Historic center of Quito Activities

Quito is well known as the "Carita de Dios" there are 2 million 239 thousand 191 inhabitants, yes we have a lot of people in the streets of Quito, and not to mention our brothers in the province and foreigners. In this city that tries to keep the heritage idea and emerge among the modern, there are countless hidden stories in the remote places of the well-known Historic Center.

I do not want to tell you about the patrimonial Quito, which was recognized by UNESCO in 1978, I want and wish to show you that city of entrepreneurial, hardworking, creative people, athletes and with a good appetite. And I will start with the magical stories behind one of the most important convents in this corner, San Francisco.

Hidden activities in the Historic Center of Quito

The Franciscans’ beer

The beer that often makes us lose our minds, is our first surprise, for those who have not visited this destination. And you knew that it was the Franciscans in the year of 1560 who were encouraged to create the first craft beer, let's imagine the parties until late in a small space of this headquarters, maybe there was no music but if you really want to talk outside the religious or simply form life, we will not know what happened in those four walls, however it is a genuine idea of ​​our mind, which sees these stories from afar. Currently, beers of this type occupy a large part of Quito, more than 50 stores create their varieties based on barley and with the fusion of flavors, which if you drink one, you will not want to stop drinking.

A meeting between friends with talks of broken hearts, family, platonic love, dreams, triumphs, eternal congratulations, conquests, spite and more, accompanied by a good beer, it is possible in the brewery "Bandit Brewing ”, and you will wonder where it is located, and I tell you that it is in La Marín.

Here, its decoration is not typical, religious figures and an altar to raise a prayer to whatever our saint is possible. Between barrels of beer and wooden tables you can drink three varieties blonde, black and red, combined with ginger, honey and more; they will only make you accelerate your senses and misplace yourself if you drink too much. Among my best is the IPA, I drank it with a great friend, between movie talks, life and dreams, for me this site will remain in my memory.

Ecuavolley pyrotechnics in the air

And Quito’s people are challenging, to show their skills, to achieve their dreams; and in front of the Bandido brewery, we found a coliseum. What is it called?, "Julio Cesar Hidalgo" and is an architectural jewel for the national sport, here, it is practiced: basketball, boxing, soccer, ecuavolley, tennis and more. Many will say that they love football, and it is important in the country, but my wish was to know about the ecuavolley, where it is born, how many players are involved, and what is hidden in the fields.

So, our trip near the historic center went to the Atahualpa citadel, south of Quito, to the courts of Antonio Jaramillo Avenue, which has opened its arms for the practice of this sport for more than 50 years. "There is no discrimination of any kind, young people, adults and even the elderly play, they are from different social strata, but they seek to have fun," says Crazy Avila, his nickname identifies him among so many crazy people and Ávilas; The Quito salt is the sign of the mischief that is hidden in Quito neighborhoods.

This sport was born on the border of Ecuador with Peru, with six players. The army of Curaray in a moment of calm, created a field and with a windball, it was a game that distracted them from the conflicts in the border.

The Atahualpa courts are not just a space to enjoy the plays of the flyer, rapporteur and hooker, who show their physical state, skills, abilities, discipline and intelligence with pirouettes in the air; here I felt so close to my childhood, with the smell of “machica”, a beverage made with ground wheat, that my mother said we should drink it to be intelligent and big, I think she was not mistaken, because here everyone drinks to fill themselves with force and finish the game with 12 points in every fifteen, and begging the Virgencita del Panecillo that the bets reach their pockets.

One, two, three ... let's be children again

Did you know that the brain is the largest organ of the central nervous system, and responsible for the entire functioning of our body?

This organ controls each of our ways of acting, thinking, feeling, doing and everything. And I did not know these lessons in a boring way as we learn in our anatomy classes, but in Chimbacalle, well known for the train station, a museum is located on a hill surrounded by trees, birds and grass, here I discovered the Magic world of the brain, science, physics and sports, in a playful way.

The tour of this place will definitely impress you, at every step your mind will look for new experiences such as drinking water from a toilet, making one and a thousand attempts to solve mental remains ... well this and more awaits you at the Interactive Museum of Science.

There is no excuse to know this site, because every last Saturday of the month is free to the public, and here you will discover the rooms: guaguas, mind, play, the model of Quito and of course the site museum, which shows you the machines of fabrics, from the factory established in this place, which closed its doors, in 1999. One day it will not be necessary to discover all its surroundings, and of course you will not want to stop being a child, in a chaotic world.

Trompo, when you take the tub everything is easy

“When there was no light, two people made these toys manually, six tops we made each one, and then sold at school to friends,” says Jorge Rivadeneira, the champion of the spinning dance, which from his ten years he took as an art, the “trompo” (lathe).

