In the morning, I went to explore Quito's world heritage historical center. My first stop was the main square, Plaza Grande. It is surrounded by the cathedral, the president's seat and several colonial buildings, but the main eye-catcher is the tall column in its center. It commemorates the people who instated the first independent government in Quito in 1809.
Despite its grandeur, signs of poverty can be seen all over the Plaza Grande: there are hordes of children offering their services shining shoes. Apparently there are no laws against child labor in Ecuador.
A few streets further, I visited the Iglesia de la Compañía, a grand Jesuit church. Its interior consists almost entirely of carvings covered with gold leaf (photography was not allowed inside, you can see pictures at wikipedia). Even though its appearance is very rich and ornate, I have to admit that the visit almost gave me a headache - there simply was no space to rest the eyes; in every moment they were distracted by some new twinkling corner, and thus were unwillingly darting about without pause. I was quite glad when I stepped outside again.
Another couple of streets further, I photographed one of the many colonial facades you can see in old Quito. I particularly liked the musician that was just passing by ;-)
What I really like about Quito is that it feels very spacious and calm, despite its size. I think one reason for this is that you can see green hillsides - with or without colorful houses on them - from almost anywhere in the city.
In the afternoon, I visited another museum run by Ecuador's central bank. They had a big collection of pottery from all periods of Ecuadorian history, such as this man carrying a basket. The explanation said that he probably represented a trader, an important and well-respected person.
Another part of the museum presented metal works, mostly gold but also silver, platinum and copper. There were magnificent pieces in the exhibition, all manufactured for spiritual purposes, of course. This, by the way, was the main difference between indigenous peoples and Spanish conquistadores: for the former, gold was only of ceremonial value, while for the latter it represented riches. For example, look at this wonderful mask in the shape of a sun:
The museum also had a replica of a burial site, giving an idea of how all the pottery and metal items were arranged to accompany a person after death.
On my way back to the hostel, I found a small museum showing a weird combination of exhibits: modern art and hand-crafted wooden chests. I especially enjoyed looking at the wooden chests; I thought they really were masterpieces of woodwork. They also had price tags on them: none was cheaper than ten thousand US dollars!
Despite its grandeur, signs of poverty can be seen all over the Plaza Grande: there are hordes of children offering their services shining shoes. Apparently there are no laws against child labor in Ecuador.
A few streets further, I visited the Iglesia de la Compañía, a grand Jesuit church. Its interior consists almost entirely of carvings covered with gold leaf (photography was not allowed inside, you can see pictures at wikipedia). Even though its appearance is very rich and ornate, I have to admit that the visit almost gave me a headache - there simply was no space to rest the eyes; in every moment they were distracted by some new twinkling corner, and thus were unwillingly darting about without pause. I was quite glad when I stepped outside again.
Another couple of streets further, I photographed one of the many colonial facades you can see in old Quito. I particularly liked the musician that was just passing by ;-)
What I really like about Quito is that it feels very spacious and calm, despite its size. I think one reason for this is that you can see green hillsides - with or without colorful houses on them - from almost anywhere in the city.
In the afternoon, I visited another museum run by Ecuador's central bank. They had a big collection of pottery from all periods of Ecuadorian history, such as this man carrying a basket. The explanation said that he probably represented a trader, an important and well-respected person.
Another part of the museum presented metal works, mostly gold but also silver, platinum and copper. There were magnificent pieces in the exhibition, all manufactured for spiritual purposes, of course. This, by the way, was the main difference between indigenous peoples and Spanish conquistadores: for the former, gold was only of ceremonial value, while for the latter it represented riches. For example, look at this wonderful mask in the shape of a sun:
The museum also had a replica of a burial site, giving an idea of how all the pottery and metal items were arranged to accompany a person after death.
On my way back to the hostel, I found a small museum showing a weird combination of exhibits: modern art and hand-crafted wooden chests. I especially enjoyed looking at the wooden chests; I thought they really were masterpieces of woodwork. They also had price tags on them: none was cheaper than ten thousand US dollars!
