I'm woken up by a buzzing in my ear. The mosquitoes are back now I'm back at sea level. I'm not sad to be leaving Lima but somehow I don`t feel ready for a new country.
The flight to Quito takes two hours and I seem to pass through endless security barriers and have my passport stamped several times. One thing I've noticed in South America is how much they like their official stamps. Taking up another page in my passport appears to give them great pleasure. At this rate I'll have to get another one before I leave the continent.
They're a crying child in the seat behind me so my nerves are frayed by the time I land in Quito. I still manage to appreciate the descent through green mountains and ravines which is breathtaking.
At 2850 metres Quito is the second highest capital in Latin America after La Paz and the city does remind me a little of the latter. Set in a hollow at the foot of the Pinchincha volcano (4794 metres), Quito is surrounded by lush green hills.
As we're much higher than in Lima the temperature is a cool 20 degrees. In the afternoon I take the teleferico (cable car) up to Cruz Loma where there's a panoramic view of the whole city. Unfortunately they've made the place into a giant games park with tacky amusement arcades, but the viewpoint from the top is well worth the 300 metres struggle up the hill at altitude.
(Photo - view from Cruz Loma)
No comments:
Post a Comment