On our last day in Ecuador, we decided to take a bus tour of the capital city of Quito to maximize our sight seeing. We were able to get off at various stops and then back on to continue our tour. And even though we couldn't exit at every stop, we at least heard about those stops and some other features that we passed.

We first stopped at the Basilica del Voto Nacional, which is a Roman Catholic Church at the center of Quito. You can see the Basilica from all over town it is so big. And we were able to climb up to the top of a tower and take in the amazing sights of the City. What was more amazing, was that Ecuador was playing in the World Cup at the time and scored a goal while we were up in the tower. We could hear cheering and horns honking from all over the city!

Our next stop was at el San Francisco, a Roman Catholic complex including a public square, a courtyard, and the church and its chapels. It is the largest architectural ensemble among the historical structures of colonial Latin America, covering over 7 acres (according to Wikipedia). In the streets around el San Fransico there were vendors, bands playing, and people out and about everywhere. We walked around, looked in a few other churches, and then headed back to the bus.

Finally, we stopped at El Panecillo, which is a 200 meter (656 foot) hill in downtown Quito. The top elevation of the hill is 3,016 meters (9,895 feet) above sea level. On top of the hill is an aluminum statue of Quito's madonna, which you can go inside. There are amazing views of the city in every direction from this hill. Vendors sold souvenirs and snacks and we fueled up on freshly made empanadas for the rest of the trip.

Once we were done with the tour it was time to go to the airport and all go our separate ways. It was a long night (red eye) of flying - and it was even longer for my new Canadian friends! But all made it home safely.

Tour bus selfie (photo by Rene).

The Basilca

Inside of the Basilica.

The stairs were no joke!