Welcome to Quito

1. Welcome to Quito

2. Geopolitical & Demographical Quick Facts • Quito sits on the equator line (latitude 0°15’00’’S), being merely 15 miles away from the monument which marks the ‘Middle of the World’. • The city is located in the ‘sierra’ of Ecuador, which reffers to the section of the country that is located in the Andes mountain belt. • The average altitudeis of 2,800 meters above sea level. • The city has an approximate population 1.8 million citizens. • Omnipresent across the entire length of the city is the 4,800 meters tall active volcano Pichincha.

3. Climate • Due to it’s location near the equator, Quito has only two pseudo-seasons: the dry season (first half of the year) and a rainy season (later half of the year). • The average temperature in Quito goes from a typical 20°C (67°F) during the day to a 10°C (49°F) during cold nights. • Quito certainly has a unique climate. Even though it should have a dry ant hot climate due to it’s proximity to the equator, this balances out with the hight altitude of the city which results in the comfortable climate of the city.

4. Natural wonder in the inside of the city and it’s inmediate outskirts is as varied as it is abundant. • Taking off to only a few minutes away from the heart of the city in any direction will lead you a different ecosystem and microclimate, each with it’s particular species of plants and animals. Humid and cloudy forests, the andean ‘paramo’ and even dry and almost deserty locations are all near the city, demonstrating why Ecuador is known as a megadiverse country. • A highlight among the natural pleasures that the proximities of the city offer is the world-famous bird watching site of Mindo. This location is merely 2 hours away from Quito and offers waterfalls, trecking and other more adventurous options such as rafting. Nature

5. Ecuador: a country of flowers • Nature can also be enjoyed in the inside of the city. The Metropolitan Park, a beautiful and vast eucalyptus tree forest, and ‘El Jardín Botánico’, a space to display the varied plant species of Ecuador (and particularily it’s massive diversity of orchids), are both located in the heart of the city.

6. As part of the natural resources available for your delight, snowy peaks, volcanos and vallies are also an important constituents. • Cotopaxi, often labeled as the world’s tallest active volcano, Cayambe and other volcanoes are easily seen from the city. Also, you are welcome to descend inside the Pululahua volcano crater: one of the few accesible and habited craters in the world, and it is less than an hour away from Quito.

7. Culture Quito was the first city to be declared as a World Heritage Site in the year of 1870 by the UNESCO based on the unique cultural and artistic value of it’s architecture and artwork which blends the spirit of the Old Continent together with that of the native indigenous etnicities.

8. The city’s culture is a contrast between the native, the colonial and the modern blended into a special identity that is reflected by the arquitecture, food and people.

9. Some of the richest examples of Quito’s splendid colonial art and architecture can be appreciated through it’s churches

10. Oswaldo Guayasamin Guayasamin is often regarded as one of best Latinamerican master painters and sculptors. His works, which compromise a life spam of 80 years, portray typical Ecuadorian and Latinamerican social issues such as poverty, oppression and class division. He was awarded dozens of international prizes including best South American painter at the Fourth Biennial of São Paulo and presented his works in important art centers such as the Luxembourg Palace in Paris. Before his death in 1999, Guayasamin constructed a museum to display all of his work and it’s important thematics and named it ‘La Capilla Del Hombre’ (Mankind’s Chapel). The museum is located in Quito and awaits for your visit.

11. Turism • Visit to the ‘Mitad del Mundo’ turistic city, where anthropological and solar museums, traditional food restaurants and the monument marking the site can be found, among many other attractions such as Pululahua crater: • Some of the most popular turistic attractions and entretainment options are: • Go to the top of Pichincha aboar the aerial tramway ‘TeleferiQo’ and be surprised by a magnificent view of the city and it’s sorrundings as you literally touch the sky:

12. The ‘Mariscal Sucre’ sector provides a variety of night entretainment options such as bars, cafes, restaurants of all sorts and open cultural events. • Don’t miss the view of the colonial part of the city fro ‘Itchimbia’ park, and the nocturnal landscapes of the city. • Visit the handicraft markets, where all sorts typical handicrafts are found. Ceramics, wool articles, leather accesories, jewelry and other characteristical crafts such as the famous Panama hats can be found and buyed at low prices

13. Several views of the city’s beautiful colonial center:

14. Thank you for your attention! We sincerily hope that the contents of this presentation were of your interest! This is only a very small part of all that the city has to offer and that we shall share with you upon your coming.

15. Bibliography and picture references • www.ecuadorexplorer.com/html/quito_overview.html • www.corpaq.com • www.langage.com/images/photos/photo.quito19.jpg • www.zoltantakacs.com/zt/im/scan/earth/21462-120.jpg • www.fieldguides.com/ecuador.htm • www.catgen.com/tejemujer/ES/ • www.ecuador-images.net/precolumbian.htm • www.discovergalapagos.com/mask.jpg • www.Thebestofecuador.com/quito.htm • www.Wikipedia.org , Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, search results for ‘Quito’, ‘Ecuador’ and ‘Pichincha’ keywords. • www.etravelphotos.com/ecuador/1998sa-047-15s.html • www.andes.org.uk/peak-info-5000/cotopaxi-info.htm