January 4 – Orientation and Quito City Tour

Jan 4th
Today we woke up early and had breakfast in the hotel.  The fresh fruit juice and bread were delicious!  Next, we went to the Universidad San Francisco De Quito.  We learned about the Galapagos Academic Institute for the Arts and Sciences, the first Liberal Arts Institute in Ecuador.  We listened to lectures about Andean history, culture, and volcanic activity. It was incredible to see pictures of volcanoes that we are going to visit, such as Cotopaxi, the most feared volcano in Ecuador.

We then went into the historic center of Quito.  The city square is surrounded by four important buildings- including the Cathedral and Presidential Palace.

We meandered through an open air market and walked into a Panamahat shop.  Though called Panamahats, they are actually made in Ecuador from the plaited leaves of the toquilla straw plant.  Each hat is made by hand, evidenced by the skilled craftsmanship.

We also walked into the church of the Society of Jesus of Quito.  It was breathtaking- every square inch was filled with gold-painted decorative wood sculptures and religious paintings.  In 1987,  an earthquake hit Quito and the church was not restored until 2002.
Our last stop before dinner was the City Museum.  We traced the history of Ecuador from indigenous times to the Incan empire, Spanish conquest, and modern times.  We saw ancient tools, recreations of traditional huts, and Spanish dress.

Dinner was a four course meal at a wonderful restaurant.  I especially enjoyed the cheesecake with berry filling!