By Linda McFarlin

One exceptionally sunny morning in September, our Russian-American friend Liliya gave us a sample of her walking tour through Old Town Quito. Liliya and her husband Leo, two transplants from Minnesota, are now happily ensconced in their new home in Quito’s historic district.

They love to lead inquisitive tourists through the ins and outs of Old Town, answering questions and sharing the city’s inner secrets.

From the main bus station, Terminal Terrestre, it’s a short walk up several flights of stairs to La Ronda, one of Old Town’s most charming restored streets. We made our way to Garcia Moreno, admiring the fine restored colonials along the way, with their pastel walls and fine wrought-iron balconies.

Pirated Pirates

Liliya took us to a movie store and “Pirates of the Caribbean,” was not the only pirate around! I felt a shiver of naughtiness as I entered the forbidden store through a wide hall with walls lined with movies.

The store’s main room was a feast of great movies: Truffaut, classic oldies like “Irma La Douce,” Orson Welles, Tennessee Williams,’ “Suddenly Last Summer,” Colombian and Ecuadorian movies.

In the back through dark antique doors was another room with floor to ceiling movies. Even the floor was blanketed with rows of them—Bob Marley, “The Secret 2,” religious movies, musicals, travel videos, children’s movies, even one entitled, “Homosexuality in the Animal Kingdom.”

As elsewhere in the world, it is illegal to purchased pirated movies. While a bargain at $1.50 - $2.00 each, they may not be in English and may be simply shot with a video camera hand-held in a movie theater, grainy and garbled.

Just down the street and across from a beautiful church is a shopping mall with many good fabric stores. An old bearded man was singing ballads on a red guitar decorated with sucres, Ecuador’s defunct currency.

Reading in a Garden of Delight

To the right of the church is the three-story public library. Its interior courtyard encloses a sculpture garden under a huge glass-domed ceiling.

Reminding us that Ecuador is not like the United States, Liliya told us that this public library does not allow you to check out books. Whether that only applies to visiting gringos, I don’t know. You can, however, sink into the library’s comfortable chairs and read the books for long hours of vicarious entertainment.

The medium-priced Café Bar El Buho is located on the ground floor near the main entrance. It’s pale limestone floors, glass walls and black and red wood modern tables and chairs are tasteful and inviting for continued reading and erudite conversation gleaned from the library’s tomes.

Plaza Grande: For Presidents and Peasants Alike

Liliya remarked that, “Democracy is when the president lives upstairs and little tiendas line the street below him,” as we walked past the Presidential Palace on Garcia Moreno, situated on one side of the Plaza Grande. The park was shimmering in the day’s fine light and the locals were taking full advantage of it.

All the park benches were filled, children played, elders conversed quietly and businessmen and women rushed by. Over the entire scene hung a rare light that gave the trees and people the look of a Seurat pointillist painting.

On the corner of Garcia Moreno and Chile is a luxury 4-story hotel, the Hotel Plaza Grande, painted light peach and cream. Further down the street is the Hotel Patio Andaluz, with a stone façade entry, stained glass entry cover, and very fine gift shop. A double room is $240, tax included.

We had to stop our tour so Liliya could buy a sack of delectable peaches, 10 for $1.00, from a street vendor. They were the same ones we’d for breakfast—absolutely delicious and dripping with juice. I was glad for the delay–the street was steep and the altitude even higher than Cotacachi.

Discovering Old Town’s Hidden Treasures

Liliya pointed out her favorite shops, restaurants and street vendors, including her favorite store, a three-story building packed with furniture, house wares, plastics, pots and pans, clocks, pictures, and decorative items.

A tour with Liliya is no ordinary jaunt through a few churches and museums. It’s a fascinating and practical guide for both the first-time visitor or the expat living in Ecuador who’s searching for the city’s best bargains.

Liliya is a great guide and very familiar with Old Town’s hidden treasures. She knows out-of-the-way sculpture gardens, hole-in-the-wall cafes and restaurant/bars, lively places where you can dance the night away and secluded little oases for relaxing.

Whether you just want to learn how to ride the trole (trolley) safely, locate the best nightlife at the best price, or find a perfect weekend getaway, she and Leo will show you how and where.

Her lively conversation is interspersed with interesting stories, historical gossip and knowledgeable insights, all delivered in a charming Russian/American accent. Along with her husband Leo, she will take you on a tour that will both charm and entertain you.

For information, please click here, fill in the form, and ask for contact information for Lilya and Leo.

Filed under: About Ecuador, Ecuador Culture, Ecuador Tours, Quito, Quito walking tours