuesday night. If you want to shake your booty, some fine latinas are there, ripe for the taking. Just ask someone on the street. They will point you the way.
My next morning I found Fanfone, a restaurant, the owner is super friendly. Her name is Catalina. If you stop on in, tell her Stan sent you. Her Chuleta is great and have a cup of Té de Coca, it helps with altitude sickness. Catalina showed me a book of the Galapagos. Later that day, a fine Latina escorted me to a barber shop for a haircut. I had hair to my back and Ecuadorianas aren't too fond of dirty looking people. I recommend getting a haircut and staying clean shaven. Ecuadorian's are clean people and when in Rome, do as the Romans.
After a reality check of researching various hostels; I checked out of my over priced hostel. I was tired of paying fifty dollars and after researching various hostels in La Mariscal. I soon realized fifteen to twenty dollars was more in line with the local market. I checked into the Home Hostel on my third day. It was quiet, clean, had a chef kitchen, full cable and a private clean room for 15.00 dollars a night. It actually was 17 dollars with IVA (tax) but, well worth it. The Home Hostel was quiet and came with breakfast. I stayed there two days, surfing the internet on the public computer, watching cable and visiting Fanfone.
During my stay at the Home Hostel, I took a trip to the "Anda" section pronounced, l'yay. I saw my future apartment. It was quiet nice, with decor from the 1970s. I noticed it had a analog TV with an antenna. I turned it on and noticed there were six channels and one had hot latinas dancing. At this point, I said to myself, "home sweet home". After my quick view of my future place, I left a suitcase at my friends business which is on the premises of the apartment, headed back to my hostel. On my fifth day in Quito, I was feeling restless and having fell for a gal named Nelly. I wanted to get some some action. Noon that day, I ran into Nelly, she was on her cell phone as usual but, stopped for awhile to talk to me. She was a hot latina, with healthy breaths, deep cafe eyes and a body which gave me enough to enjoy, not too big and not skinny. It was awhile, since seeing some action . I was ready to go. During this conversation, I asked Nelly, if she would have dinner with me later. She replied, "I have to work now, lets meet later around seven?". I was stoked and returned at seven. I waited an hour and in frustration, grabbed my light pack and headed to Guayaquil and ultimately the Galapagos. I wasn't too let down by being stood up. Heck, I am Ecuador, there are hot chick everywhere. And the national beer, Pilsener flows like wine and a discotech on every corner. As my pop, once said, "watch what you ask for, you just might get it". I took the morning bus to Guayaquil, the night bus was sold out.
martes, 18 de enero de 2011
Preparation, Security and Lodging.
Preparation, Security and Lodging are a few things rarely explored in depth in most travel blogs regarding Quito Ecuador. There are a few questions you need to ask yourself before taking this trip. What type of clothes are necessary for a trip of this magnitude? What is the cheapest, comfortable and safest way to travel? How is my safety of my personal property going to be affected? These questions are important because, Ecuador is another world, it function's quite differently than America. And as I learned, the hard way, if you aren't prepared, you will feel the pain in your pocket book, an uncomfortable experience or damage to your physical person. If your downright stupid you can get kidnapped, lose organs or worse. I don't miss to frighten you but, Ecuador isn't like the US, Disneyland. If you get lost and end up in the wrong neighborhood, you can lose everything quick. Hopefully, this guide can give you a leg up on the average traveller who feels an inclination to travel to Ecuador. I don't know but, hopefully...
Clothes are an important consideration when taking a trip to the andean capital of Ecuador and the coastal region or playas. I found the topic of clothing rarely discussed regarding traveling to Ecuador. Tee-shirts and shorts aren't a good option for Quito Ecuador. A tee shirt will leave you cool at times and shorts aren't secure when dealing with pick pockets on public transportation. Please don't be one of those idiot gringos that wears a tee shirt and shorts in fifty degree weather. If you think you look stupid, Ecuadorians aren't idiots, they do too.
As far as leisurely but appropriate attire, it is cool enough in Quito to bring long sleeve shirts, sweaters, light pants and a well built pair of hiking shoes. I would carry your wallet in your front pocket and hold your travel documents if possible on crowded buses as a security measure. To deal with rain in Quito, bring a light rain jacket and some fleece. If you plan on travelling to the coast, bring a bathing suit, shorts, a few t-shirts and a light jacket. I won't go into to much more into clothing but, remember Quito is cool between 50 and 70 fahrenheit and on the coast roughly 70 and 80 fahrenheit. This should give you a good indicator as to how to dress, in all cases, use your brain.
