QUITO.

What I remember most about Quito is the sheer immensity of it. Looking out from the mountain-side balcony of Cafe Mosaic into the shining, night city, burning with a million golden lights, I had an overpowering sense of being so small with a whole world before me to explore. I graciously accepted that I could never know it all, not even in a lifetime of devotion, and in a heartbeat, it was settled: Quito was mine for 2 days and I'd use every minute.

At once, I was in the thick of the rolling streets, the lively, ancient plazas and the curious city parks. I roamed in and out of The Old City with no map nor guide book, entrusting the days' surprises to my own instincts. Climbing the steep avenues at an elevation of 9252 feet led me to playfully mock my pitiful altitude-shocked body and work for every worthy discovery. 

On my first day, I must have gone to church at least a dozen times by noon. The colonial iglesias and monasteries were like pillars on a cobbled foundation. Ancient plazas spread around them as open grounds for activity in the midst of narrow and otherwise crowded city spaces. The ever present indigenous people inhabiting Quito added to its magic. My eyes constantly rolled round, catching sights like a woman leading a lamb across the street to Plaza San Francisco and a little boy skipping in a superman costume along Plaza Santo Domingo. My eyes settled on beautifully restored architecture and the arches of Calle Morales, one of Quito's oldest streets. I gleefully picked up fresh churros and other decadent goodies from a local bakery and refueled on juicy, 25 cent pineapple from a jolly and beckoning vendor on the corner. 

Sometimes the best way to know a foreign place is to willingly lose yourself in it. 

Running into 3 crazy Australian backpackers put the cream cheese icing on the cake- or rather the meat in the Stroganoff (our dish of choice with 2 chefs in the bunch). The Quito I know is much kinder for my time shared with Claire, Alice and Michael. Together we became giggling spectators of old men playing competitive games of Coco with silver balls in the park, children singing their hearts out for monedas in the efficient if not roomy city trolleys and the changing light over the snow-capped Cayambe peak from our roof-top balcony at Casa Bambu. 2 days on the road, bussing it to Quito from Armenia wore on me and clever, carefree company was just what I needed. 

My Aussie companions hailing from the "country town" of Adelaide were in their 14th month of traveling in South America. They readily passed on wild stories, advice and favorites from their adventures. I was constantly humored with talk of "fairy floss" and "g-strings". They began their journey in Brazil so our opposite routes made room for speculation. I did my best to prepare them for Colombia and they confirmed my already strong desire to visit Inti Wara Yasi Park in Bolivia- Ironically, they'd spent 6 weeks at this animal sanctuary I'd been told of where volunteers care for pumas and monkeys. 

Quito was like a confluence of many rivers creating an oasis of opportunity. With city perks and wilderness escapes, one really doesn't have to choose. You'll find a little bit of everything in the mosaic of pleasant contrast.