Quito Daily

2008-01-21T20:18:00.000-05:00

R.I.P. Quito Daily Blog...I have let it go so long I fear I cannot catch up. Perhaps I shall resume again when there is more time in the day. :)

2007-12-22T11:29:00.000-05:00

Here is the big, huge, gigantic cloud that has been hovering over Quito for days. We have been cold and I have been wearing my long underwear...is that too much information? ;) Many a day I have longed to have heat to just turn on for 15 minutes to remove the chill...or a fireplace...or something! Come back soon sun!

2007-12-21T11:24:00.000-05:00

Some more of my favorite subject here...the $1.50, 24 pack of roses.

2007-12-20T11:19:00.000-05:00

This macro photo is blurry...alas, but the flowers were so pretty!

I hope you can still find the beauty in them. :)

2007-12-19T11:13:00.000-05:00

"Baaaa..."

2007-12-18T11:10:00.000-05:00

A most unusual leaf I found the other day at the tennis courts.

2007-12-17T17:16:00.000-05:00

Never know what you might see hanging on to the vehicle in front of you here! This was a landscaping truck and full of clippings.

2007-12-16T13:11:00.000-05:00

The neighborhood around the Magic Bean (featured yesterday) is among my favorites in Quito because of the use of color - wild, vivid, fun color on most of the buildings. Shown here is a good example of a very festive block. :)

2007-12-15T12:52:00.000-05:00

This was taken at the Magic Bean restaurant...a favorite among English speakers as all the wait staff speaks both Spanish and English, and their menu has delicious choices. :) They serve what I call a "plate of yum"...thickly sliced cooked potatoes drenched in chunks of garlic and other yummy spices. I get a big fat stomach ache every time I eat them, and yet I eat them every time because they are SO good. They recently remodeled the section shown here and this was the first time I had seen the new look. It's the outdoor covered section and it's much brighter now as they knocked out the wall there in the front/right and added all the cool hanging lights. It was cold and rainy in case it strikes you as funny that folks are fairly "bundled" for South America. When the sun isn't shining we're chilly because of being in the Andes. Buen provecho folks!

2007-12-14T12:46:00.000-05:00

This one is for my mom. :) BOO! (don't worry, he was at the zoo...not under your front porch)

2007-12-13T12:40:00.000-05:00

2007-12-12T20:19:00.000-05:00

2007-12-11T17:03:00.000-05:00

2007-12-10T16:58:00.000-05:00

2007-12-09T16:06:00.000-05:00

These guys were squakin' at each other and I wondered what they were saying. :)

Wierdness...

2007-12-08T22:28:00.000-05:00

This is the wierdest tree I have ever seen. If you cannot fully see or appreciate the wierdness, do click the photo to enlarge...and if you know what kind of tree it is, let me know!

2007-12-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

2007-12-06T19:47:00.000-05:00

This guy is a little blurry, but beautiful anyway. :)

A little snack break...

2007-12-05T09:55:00.000-05:00

2007-12-04T14:19:00.000-05:00

Another iguana from the now (mostly) archived Guayaquil photo tour. ;)

See the dragonfly?

2007-12-03T13:25:00.000-05:00

If not, click photo to enlarge!

2007-12-02T00:01:00.000-05:00

Many of you have seen one of these Tortugas on here before as well...but they're always so happy to smile for the camera, I couldn't resist taking his picture again . ;)

2007-12-01T08:24:00.000-05:00

Another blooming beauty. :) If you can't see the bloom, just click to enlarge!

2007-11-30T23:38:00.000-05:00

This is one of those photos that doesn't have a lot of "pop" to it, but it's a rare moment of beauty as a cactus is getting ready to bloom all over and I thought it was such a pretty site. There are a lot of these around right now since we have been in the rainy season for awhile. For more detail, don't forget to click the photo to enlarge.

