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Tourist Day
Tuesday was our last full day in Ecuador and we did a few tourist things that were a lot of fun. The drive from Bannos to Quito takes about four hours if you drive it straight through, but we made a few stops along the way. 
The first stop was in the town of Bannos. First we got a little of their world famous taffy, then we checked out the amazing church which happened to be holding a service. Along the walls of the church they have several large paintings of miracles performed by the Virgin of the Holy Water. She saved a man who fell from his horse into the river, a family from a house fire as well as several others. While we were in the church we saw a lot of signs talking about Jesus. Our guide told us this is because the church is worried too many people are praying to the Madonnas and they have forgotten about Jesus.
Our second stop was at a hacienda that was built in the 1600s. When the Spanish conquered Ecuador they divided the country up into several provinces and gave the conquistadors ownership over the land. Not only did they own all the land, they also enslaved the local people and took over all the natural resources. Several haciendas are still privately owned, and the descendants of the conquistadors are still some of the most influential people in the country, but the hacienda we visited is now a museum and all the land has been redistributed back to the people. The building and the gardens are beautiful. A couple of people on our trip had stayed there before and told us it is haunted. We didn't see any ghosts, but there was a strange vibe in the place. As pretty as it was and as nice as the private chapel and gardens were, it still had a gloomy feel about it.
Our third stop was at a large outdoor market when local craftspeople sell everything from sweaters and hats to blankets and crafts that are all hand-made. There were a lot of great things to choose from, so I bought Barbara a cute hat. The prices were so low I was thinking I should buy another suitcase and load it up with stuff that I could sell in the US for ten times as much. 
From the market we drove into Quito and checked out the Capilla del Hombre (Chaple of Man), an art museum and monument designed by the famous Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo GuayasamÃn (1919-1999). If you have never heard of him, it may be because he was a good friend of Fidel Castro and an ardent critic of US policies. The Quito-born artist is best known for his paintings depicting Andean people, often chillingly and in dark colors. He exposed racism, poverty, political oppression, and class division; common themes throughout the Andes. His work reflected the misery and pain that many people around the world had to experience in the 20th century. He spoke out often against the US and other governments. His work was exhibited around the world. A day of national strikes occurred at his death by indigenous people, who he spent his life supporting. If you are in Quito this is a must see, our only disappointment was that the "eternal flame" was not lit because of some construction that was going on.
Our final stop of the day was Quito's old town. This is the original part of the city that was built in the 1600s. It is home to several amazing churches as well as the President's residence and offices, a couple of five star hotels and some very impressive statues. Unfortunately it was dark by the time we got there and most of the buildings were already closed, but it was still great to get to walk around and see it. This area is going through a major revival and many of the old buildings are being rehabbed and the government is encouraging people to move back there, however there is one major obstacle, no public transportation and very narrow streets make for a major traffic problem.
The first stop was in the town of Bannos. First we got a little of their world famous taffy, then we checked out the amazing church which happened to be holding a service. Along the walls of the church they have several large paintings of miracles performed by the Virgin of the Holy Water. She saved a man who fell from his horse into the river, a family from a house fire as well as several others. While we were in the church we saw a lot of signs talking about Jesus. Our guide told us this is because the church is worried too many people are praying to the Madonnas and they have forgotten about Jesus.
Our second stop was at a hacienda that was built in the 1600s. When the Spanish conquered Ecuador they divided the country up into several provinces and gave the conquistadors ownership over the land. Not only did they own all the land, they also enslaved the local people and took over all the natural resources. Several haciendas are still privately owned, and the descendants of the conquistadors are still some of the most influential people in the country, but the hacienda we visited is now a museum and all the land has been redistributed back to the people. The building and the gardens are beautiful. A couple of people on our trip had stayed there before and told us it is haunted. We didn't see any ghosts, but there was a strange vibe in the place. As pretty as it was and as nice as the private chapel and gardens were, it still had a gloomy feel about it.
Our third stop was at a large outdoor market when local craftspeople sell everything from sweaters and hats to blankets and crafts that are all hand-made. There were a lot of great things to choose from, so I bought Barbara a cute hat. The prices were so low I was thinking I should buy another suitcase and load it up with stuff that I could sell in the US for ten times as much. 
From the market we drove into Quito and checked out the Capilla del Hombre (Chaple of Man), an art museum and monument designed by the famous Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo GuayasamÃn (1919-1999). If you have never heard of him, it may be because he was a good friend of Fidel Castro and an ardent critic of US policies. The Quito-born artist is best known for his paintings depicting Andean people, often chillingly and in dark colors. He exposed racism, poverty, political oppression, and class division; common themes throughout the Andes. His work reflected the misery and pain that many people around the world had to experience in the 20th century. He spoke out often against the US and other governments. His work was exhibited around the world. A day of national strikes occurred at his death by indigenous people, who he spent his life supporting. If you are in Quito this is a must see, our only disappointment was that the "eternal flame" was not lit because of some construction that was going on.
Our final stop of the day was Quito's old town. This is the original part of the city that was built in the 1600s. It is home to several amazing churches as well as the President's residence and offices, a couple of five star hotels and some very impressive statues. Unfortunately it was dark by the time we got there and most of the buildings were already closed, but it was still great to get to walk around and see it. This area is going through a major revival and many of the old buildings are being rehabbed and the government is encouraging people to move back there, however there is one major obstacle, no public transportation and very narrow streets make for a major traffic problem. 
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