greetings from Quito, Ecuador

[dennislevy]

I m always amuised when some gringo calls  me a tightwad....
`
Its always the same kind of people, they ve never gotten off the gringo trail, they dont know much abut the cultures that they visit, they rarely speak the lanugage. they dont want to try different venues and they have No idea of what is  possible when you re away form the gringo trail.
 
I ve been in Ecuador now for 80 days...and I ll have more to say about the country....By and large its  a wonderful pave  to visit, possibly in which to live. 

I m currently in Quto the capital 9 000 feet up, more then 2 million people....perched on a mountain sides and spread out in a valley.....the air is thin and polluted, not quite as bad as Bogota, but its a dirty city......There are no skyscrapers, I estimate the tallest builing is 24 stories, more or less. The arcitecture is squat, boxy in the slums it s just  unpainted boxes of conrete and stamped conrete brick with the ocasional pastel paunt scheme....
 
The coloniall architecture well worth seeing, that is a day....
 
 I found a terrific hostal in Quito which I recommend in the highest terms. Its called L Auberge, the address is Avenida Gran Colombia, N15200, for a committment of a week, I m paying (15.40 a night with an all you can eat FRESH fruit...........watermelon, pineapple, papaya........breads fesh juices and coffee breakfast buffet... the room is comfortable I ve got a full bath all the hot water I want, a comfortable double bed....there is a papaerback lending library and 4 computer terminals  on premises....
 
The hostal has a casual contiennetal restaurant very good food cooked by a trained French chef, salads, soups, pasta, crepes, meat and chícken dishes with rice, fresh vegetables and scalloped potatoes. The most expenive dish is 9.50, a big bowl of incredible creamy chicken soup and a big green salad is 4.00
 
Its a 1.50 cab ride from my hostal to Avenida Rio de los Amazones, Plaza Foche and Mariscal....which are the touristy streets in Quito. I tried walking once...the hillls are steep and i almost DIED! I checked the price of the Hilton Giron. supposedly the best hotel  in town...including tax and breakfast for one night . 202 dollars
 
I stayed in one hotel that I would again recommend in the highest terms.....Casa Hotel  Foch....beauiful spacious rooms, traditional decor and a wonderful breakfast, 68 dollars, The room was nicer then the Hilton and I thioght the breakfast was better.
 
If I got lucky in Quito, I woulld take the lady to the Hotel Casa Foch in a heartbeat
 
I ve met a wide variety of people at thse hostal L Auberge incuding a Swiss couple who had their 5th wheeler flown from Switerland, but weree paying 22 USA a night for a double in the hostal....it isnt just backplacers who stay in hostals.....
 
Cuidase de Quito
 
Dennis
 

[dennislevy]

Just for everyones information.....Eucador is on the dollar......the greenbacks are the same, the coins are a combination of American and Ecuadorian types, the Ecuadorian coins are the same size   

[V_Man]

Welcome back Denis.
What about the women?

[Kiltboy1]

Good to hear from you Dennis, ah, I miss Ecuador and the food . Quito yes is not too pretty compared to say Medellin, but the people, food and culture are great and you are only 2 hours by car to the rainforest , mudbaths and hot mineral springs. I like Foche and the vibe  in zona gringolandia  , as people call the area there. Looking forward to getting back there this spring. Keep the reports coming as it keeps me thinking of my second home. I know the hostel you are staying at and it is a great value.Check out the hotel Sebastian too. The wife and I have taken a night there before just to get away from the in laws.
 
KB

[dennislevy]

KB

Good to hear from you.....

Speaking of gringolandia...for me the most obvious manifestation is The Magic Bean.....Good chow, but.....pricey...

Im on my way to Baños tomorrow, for a day or two......Another  American guest at  the L Auberge jostal gave me a referral to a hostal  called Casa Verde in Baños.... Then I ll go back to the coast, probably Manta and I ll take a bus south  and cross the border into Peru on the 25th.

Take care. 

Dennis

[Deseo]

Good to get some perspective on a country other than Colombia.  Thanks for sharing.
 
How receptive are the women in Ecuador to meeting guys from the U.S.A. (or Canada, Australia, etc)?
 
From reading his post history, I see KB met his wife through the internet but I would like to ask:  are there any good agencies in Ecuador?
 
Last question(s), Manta (pacific coast) and Cuenca (in the south) both look like great places to visit as a tourist.  But how are the women in these parts of the country?  Easy to approach them as a gringo visiting their country? Or is it best to stick to Quito which is a large city with a critical mass......
 
 

[dennislevy]

Deseo and V man

Although Im in Ecuador, I haven t dated in  Ecuador and don t have plans to do so...I looked at Ecuadorean women 35 to 50 on latin cupid, the mahority were conentrated in Quito and Guayaquil...I was tired after 7 monhts ont he road in Colombia and  I oculdnt summon much enthusiasm.

what I did mntocve os that there are not may eciadrean women on latin american cupid and  in paakces other then Gyaquil and Quito and they go inactive quickly......U chatted wth an attractive woman in Gyaquil. (but originally a caleña) for about three weeks..and we  had made a date  to meet in Gyuayaquil  on August 6......but sje blew it up a week before I was suppsed to show up....

