Tue 7 Feb 2012

Tuesday 7 Feb 2012 Tour of Quito – The Basilica with rose windows, animal gargoyles, Andean people selling scarves etc outside. The Gold Church, where everything inside is covered in gold leaf!! Lovely tour of the old city, saw children (nursery age) having photos taken in the square with people dressed up in old costumes. In the Gold Church they had a huge painting of the “Last Supper” with local variations – it showed the local delicacy of Guinea Pig being served for supper, rather than bread and wine. Our guide (Raoul) showed us some religious wood carvings in the church, where the skin tone was remarkably life-like (if a little too glossy) and he told us they used sheep’s blood mixed with varnish to get the effect. Had lunch in a little Italian restaurant!! Empanadas with enough chips to feed an army! Walked to Botanical gardens and had lovely walk, then met our Galapagos Guide (Darwin Alvarez) and he arranged for us to go into the specialist Orchid House and told us where to see the Vermillion Flycatcher at exactly 4.30 outside in the park – and he was bang on time flitting about from bough to bough and on the grass at our feet. In the park we saw a Rufus-necked sparrow, a Sorra Rail and a beautiful purple Gallinule perched on a rock.