Hotel La Basilica Quito

After walking and riding through the rain, eating lunch at a nice little restaurant where we didn't really know what we were ordering, we headed back to the hotel to wait for our tour guide to fetch us.

Here you see the interior of our hotel. It is a converted house and this is the courtyard where, now, breakfast is served.

Basilica del Voto Nacional - III

Even though this place is quite modern in comparison with the other ones we saw, it is nicely appointed and, for a large stone church filled with unpadded seats, it is inviting.

Bacilica del Voto Nacional - II

 

I don't know it is technically a "vertical gothic" church, but it seems pretty vertical to me. Quite reminiscent of churches found in Europe.

Basílica del Voto Nacional - I

The last of the churches we visited is the Basilica del Voto Nacional, the Basilica of the National Vow. This seems to serve much the same function as the National Cathedral in Washington, DC.

Two More Churches

Having been through full overload in the previous two churches, we found this much smaller one just down the street. It is the Church of the Tabernacle. It is indeed smaller but it is stil seriously ornate.

The Church of the Society of Jesus

Just when you thought the last church was over the top, you walk into the Church of the Society of Jesus. This place is clearly the work of a group of people with lots and lots of money.

A Bit More of the Church

This view of the organ loft really shows that almost no surface in this place is left unadorned.

San Francisco Catholic Church, Quito, Ecuador

Today we begin the blogging of the journey that E and I just returned from: following in the footsteps of Charles Darwin and visiting the Galapagos Islands. As you will see, many wonders were found (and photographed). Our adventure began with a long day getting to Quito, Ecuador by way of Houston. Counting the 4 hour layover in Houston, it took about 12 hours.