Today is a public holiday in Quito, Ecuador, celebrating the founding of the city. At 11am, there is a ceremony at Plaza de Armas that includes the mounted Presidential Guard, and the band and officers of the Guard. Various dignitaries are on the balcony of the Presidential Palace, including I think the President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa.
Part of the ceremony is the unfurling of the national flag by one of the guards positioned on the roof during the national anthem. The guard faced quite a dilemma – the flag was twisted, and the guard had to decide whether it was more important to salute during the anthem, or to untwist the flag. He decided it was more important to salute, and fixed the flag when the Presidential party turned to face the crowd.
After the ceremony finishes, I hike up the hill to La Basilica, Quitos answer to Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. La Basilica has been in progress for more than 100 years, and still isn’t finished. Not surprisingly, it is closed. The view from the top of the hill is terrific though, on this sunny day.
Quite by accident, I find the Centre for Contemporary Art behind the cathedral. Recently completed, this turns out to be a world-class exhibition space. Entry is free, and the staff are clearly proud of their facility. In 2007, the government of Quito turned a formerly derelict military hospital into a facility to host works from painters, sculptors and other artists from Ecuador, Bolivia, Guatemala etc. The conversion is fantastic, and is one of the better art galleries in the world.
Tomorrow is the start of 2 weeks sailing in the Galapagos. We start with the red dotted line itinerary, and in week two, follow the blue dotted line!
