Quito, the capital of Ecuador, stretches across a high-altitude (8,250 meters / 9,350 feet above sea level) meseta surrounded by the slopes of Pichincha volcano and many hills – Panecillo, Libertad, El Placer, Itchimbía and others. On the horizon, Cayambe, Antisana, Cotopaxi, and other volcanos are seen when the clouds part.
Its Centro Histórico (Historic Center) is one of the best preserved in all of Latin America, thus making Quito one of the first UNESCO World Heritage Sites (declared in 1978). The city, built in 1534 upon the runs of an Inca city, displays stunning architecture mixing Spanish, mudejár (Moorish), indigenous and other influences. During the colonial period, it was home to the Escuela Quiteña school of art which created altar screens, sculptures and paintings for churches throughout the northern Andes.
Visitors wander Quito’s streets, enthralled by the historic buildings, many museums, and the markets. It is the gateway to adventures to Ecuador’s four regions: hiking and mountain climbing in the Sierra, checking out the jungle wildlife in the Amazonía, surfing on the Pacific coast (and savoring the country’s best dishes there – especially in Esmeraldas and Manabí provinces), and observing the incredible, unique fauna of the Galápagos Islands.
Tourists are so bedazzled by the Quito’s richness that many miss seeing the local people who are living for the city. They don’t hear the rhythm of everyday (and every night) life of this ciudad, especially those who live in the Centro Histórico (Historic Center – yes, tens of thousands live in that sector of the city).
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My first visit to Quito was in 1992. Over the decades, I have visited many times. I always stayed in the Centro Histórico. Each visit has inspired me to capture the sights, sounds and smells of the city. In this collection, Living for the City, which includes poems from 2005 to 2007, I invite you to join me in experiencing the vital rhythms of this ciudad, from before the dawn (Mute to Grey) to the wee hours of the night (Echoes).
A young girl feeds the multitudinous pigeons that hang out on Plaza San Francisco (A Quiteño Sketch). And like any place on this planet, folks go on with their daily lives despite the rain – and miss the magic of a rainbow (Three O’Clock Rain). They return home after yet another long day at work (Homeward). And like many cities in this world, child abuse (One Shoe) and homelessness (2 AM Streets) hide in plain sight – if only we all (locals and tourists alike) would see …
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Click on over to the Latin America Wanderer E-Book Library and settle in for these poetic adventures.
Safe Journeys!
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If you would like continue exploring Quito,
check out these other collections of my poetry :
In the Jaguar Valley (Chicago: dancing girl press, 2023)
Quito Suite and Endless Rains (both from Origami Poems Project)
Songs to Mary – A Pilgrim’s Guide to and a Poetic Witnessing of Marian Processions in Quito, Ecuador (Twin Tails Publishing, 2022)
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