After that I havent put any energy into it-----

There are attractive women but  my opinion is that its a very small percentage of the female population. that I ve seen.... less then or at 4 percent.....The natural gene pool at least where I ve been has certain chacterstics...sttaight jet black hair, dark copper brown slin displaying Indian desent   there are coal black Wmen here. many women are short and wth thick bodes heavy thighs , short legs ....there is a general problem with obesity in women..

In the north I  saw very old  Indian women who probably had attained  4 feet 6 as adullts....and went down to 3 10 or  4 becausef ostereoperosis.

white skinned women are scarce...You simnply don t  have the wide gene pool that exists in C slin...tolomiba.....and of coursae Brazil .

There are certainly attractive girls in Plaza Foch  in Quito  on Friday and nights ....but nothing like Parque Lleras in Medellin on a weekend night.

I saw mjore attractive womem  on the coast in Nanta, haven t yet been to Cuena

Are they approachable?   I didn  t try..... and hiittng on wome in public has never worked well for me...

I wish I could  be more helpful....

Dennis 

[Researcher]

       Welcome back Dennis! This is why I like to poke fun at those farewell manifestos.Alot of  the time they just don't stick! hahaha!

       Enjoyed reading about your adventures Dennis.I've often wondered why guys stuck to Colombia.I always thought it had to do with the abundance of beautiful babes and from your descriptions I'd have to say that this is correct. Is there anyway you could post some pics of Quito? I would enjoy seeing them.

     Researcher

[Gato4Astrid]

Deseo and V man

Although Im in Ecuador, I haven t dated in  Ecuador and don t have plans to do so..

Dennis

Perhaps they don't do coffees 

[dennislevy]

I havent take any fotos of Quito...
 
Im still in Quito....
 
today there were at least 10,000 people in the streets around the National Assembly building which is about 3 blocks from the L Auberge hostal where Im staying
 
The occasion was a march of protest for justice and against corruption at all levels of the Ecuadorean goverment.
 
Gee, what a surprise!
 
I saw no trouble, no violence...cops were everywhere and mounted police rode at the sides of the marching ranks. The protesters came from schools (young kids in their school uniforms), companies, social servcies agencies from businesses and companies...... They carried small vinyl Ecuadorean flags, regular sized flags, homemade signs and banners.
 
After marching, in intervals  large groups gathered in front of the national Asermbly building....listened to speeches and bought stuff from vendors,
 
when you ve got large crowds, it s a great opportunity to girl watch from inches away.
So I walked through the groups and it was grim...Lots of Indian women, native costumes and the Tyrolean hats the the little feather, a lot of heavy women, if i can say one thing about Eucadorean women and of ocurse Im excepting any board members girlfriend or wife......
 
Many Ecuadorean women lack feminity. They simply dont primp and make themselves look good.....in short they arent sexy....
 
Although I don t like breast impants, I ve only seen a handful in close to 3 months here, and today I don t  think I saw one set of siliconas in a croed of several thousand women. 
 
The young chicas seem to make efforts......but in my 35 to 50 range of women, its a miniscule percentage.....The women are definitley better looking in Guayaquil..but I was there very briefly...less then 24 hours.....
 
Have a good day....

[raycjs]

Dennis
 
glad to see you are back and enjoying your retirement, it is nice to hear from you again what are you plans if any? find a place to call home or just keep traveling for now? do you have plans to go back to Colombia any time soon or just keep moving around?   be safe and enjoy yourself
 
 
Ray

[dennislevy]

Hi Ray
Nice to hear form you.

Since Noivemer 2010 home has ben three suitcases. I am till enjoying the gypsy life....I ll re enter Colombia en Janaury, 2012,,,probably during the first week....I ll return to Medellin for a whie, thats for sure.

Before I go back to Colombia............I ve got a lot I want to se in Peru.....and I want to visit one specific city in Bolivia...Santa Cruz which suppsedly has a reputation for beautiful women.

Hope you re well and enjoying life.

Take care
Dennis

[Kiltboy1]

Hi Ray
Nice to hear form you.

Since Noivemer 2010 home has ben three suitcases. I am till enjoying the gypsy life....I ll re enter Colombia en Janaury, 2012,,,probably during the first week....I ll return to Medellin for a whie, thats for sure.

Before I go back to Colombia............I ve got a lot I want to se in Peru.....and I want to visit one specific city in Bolivia...Santa Cruz which suppsedly has a reputation for beautiful women.
 
I know a guy that went to Santa Cruz. He said the chicas were real fine !!!
 
KB

Hope you re well and enjoying life.

Take care
Dennis

[raycjs]

Dennis,
 
i am happy for you, enjoy your travels and pleas keep us all posted
i am doing very well, things are going great
 
best safe and enjoy life
 
Ray