2007-11-29T09:30:00.000-05:00

A handsome family

2007-11-28T21:04:00.001-05:00

Don't they look like a tightknit family? Afterall, when's the last time you laid in a mud hole with your relatives? I think I'm the only person who sees these guys as cute. I have featured them before, though on my other blog. ;) What can I say? A trip to the zoo just isn't complete without a shot of them!

2007-11-27T21:01:00.000-05:00

2007-11-27T07:45:00.000-05:00

And, one more view of some Angel Trumpet trees. I realize now that have only posted pink ones, but I guess you can all imagine the others, right? ;) Or perhaps I will have to get one more day out of these tomorrow...

More trumpets!

2007-11-26T07:44:00.001-05:00

I have never seen the Angel Trumpet in such full bloom...everywhere I looked there were trees just laden with these fresh, beautiful (very poisonous) flowers - white, light orange, pink and perhaps yellow too, but I can't remember. Tomorrow I will show one more and then shall move on. ;)

2007-11-25T20:07:00.000-05:00

Some more of my favorite flower here in Ecuador - the Angel Trumpet

2007-11-24T19:30:00.000-05:00

This may not look like much, but I hope you will click it to enlarge as it is really quite a pretty view! :) This was taken at the Quito zoo in Guayllabamba.

2007-11-23T19:22:00.000-05:00

2007-11-22T19:08:00.000-05:00

2007-11-21T18:06:00.000-05:00

This is the inside of the church from about two weeks ago, and the view looking out is the walkway in yesterdays photo.

2007-11-20T17:58:00.000-05:00

2007-11-19T17:52:00.000-05:00

2007-11-18T17:09:00.000-05:00

2007-11-17T15:02:00.000-05:00

2007-11-16T14:55:00.000-05:00

2007-11-15T10:51:00.000-05:00

2007-11-14T10:48:00.000-05:00

2007-11-13T11:58:00.000-05:00

A friendly mccaw in Guayaquil (and yet another gigantic Ecuadorian statue!)

Moo

2007-11-12T21:33:00.000-05:00

2007-11-11T17:14:00.000-05:00

A brief pause from our trip to Guayaquil to share some scenic views from our trip to a place called "Pasochoa" today, about an hour outside of Quito.

2007-11-10T00:01:00.000-05:00

Just a couple of friends hanging out together. (To see their friendship a little more closely, click photo to enlarge)

2007-11-09T11:00:00.000-05:00

It's an iguana party and everyone is invited! Come as you are. :)

Leapin' Lizards!

2007-11-08T07:49:00.000-05:00

Here is one of my favorite shots from the Iguana Park in Guayaquil. These guys were incredibly people friendly, camera ready and came charging right over to say hello...especially to our little group since one of our friends had brought a lettuce picnic to share with the masses! If you want to get a little closer (he is smiling afterall...), remember to click the photo to enlarge it! More iguanas tomorrow. :)

2007-11-07T07:36:00.000-05:00

This is the municipal building in Guayaquil. I'm sorry that I do not have more information about many of these pictures, but if I took the time to research them all before posting, it is highly possible that my family would end up going around hungry and unclothed. ;)

Tune in tomorrow for the first of my iguana photos!

2007-11-06T21:45:00.000-05:00

One of the beautiful old buildings in downtown Guayaquil.

2007-11-05T08:57:00.000-05:00

Something for every child like heart!

2007-11-04T21:05:00.000-05:00

The City of Guayaquil

2007-11-03T11:47:00.000-05:00

We just returned from two full, beautiful days in Guayaquil; Ecuadors largest city (3.5 million) and the commerical capital of the country. While it is a seven hour trip by car, it was a mere 30 minutes by plane...the highlight of the flight being our return this morning when we flew over the Andes Mountains. We packed so much in, I took many, many pictures, etc., and since I was days and days behind on my blog, I have back posted from October 27 - today. The pictures below are part of the Guayaquil Historical Park and are just the beginning of so many shots to share with you as it was a park divided into three sections, PLUS we went to other attractions as well. I hope you enjoy...I honestly think this trip was the highlight of my time in Ecuador so far...perhaps that's because there's a lot of nature yet to come in my recap. Tune in for many days to come, including the Iguana Park that will be featured starting on Thursday!

