Hola! Today was the first day in Ecuador, aside from yesterday’s travel day. We flew into Quito and drove about an hour to our hotel. The hotel is gorgeous with so much greenery and plants all filling the lobby. This morning started with a delicious breakfast where we were served eggs, bread with jam, watermelon, papaya, fried plantains, cheese, and fresh juice. It was all very delicious and filled us up good for our busy day.  

As we walked through the city, the streets were filled with people. It was definitely way more crowded than I expected. It is Mother’s Day today so there were many Ecuadorians with their family out and about. We saw lots of street vendors selling flowers and other Mother’s Day gift bundles. Our first destination was Iglesia Católica San Francisco. This was one of the most beautiful churches I have seen with an insane amount of gold leaf painted all around the church. The details and architecture were fascinating.  

After, we went to the Museo Franciscano Fray Pedro Gocial. The tour guide was so kind and very informative. He told us all about the Virgin Mary and different aspects of the church and its history. He also showed us the oldest brewery in the new world. We then walked up to the top where we could look out and see the whole city of Quito. There was a huge Ecuador flag at the top that flew over the city. We finished the tour by breaking open small coconuts. We all got to sample a little piece. After this, we walked through the crowded streets around the markets. There were many cool trinkets and handmade items. We stopped at this small place to get churros which were filled with dulce de leche. This was definitely a 10/10 and I would get it again. We headed back to the hotel and ate lunch where we were served chicken, potatoes, rice, and salad with a fig and cheese dessert. We then had free time where we explored further.  

We did some shopping in the markets before coming back to rest. Next many of us took a walk to Basilica del Voto Nacional. We walked up 10 flights of stairs to the very top of the Basilica where we were met with two very steep ladders to see the top. We climbed up and saw the most beautiful view of Quito. We then ate dinner back at the hotel before driving up to the Virgin of the Panecillo. It was all light up and we played volleyball with the local Ecuadorians. It was a great first day in Ecuador!