Quito

We got the last flight from La Paz to Quito and arrived into Quito at 23:45 however we didn't leave the airport until 1:30 because Rob's backpack didn't arrive at baggage claim so we had to try find someone to help us find the bag before they went home for the night. The bag was somewhere between the plane and the baggage claim area in Quito airport so luckily we were able to receive it that night. We were delighted to eventually arrive to our hostel in Quito and had a well deserved lie-in the next morning.

During our round the world trip when we often do a walking tour of the city to learn about the history of the city and find out where the main buildings of interest in the city are. Quito wasn't any different. We did a walking tour organised by the Community hostel. We learned about why Ecuador changed their currency from Sucre to Dollar in 2000 when the country had a financial crash. We visited a church that is completely covered in gold and the government house. It was interesting to hear about the history of the country and a good way for us to get our bearings of the city.

Quito is the closest capital city to the equator so we had to visit the middle of the earth monument while we were in Ecuador. There is a monument to celebrate the equator however it has been proven later that the real equator is in a different location. We took the normal touristy photos standing either side of the equator. Inside the monument there is a science museum showing some physic experiments such as showing magnetic force and how we are 2kg lighter at the equator compared to at the North Pole. I actually really enjoyed visiting this monument. It is a tourist trap however I think they have organised the museum very well.

The final thing we did in Quito was to visit the Basilica Catholic Church. We went up to the tower to get a beautiful view over the city. The church however is not finished. The legend goes that if the church is completed then it's a sign of the end of the world so the church will never be completed.Read more