Great reports to TomJackin, Jan 156 and my buddy WT69. You guys have made Quito come alive for me. Never gave it much thought before; maybe I will go in October. I don't think the altitude thing would bother me too much. Been to Bogota 8,000, Cuzco, Machu Picchu etc. Usually after a couple of days I'm acclimated.
If I went to Quito would stay in Gringolandia and walk to all the chongos close by and skip the cabs. I assume its fairly safe during the daytime and early evenings. And then take the trolebus to Old Town for the streetwalkers. Old town kind of interests me for the tourist aspect; dig the old Spanish colonial style buildings.
Are there plenty of banks and ATMs around? Nice that you don't need foreign money the old US dollar is it. I'm looking for a hotel that has a safe deposit box and allows smoking in the room. Food wise, I think ID eat either US or foreign food like pasta, steak, seafood etc. Anyway great reports guys.