An important thing to take into consideration and rarely published are the hidden costs of planning a trip to Ecuador. Clothes are expensive in Ecuador and if you forget something, Ecuador has a roughly 24% tax. Tack on 40 percent to a US price and that is what you will pay in Ecuador. I know this off topic but, equally important. It goes the same for computers and electronics. The prices of imported goods in Ecuador are astronomical. If you need a Laptop, buy it in the US. I came here thinking there were good deals to be had, if you think that, you are dead wrong, a six hundred dollar laptop in the US is around a 1000 here. I was confronted with problematic laptop in Quito Ecuador. After many trips shopping, due to high prices. I found myself using a broken laptop my whole first trip, was lucky it lasted four months and died back in the states.
Purchasing of your travel ticket to Ecuador requires diligence and patience due to fuel price fluctuation. I wouldn't purchase impulsively, watch the market and when gas drops, purchase. An airline ticket can run from five hundred to around two grand with taxes. Watch the taxes or impuestos, there are a lot of taxes on a flight to Ecuador. I noticed a five hundred dollar flight can have a final price tag of 727.00 at checkout. I won't get into the specifics about why taxes are so high taxes, that is beyond the scope of this blog but, view them before purchase.
Another important part of flight travel to Ecuador is comfort. Very few bloggers or writers touch on the fact, American airlines are in the dumps and if you fly with them be prepare to suffer, small seats, lousy service and no food or drinks are part of the Domestic flying experience in America today. I chose Avianca out of Los Angeles, Avian Colombia has great service, all you can drink, snacks, meals, just like the old days in America. A few more quality airlines in Ecuador are Aerogal and Tame. I have trouble recommending Tame, a friend had an experience with them that was odd. After a few weeks of buying a ticket, he noticed three other tickets charged to his credit card. I avoid Tame for that reason. However, if you book with Tame or Avianca, you will get food, snacks and complementary alcoholic beverages. We all know, a nip of whiskey or glass of red wine can make a flight a whole lot easier. That alcohol also comes in handy if you have a layover in Colombia as many flight do. Colombia is the land of hot chicks. In Colombia, god stayed a extra few hours to insure there was plenty of big tits and nice asses to go around. After a good buzz, it always makes it easier to break the ice.
Lodging is an crucial part of the planning process when visiting Quito Ecuador. There are many options from seven dollars to the hundreds. If you plan on staying on a budget, you can stay at a hostel dormitory style for around seven dollars a night or take a private room in a hostel for around fifteen. The dormitory housing is rough and spending the night with some dirty hippies is never very fun. Ask for a private room, usually a bargain, around fifteen dollars isn't going to hurt. Heck your half way around the world. As to my experience, initially, I squandered my money and stayed at a hostel for fifty dollars a night, the place included taxes, most places do not. By the way, I wasn't too impressed by the hostel, the room was small and noisy. I personally recommend booking in Quito in person. The La Mariscal district has good security and a plethora of hospedajes. Upon arrival, tell the taxi cab driver, "La Mariscal" and don't pay more than five bucks. For those of you who are less adventurous, stay one night at one of the over priced places you can find on Google but try to avoid a hostel with a fifty dollar price tag, most are noisy, if you plan to pay between fifty and a hundred dollars, get a hotel, the Mercure is nice and clean for around seventy US. If you plan to go over a 100 dollars, there are luxury hotels in Quito, the JW Marriott, Swisshotel and the NUHouse are a few. All and all, before making any decision, remember you are in Ecuador, the country has a great deal of poverty so don't be stupid and over pay. Once you get settled, it is time hit the town and score with some chicks.
Clothes are an important consideration when taking a trip to the andean capital of Ecuador and the coastal region or playas. I found the topic of clothing rarely discussed regarding traveling to Ecuador. Tee-shirts and shorts aren't a good option for Quito Ecuador. A tee shirt will leave you cool at times and shorts aren't secure when dealing with pick pockets on public transportation. Please don't be one of those idiot gringos that wears a tee shirt and shorts in fifty degree weather. If you think you look stupid, Ecuadorians aren't idiots, they do too.