Spinning tops, yoyos, whirlpools, valeros, chess games, candlesticks, vessels, buttons, and even batons, have been made in this workshop located in San Roque. His face shows several wrinkles, the passage of time is noticeable in his walk, talk and listen; but when playing the top his face is enlivened, the sweet childhood revives his senses and his laughter is heard in every corner. Making the top dance is an art of skills, and to make them love and perseverance was indispensable for Jorge.

Quito had several traditional games, which over time were forgotten, with the arrival of new technological games, but the artisan of the lathe, has not stopped making them, a living heritage with more than 40 secrets to make the spinning dance, awaits you in the city of traditional crafts. People's ability can be found in games, and without denying it, this spinner lover found it in wood and creativity.

If it itches it is because it will give you good results

Nettle is the whole base, says Amparito as she tells us that she is the third generation that does the cleaning in the San Francisco market. If you want to cure the evil of love, bad luck, lack of money, stress, sorrows, sorrows, or improve your business; here they give you the best solution, a “limpia” clean one with bitter herbs, sweets, colognes and drink, they will charge you with good energy.

While we were part of this ritual, I wondered how these women take us away and charge us with good energies, and Amparito explained to me that it is the magic of the herbs that transform us. And the thoughts did not stop there, and my second question was, do they lack money or very precious love?, and find out that no, for this reason I considered a good trade that allows you to have money and love, and besides you help the rest to have it, great right?

The plants used are rue, Santa Maria, cinnamon, eucalyptus, flowers, and nettle; It is a medicinal plant that will help you improve blood circulation. The cost is at your fingertips, $ 5.00 dollars children, and $ 7.00 adults. Nettle itching is a bit intense, but that is the sign that the clean did its job on our energy.

My world from above

Shouting and closing your eyes in the middle of the abysses of more than 250 meters high should be our reactions to live the adrenaline in adventure sports, 30 minutes from Quito, in the parish of Nayón, waiting for you to enjoy an adventure extreme, in Nayon Xtreme Valley.

Here, you can do several activities such as: canopy, canyoning, pintball, climbing, cabins, camping and more, with all the safeties. Because Quito invites you to have fun in a thousand ways. With my heart racing and the creeps, I have nothing more to enjoy, from the heights, the decision was made, luck or death; but in the air you feel you own the world, thoughts stop, and your sight is impressed with such natural beauty. In this park I met a person with visual impairment, who exceeded their limits and enjoyed an extreme experience with all the facilities and safety, so there is no reason not to do so.
There are no limitations when your adventurous spirit calls you to feel one with nature, in 5 hectares of land, you will enjoy a country atmosphere in an urban area, all near Quito city.

The "J" best of all neighborhoods, in Solanda

Many find it unattractive to go south of Quito, but this place gives you endless cultural and gastronomic alternatives, which do not envy any expensive neighborhood or the very traditional Historic Center. Our journey to complete this journey through the secrets of different Quito culminated in Solanda.

Did you know that the architecture of this area was in the first Architecture Biennial? I am sure you did not know this fact, nor I, but it was impressive as a space so named by its myths is an example of social, economic, cultural development, And why not tourist.
Feel at home, because here people are friendly, they take you by the hand to the place where you are going, the neighbor trusts you in the store, everyone plays in the streets, and in addition alternative spaces are created to show the art that Run through your veins, through graffiti, and if you don't know how to fuck sprays are used, then this place has a place to share, teach, and learn from this art.

“Coming to Solanda, is to do community tourism, a different or uniform space, not even homogeneous, expects it,” says Fabiano Cueva, cultural manager. Here, you will find a wide gastronomic culture, the different ways of life united with a single purpose, to emerge with imagination and ventures.

The “J” street is the emblem of Solanda, here the illusion, the desire to live, the idea of ​​a better life come together, so we enjoy the very traditional foam in ¨Moras y Fresas¨, a family business that now offers nibs of many flavors. This venture was born in a hallway, and it was hard work preparing large quantities for sale to the public that grew like sugar ants. Now this creative business offers you multiple goodies such as: ice cream, desserts, Quito waffles with seasonal fruits. Believe me you will not want to leave this place, their products are delicious.

And in front of the ecological park, you will feel like on the beach, I tell you simply because the best corviche will serve you in the business of the “Black Wonder”, a character that started with the sale of the morocho, a drink made with a type of corn, through the streets of Solanda. Now not only offers you morocho and corviche, but you will taste empanadas, bolones and more in the Emerald style.

The neighborhoods in Quito are a sample of important historical processes that allow the emergence in the midst of creativity, tastes, struggle and especially union. To come to the Ecuadorian capital is to come to know an experience of life in every corner, the colonial Quito, we leave it aside to invite you to know the secrets of a diverse city in its more than 100 neighborhoods, which from north to south, you will love.