2007-11-02T15:27:00.000-05:00

I was in awe of so many of the rooms in this home. WOW! I was move in ready. ;)

2007-11-01T15:24:00.000-05:00

A peek around the inside detail work of this old plantation home.

2007-10-31T15:20:00.000-05:00

This was the style, back in the day, for the shutters on homes and business establishments to open outwards.

2007-10-30T15:16:00.000-05:00

2007-10-29T15:08:00.000-05:00

So much beautiful tile work on the floor. Most of it was replicated but some original.

2007-10-28T15:06:00.000-05:00

2007-10-27T15:03:00.000-05:00

2007-10-25T21:11:00.000-05:00

A friendly llama, out for a graze. :)

2007-10-24T12:56:00.000-05:00

Peek-A-Boo

2007-10-23T23:28:00.000-05:00

2007-10-22T23:24:00.000-05:00

I could take pictures at the tennis courts all day long - I'm certain I haven't seen them all yet. It's such a maze of courts with fabulous views all around.

2007-10-21T23:10:00.000-05:00

This is an "over the fence" peek at one of many, many, many newly constructed buildings in Quito. I keep wondering who is moving into all of them, who is forking over all the money to build them, etc. I continue to be amazed at the amount of construction.

2007-10-20T23:08:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty certain that this building is among the most expensive places to live in Quito. It is found in the Quito Tennis "district", which is definitely the high rent part of the city.

2007-10-19T23:03:00.000-05:00

2007-10-18T20:48:00.000-05:00

2007-10-17T20:42:00.000-05:00

2007-10-16T15:16:00.000-05:00

2007-10-15T15:13:00.000-05:00

2007-10-14T16:14:00.000-05:00

2007-10-13T17:33:00.000-05:00

2007-10-12T17:38:00.000-05:00

A few plant shots shall follow now over the next couple of days. Enjoy a bit o' nature!

2007-10-11T13:58:00.000-05:00

Now apparently my camera is on the blink. :( I turned it on to snap a picture this morning and it flicked out, and it's not the batteries. And so...from the archives today. Anyone want to buy a chicken that's been laying outside unrefrigerated all day? :)

2007-10-10T07:45:00.000-05:00

Yes folks, these are desperate times in my household and I am behind on the blog. We've had sick kids and lots of rain...which doesn't allow for much photography time in the outdoors. Soothe yourselves this hour with this tranquil photo featuring the rainbow of colored bathrooms in our home. There is one more, but it is white so didn't make the cut. HA!

2007-10-07T07:58:00.000-05:00

This is another roadside photo coming into the city. It is photoshopped for color saturation as I liked the effect. ;)

2007-10-06T19:10:00.000-05:00

2007-10-05T09:44:00.000-05:00

Another lovely evening sky.

2007-10-04T22:09:00.000-05:00

I think these might be the "Twin Towers" of Quito, but I'm not sure if my brain is on the correct street or not. ;) Not to mention the fact that there is a bus waiting area in the way...

2007-10-03T14:00:00.000-05:00

A bit of a fuzzy evening view from our dining room window. And yes, there's Mt. Cotopaxi in the distance again. ;)

2007-10-02T22:20:00.000-05:00

A little advertisement for a local restaurant in case you're in town and feeling hungry. ;)

2007-10-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

I love this picture. :) I realize that it's just an address, but I thought it was lovely. My husband thought I was a little coo coo when I was taking it, but he too liked it when he saw it tonight.

