Orderly Quito

The taxis in Quito are new, professional and pleasant – as well as cheap. I was told there is virtually no such thing as a rouge taxi here. That as long as you flag down an official, yellow one, you don’t have to worry about being robbed, like in other Latin American countries. Yesterday I asked a taxi driver how the taxi system works.

He told me that in order to drive a taxi, one must be a member of a cooperative, that has rules for entry as well as standards that must be fulfilled (such as painting the car bright yellow). He said that membership must be purchased, but not anyone can buy it. Before being approved, a potential driver must submit a folder of personal documents in which factors such as the legality of the car, criminal history are checked. He can sell, or even give away his membership, he can’t sell or give it to anyone. Whoever takes over the membership has to submit his papers and be approved.

He said that most drivers tend to purchase newer model cars, and replace them every 3-4 years, because passengers won’t flag down taxis with old cars.

“If they see an old taxi, they’ll see a newer one coming just behind it, and wait for the better car,” he said. “They want to travel in comfort. So if a driver wants to get a lot of clients, he’ll make sure he has a nice car.”

“So one has to have some money to start as a taxi driver in Quito?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said. “It’s like any investment in a new business.”

He told me it is against the law to drive what are called “pirate taxis,” taxis that work outside the cooperative system. Most importantly, he said the police enforce the law. When they come across a pirate taxi, they take away the car and charge heavy fines. That enforcement seems to be the most important aspect in ensuring passenger safety.

I’m liking Quito better on this visit than my previous two. Perhaps it’s because I’m in a nice hotel, because I’m surrounded by interesting, professional people, because I took a really cool bike trip out into the nature and hot springs. Or maybe it’s because I have a regular view of thick groves of eucalyptus trees lining the mountain tops and the upper level view that allows me to look upon the orderly city as a toy town, in constant action.

A Colorful Capital

Today we started our seminar on the eleventh floor of a downtown building. Before beginning, we ascended one more story to the terrace, to enjoy the view. There are great views throughout the mountainous city and what I love most is looking out the window and seeing a different display of color each time. There are bright yellow taxis, sea green and bright blue buses, buildings in a variety of reds, pinks, greens, yellows, blues, whites, and modern glass – plus the greens of the forested hills and the city parks, the white mists and clouds, and the blue sky. The people seem insignificant, small pieces scattered across a majestic set.

I’m also surprised by the number of American chains – from McDonalds to KFC to Tony Romas to Baskin Robbins to Martinizing Dry Cleaners – that have set up shop here.

This evening we ate at a place called Pim’s, located on the edge of the city, near a giant angel statue. We looked out over a landscape of twinkling yellow lights and stone churches illuminated by a soft white or purplish glow. We’d endured a day of cheap, tasteless food, so it was a treat to have some quality cuisine over such a spectacular outlook.

mountain biking and a hot thermal bath

I arrived in Quito on Saturday afternoon. For the first time I flew west to east across South America – from Santa Cruz to La Paz to Lima to Quito. I went on Taca, which was a surprisingly pleasant and comfortable airline. I actually had several inches between my knees and the next seat – much better than the U.S. air companies I’ve been flying lately.

The scenery was quite fascinating – great views of mountains, and what seemed to be vast territories of harsh, brown landscape. The snow had disappeared in La Paz and it was again the dull, brown city in a brown landscape. Between La Paz and Lima, we also flew over high brown Andean mountains, rising towards the clouds. Lima also presented itself as a dull, dry and drab city (at least from the air), albeit with a nice airport. Then we approach Quito. And suddenly there are green fields, trees, mountains – a verdant land under a blue sky.

Someone commented to me that Ecuador is the ideal destination country because of the variety it offers – the ocean, the mountains, the jungle and the culture. While I also rate Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam very highly, I think it’s true. Ecuador has so much to offer and I’m glad to be here once again.

I took an adventurous bicycle trip, that involving starting out on a snowy 4,000
meter mountain peak, and bike down the Andes into the jungle, all in the rain. We warmed up with a fantastic thermal bath at the Papallacta pools, then headed for another ride down the Andes, heading toward Quito this time. Quite an adventure!

a short stop in Quito

The honeymoon is over and I’m now in Miami, just having returned from Ecuador, and waiting to head off to my next assignment and adventure in Bolivia.

Mark and I flew from the Galapagos to Quito on Saturday afternoon. We found a room in the Antinea Hotel, a beautifully furnished hotel owned by a French-Ecuadorian couple and listed on the Quito Cultural Heritage Sites. While we liked our beautiful, though chilly, room, the owners seemed to be out of town and the service wasn’t very personable.

We had a full day to spend in Quito on Saturday. I had been there about five years ago, but it seemed much prettier than I imagined. A large and long city, it’s at an altitude of over 9,000 feet, ringed by mountains and low-lying clouds.

We decided to check out the teleferico, a new cable car that transports passengers up the mountain for a beautiful view of the city. During the 15-minute ride, we climbed to 4,100 meters. From there, one can hike another three hours to a mountain peak, but we decided not to try that without acclimatizing first. So we enjoyed the beautiful views, looking down at the clouds and the cluttered, hectic, historical city.

From there, we visited a cultural center and took in some exhibits – photographs of natives of the Andes, a contemporary artist, Quito history told through wax figures.

Driving around the city, we saw young men playing soccer on a narrow strip of land between two freeways, the ball running down the slope into oncoming traffic. I found it hard to get my bearings in the city. The various storefronts, the bus stops, the parks with statues, the multiracial population, all seemed to blend together. After my bad experience in Nicaragua, I was quite nervous taking taxis. Every time we got into one, I imagined the driver pulling a gun on us. Luckily, all of them were OK and the majority seem to work within an official system, in a cooperative, where someone is tracking the taxi’s movement. It was definitely helpful to be traveling together with Mark. I hope that I will have a car and driver in Bolivia so as not to be subject to the taxis on my own.

We found lunch in a little local joint in a commercial center. On the second floor, several small cafeteria owners served up set meals of the day to local vendors and workers. We were the only foreigner there and I was glad to have a little exposure to local life – even if it meant we couldn’t drink the bright pink drink or eat the fresh tomato slice. Our meal, including a drink and soup, cost $1 each.

In the evening, we headed to the Café Libro, a place we’d read had a bohemian atmosphere, as well as dance lessons available that night. For an hour and a half, we studied tango, with two talented and very patient teachers. And while we stumbled quite a bit on our first effort, we managed to get an 8-step routine down. All of the other attendees were Ecuadorian. I enjoyed being in such a mellow environment and participating in an activity together with locals.

And then, morning arrived and it was time to go. We fit a lot into a short period of time, and made lots of lasting memories. But at the same time, it seems to have gone quickly.