As far as leisurely but appropriate attire, it is cool enough in Quito to bring long sleeve shirts, sweaters, light pants and a well built pair of hiking shoes. I would carry your wallet in your front pocket and hold your travel documents if possible on crowded buses as a security measure. To deal with rain in Quito, bring a light rain jacket and some fleece. If you plan on travelling to the coast, bring a bathing suit, shorts, a few t-shirts and a light jacket. I won't go into to much more into clothing but, remember Quito is cool between 50 and 70 fahrenheit and on the coast roughly 70 and 80 fahrenheit. This should give you a good indicator as to how to dress, in all cases, use your brain.
An important thing to take into consideration and rarely published are the hidden costs of planning a trip to Ecuador. Clothes are expensive in Ecuador and if you forget something, Ecuador has a roughly 24% tax. Tack on 40 percent to a US price and that is what you will pay in Ecuador. I know this off topic but, equally important. It goes the same for computers and electronics. The prices of imported goods in Ecuador are astronomical. If you need a Laptop, buy it in the US. I came here thinking there were good deals to be had, if you think that, you are dead wrong, a six hundred dollar laptop in the US is around a 1000 here. I was confronted with problematic laptop in Quito Ecuador. After many trips shopping, due to high prices. I found myself using a broken laptop my whole first trip, was lucky it lasted four months and died back in the states.
Purchasing of your travel ticket to Ecuador requires diligence and patience due to fuel price fluctuation. I wouldn't purchase impulsively, watch the market and when gas drops, purchase. An airline ticket can run from five hundred to around two grand with taxes. Watch the taxes or impuestos, there are a lot of taxes on a flight to Ecuador. I noticed a five hundred dollar flight can have a final price tag of 727.00 at checkout. I won't get into the specifics about why taxes are so high taxes, that is beyond the scope of this blog but, view them before purchase.
Another important part of flight travel to Ecuador is comfort. Very few bloggers or writers touch on the fact, American airlines are in the dumps and if you fly with them be prepare to suffer, small seats, lousy service and no food or drinks are part of the Domestic flying experience in America today. I chose Avianca out of Los Angeles, Avian Colombia has great service, all you can drink, snacks, meals, just like the old days in America. A few more quality airlines in Ecuador are Aerogal and Tame. I have trouble recommending Tame, a friend had an experience with them that was odd. After a few weeks of buying a ticket, he noticed three other tickets charged to his credit card. I avoid Tame for that reason. However, if you book with Tame or Avianca, you will get food, snacks and complementary alcoholic beverages. We all know, a nip of whiskey or glass of red wine can make a flight a whole lot easier. That alcohol also comes in handy if you have a layover in Colombia as many flight do. Colombia is the land of hot chicks. In Colombia, god stayed a extra few hours to insure there was plenty of big tits and nice asses to go around. After a good buzz, it always makes it easier to break the ice.
Lodging is an crucial part of the planning process when visiting Quito Ecuador. There are many options from seven dollars to the hundreds. If you plan on staying on a budget, you can stay at a hostel dormitory style for around seven dollars a night or take a private room in a hostel for around fifteen. The dormitory housing is rough and spending the night with some dirty hippies is never very fun. Ask for a private room, usually a bargain, around fifteen dollars isn't going to hurt. Heck your half way around the world. As to my experience, initially, I squandered my money and stayed at a hostel for fifty dollars a night, the place included taxes, most places do not. By the way, I wasn't too impressed by the hostel, the room was small and noisy. I personally recommend booking in Quito in person. The La Mariscal district has good security and a plethora of hospedajes. Upon arrival, tell the taxi cab driver, "La Mariscal" and don't pay more than five bucks. For those of you who are less adventurous, stay one night at one of the over priced places you can find on Google but try to avoid a hostel with a fifty dollar price tag, most are noisy, if you plan to pay between fifty and a hundred dollars, get a hotel, the Mercure is nice and clean for around seventy US. If you plan to go over a 100 dollars, there are luxury hotels in Quito, the JW Marriott, Swisshotel and the NUHouse are a few. All and all, before making any decision, remember you are in Ecuador, the country has a great deal of poverty so don't be stupid and over pay. Once you get settled, it is time hit the town and score with some chicks.
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