San Antonio

We forgot to set an alarm but still woke up before 9, got ready and had an amazing breakfast. The guesthouse we're staying at is very charming and feels almost like coming to your family. They recommended going to the cable car first because it often rains and gets more foggy in the afternoons. So we took an Uber with an older man who told us all about the best sights and typical Ecuadorian food that we added to our bucket list.

By the time we were the base station there was already some fog at the top which covered the mountain station completely. On the way up we had some decent views over the city but soon after flew right into the fog and on top you could see only about 20 metres 😶‍🌫️ But we were surprised to see that there was a nice hiking trail leading up the nearby dormant volcano Cumbre Rucu. We walked until one of the summits before and then returned as there were almost no views and we wanted to go to another spot. Occasionally we got glimpses of the surrounding mountains and the city though. We sat down in the restaurant at the top station and had a coffee and a chocolate banana 🍌 just in case it would've got better 😁 As it rather got worse we went back down and took a public bus an hour further North to the Middle of the Earth museum.

We didn't expect much from it and were surprised by the size of the monument and what they have to offer. Museums and interesting displays, a train ride around the area, several rest areas, playgrounds and park areas. And of course in the middle of it all, the middle of the Earth monument. It's something different and unique, we enjoyed strolling through the large area. We stopped by a souvenir shop next to it where they offered to stamp a passport and also had certificates 🤩 I also found a patch and so we were already set in terms of souvenir shopping 😁 It got a little late because the drive back to the center takes an hour and we were getting hungry. On the way we fell asleep occasionally but we needed to go on to make the most of the remaining sunlight.

We got off 2km away from one of the main sights, the Basílica del Voto Nacional. It was unfortunately already closed but still a stunning sight. Afterwards we walked through the historic center with it's magnificent churches and beautiful plazas. It was all pretty unexpected and so wonderful, we just enjoyed the feeling of being in awe after every corner 🤩 Most of the churches were already closed or had a mass so we decided to come back tomorrow. Then we went quickly back to the hostel to drop off our stuff and get a recommendation where to eat. What they recommended was too far away so we relied on Google for a restaurant right next to the main plaza.

It was beautifully set in the third floor of a large villa with a huge patio. The prices were a bit higher than elsewhere due to the location but the food was delicious! The Ecuadorian cuisine turned out to be quite different from the Colombian one. A traditional meal is for example a potato soup much to Julia's delight. I've had a mixed platter with different typical foods, really unique was the popcorn 🍿 Also we had gotten unpopped corn with a salsa as a starter, a little bit weird but tasty. For dessert we shared a small plate with figs, honey and a fresh cheese that combined the tastes perfectly.

Later in the evening we planned our estimated time and route through Ecuador.Läs mer