2007-09-30T21:13:00.000-05:00

This will be another photo that you might want to enlarge, as it shows these little tiny homes alongside the road with their laundry hanging out front. This whole section of road is peppered with these. The angle of the whole thing isn't the greatest...but you'll get the idea anyway. ;)

2007-09-29T20:38:00.000-05:00

The view from the top of a city street...there is so much to see in these neighborhoods that are high up. Surprisingly, in many of these areas it is the very poor who live with the million dollar views (click photo to enlarge). This is much different than what I am accustomed to and find it rather refreshing! ;)

2007-09-28T00:01:00.001-05:00

Look at the beautiful big blue sky we had yesterday in Quito! I ventured into a new/higher area of the city yesterday to get a better view...some people say that once you've seen one view, you've seen them all, but I continue to be fascinated with the amazing beauty that is laid out in this nest of the Andes Mountains. If you click the photo to enlarge, you will once again see snow capped Mt. Cotopaxi in the center of the photo. :) What can I say? It's everywhere!

13, Going Up!

2007-09-27T07:52:00.000-05:00

Anyone tired of city shots? Well, I guess that is the point of the Daily Photo blog, isn't it? :) Shown here is another view from the hotel - this one taken from the elevator on the uppermost floor (13, I believe - though more like 15 or 16 in reality). Obviously it was a glass elevator!

2007-09-26T00:01:00.000-05:00

A closer view of yesterdays castle...couldn't get any closer as there is a gate all around (as you can see in yesterdays shot). I would have liked to have gotten the whole thing, but in order to step back to capture the magnitude of it all, I would have had to have been willing to be flattened by oncoming traffic. I love the Daily Blogger business, but not THAT much. ;)

2007-09-25T00:01:00.000-05:00

I was really taken by the view from our hotel room, primarily because it showcased the lovely blue and white castle looking building...which though apparently I have driven by many, many times, I have never actually noticed. Come to find out, it actually houses a security company... which is a teeny bit disappointing...no fairy princess or anyone actually living there. ;)

2007-09-24T00:01:00.000-05:00

Last night my husband and I stayed at the Swiss Hotel here in Quito and were surrounded by quite a lot of beauty...both scenic and human made. Over the next few days I will share some of my findings. :) Pictured today is a beautiful building...made by a human. ;)

2007-09-23T20:03:00.000-05:00

One of these days I am going to catch one of the BIG planes coming in. They fly in so low and large that you think they are for sure going to land on the building next door. The Quito airport has a runway of 3,120 meters (this is quite short!) in length by 46 meters width.

2007-09-22T00:01:00.000-05:00

A beautiful clear shot of Mt. Cotopaxi, amidst the big, puffy clouds. :)

2007-09-21T00:01:00.000-05:00

Remember this pretty lady? Well, we finally met her, up close and personal! She was right outside of the restaurant, Pims, at the Panacillo. She is GINORMOUS - sort of like the Statue of Liberty of Quito.

2007-09-20T12:30:00.000-05:00

Another shot from last night...

City Lights

2007-09-19T22:36:00.000-05:00

Tonight we tried out a new restaurant in Central (Colonial) Quito. The view shown above is facing North into the city and had spectacular views. The two peaked greenish looking building in the center of the photo is the National Basilica, which I have featured a few different times, but particularly in this shot where you see one of the two twin clock towers. I am a little disappointed in the fact that it was a bit foggy, because when we first arrived it was clear as could be but I waited to take photos until after dinner. Ah well, now I'll just have to go back again!

I spy...something small, yellow and round

2007-09-18T23:59:00.000-05:00

2007-09-17T10:35:00.000-05:00

2007-09-16T15:05:00.000-05:00

2007-09-15T10:44:00.000-05:00

Another glimpse into a small part of the back yard of the ambassador. What a view, eh?

2007-09-14T21:14:00.000-05:00

Another interesting piece of artwork in Quito. He pedals and rotates, so by the time I had my camera aimed on him (in the car), he was facing this direction. :)

Que Rico!

2007-09-13T15:14:00.000-05:00