L’Auberge Inn And Quito Ecuador
Last night we arrived from Colombia and the window of our room was wide open when we arrived at L’Auberge Inn.
L’Auberge Inn overlooked the city and hills and as the lights twinkled in the still night, it looked lovely.
Traffic
After having very little sleep last night, we seem refreshed and ready to explore Quito (Pronounced key-toe).
Parque La Alameda
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- Enjoying Parque La Alameda
Right adjacent to L’Auberge Inn, on the main street heading into the old city, there is a great park with food stalls and paddle boats.
The Parque La Alameda and surrounding parks are clean and well cared for. I realize Explorason needs so time to play after the horrible airport time last night so I focus on this.
Observatorio Astronomico de Quito
We walk past the 1873 Observatorio Astronomico de Quito and hope it is open one night for us to gaze at the heavens.
Food And Fun
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- The streets of the old city of Quito
Wandering along, we buy mango slices off a street vendor for breakfast for my son. Fresh fruits, yogurts, and granola etc. But it all came in one bowl – we had figured it was separate so my son and I could choose what we each liked.
Then, we found this fab garden wall with moving fountain. School kids played happily in it too.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Enjoying Quito Viejo
Next, we wander through the old town. Lots of ladies carry fruit to sell and babies on their backs.
First stop is a DVD store – $1.50 each so we stock up for our nightly movies.
Sucre’s Casa
©Exploramum and Explorason – Sucre’s Casa – inner courtyard
We then go to Sucre’s Casa. I think it was all of $1 to enter. We get a print-out in English and decide this is to be one of our world school lessons for the day.
We have a bit of fun and find many of the exhibits are OK to touch. My son feels the weight of the cannon.
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- The Cannon
Then we meet Hugo. He offers to be our personal guide – his English is great. Now, this makes history come alive! We start all over again and he takes us around and explains the history. We really enjoy the weapons room.
Learning About the Battle
He explains about the battle. We learn all about Sucre and Bolivar, and how the northern countries were all one. And if you look closely at the stairs, you can see that the top of each pole on the stairs is the man’s head, and the base is the woman’s. This is to remind the woman she is under the man in authority.
©Exploramum and Explorason – faces on the banister
Now look to the right of this photo below – behind the door. These walls are made of animal poop as he tells us. They are then covered in chalk paint. This was so that the walls could easily be moved, and that they were lightweight. My son thought this was fabulous – poo walls became the topic of conversation!
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- walls made with mixed animal poop
Amazing Hugo
©Exploramum and Explorason – Hugo – our wonderful guide
We were then able to take photographs where normally no one is permitted to. Hugo was fabulous!
Hugo offers to take us to other Museums and churches another day if we wish. Yes, please!
As we left we both talked, and we both felt we knew so much more about the area and the history. We headed to the square with the statue of freedom.
Chavez
©Exploramum and Explorason – Chavez has just passed away
As Chavez has just died of Cancer – he was the President of Venezuela, there were flowers and tributes on the church steps.
Plaza de la Independencia
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- Plaza of Independence
Presidential Palace
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- Presidental Palace
We manage to get in – the wrong end – no idea how they even let us in? Apparently, you have to surrender your passport before entering. The guard at the gate just let us in!
But as we got further in, we found out that we needed to surrender the passports. Ours were back at the hotel in the safety deposit box. Oh well, we can come back another day. We see the changing of the guard.
A Chance Discovery
Needing a bathroom, and seeing a door to a restaurant, we went in. There awaited a uniformed lift attendant and a very old gate lift. Up we went with some fellow tourists.
After arriving at the cashier, she invited us to choose either the enclosed restaurant or head up to the roof. You couldn’t stop my son dashing up those stairs, and the delight he expressed when we discovered the view. It was simply incredible!
Majestic View
©Exploramum and Explorason – Happy on the rooftop overlooking the old city of Quito
You would think we were in Europe it was so spectacular and to this day it is a memory etched in my mind forever. Right – time for a nice meal and a glass of wine. Time to sit. We feel so happy in Ecuador. Time to laugh. Time to talk and enjoy our next chapter of life.
I realized the fear had left me. We talked about how safe we felt and how happy we both were.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Enjoying our new favorite restaurant
We met 2 lovely American ladies and chatted with them. Then we moved tables as the wind had picked up, and the sun had decided to hide in the clouds.
Next, we were talking with a lovely English couple about the good times we have had so far. Our splurge for the day was well worth it. Sometimes it is important to have the niceties of life.
Bookstore
©Exploramum and Explorason – finding a bookshop
As we wandered home, we found a great bookstore on Venezuela Ave (sorry about the blurry photo). At the back were 4 rows of English books. We spent up big. Study and reading books for my son. A great couple of books for me. One of them was about angels. Seeing there as an angel – virgin statue guarding the city, I wanted to read up.
Iglesia de la Basilica
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- Inside the cathedral
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- Thereis a rooftop climb inside
As we wandered up the hill towards home we found an amazing church called Iglesia de la Basilica. I think it cost $1-$2 to enter. The stained glass windows and Neo-Gothic architecture is amazing. It is the biggest church in Ecuador and took over 100 years to be built.
There are a number of shops below here selling plumbing and electrical and souvenirs – a strange mix for a cathedral we laugh. Apparently, you can climb to the top and get a view of the city. We may go back and do this another day.
My son has decided he wants to be a preacher, so he practices – quite funny!
Returning To L’Auberge Inn
Outside there is a small square and a statue. To be honest I can’t remember who it was. It was the end of a wonderful first day in Quito. We wander back to L’Auberge Inn – very happy!
©Exploramum and Explorason – Quito awaits you with open arms
Conclusion
We recommend L’Auberge Inn as a wonderful and economical place to stay. We stayed here three times. It is between the old and new city. If you stay for a week you get a 10% discount.
Questions and Comments
- What do you think that the advantages of staying in a private hostel room like L’Auberge Inn are?
- Would you prefer the historical area of a city, or the modern area when on a vacation?
- Tell us why in the comments below. We’d love to know.
Details
- Accommodation Name: L’Auberge Inn
- Location: Avenida Colombia N15-200 y Yaguachi, Quito – Ecuador
- Telephone: +593 2 255 2912
- email: auberge@uio.satnet.net
- Website: http://www.auberge-inn-hostal.com
- Date stayed: March 2013 and October 2013
- Breakfast: can purchase really inexpensively
- Bar: yes
- Kitchen: yes
- Wi-fi: yes
- Child-friendly: yes
