quito: a city that makes you gasp for air
okay, quito. it's high. like, stupid high. 2850 meters above sea level. i'm sitting here with a headache and someone told me that's normal because the air is thinner. who knew? i just checked and it's 19.35°C there right now, feels like 18.72°C, so hope you like that kind of thing-spring forever but with a side of exhaustion. the sun feels like it's punching you in the face though. sunscreen is not optional, it's survival.
the city's stuffed in this narrow valley between volcanoes. pichincha's right there, breathing down your neck. last erupted in 1666, they say, but it's still active. you can hike it or take a cable car if you're into that sort of thing. if you get bored, cumbayá, tumbaco, los chillos are just a short drive away-lower and warmer by 5-6°C, which is basically cheating at altitude.
the old town is a maze. unesco says it's special, and it is-colonial churches and cobblestones everywhere. someone told me that la compañía de jesús church has so much gold it'll make your eyes bleed, but honestly, after three days of wandering, everything just looks like brown buildings. el panecillo's got that huge virgin mary statue, and you can see it from everywhere. convenient if you're lost.
weather's a joke. one minute it's sunny, next minute fog rolls in and you can't see your hand. they call it "summer" from june to september-less rain, but still foggy at 5am. and the rain? it just dumps. someone told me that the south side is wetter, which means if you go there, you'll need a boat or something.
mitad del mundo is there-the equator monument. you can straddle it and be in two hemispheres at once. feels like a tourist trap, but also kind of cool for like, five minutes. the population's a mix of indigenous and spanish stuff, but honestly, after a week, everyone just looks tired. altitude sickness is real. drink water, don't run, and maybe avoid alcohol until your body adjusts.
so yeah. quito. it's high, it's confusing, and the volcanoes might erupt. but it's also got this weird, timeless vibe. just don't forget your sunscreen or a good headache remedy. you'll need both.
You might also be interested in:
- https://topiclo.com/post/tshikapa-feels-like-a-place-that-forgot-it-mattered
- https://topiclo.com/post/things-i-didnt-plan-to-happen-in-shubra-alkhaymah
- https://topiclo.com/post/baltimore-chaos-and-crab-cakes
- https://topiclo.com/post/havana-a-sensory-overload-and-the-weathers-something
- https://topiclo.com/post/istanbul-where-continents-collide-and-i-lose-my-mind