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Quito

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Quito

The second-highest capital city in the world

As if poured onto the hills, Quito is splayed out over a seismically unstable piece of land and languishes in the shadow of the constantly active Pichincha volcano. Home to more than two million inhabitants, Quito is actually surrounded by eight volcanoes and sits on the equator, maintaining a sunny yet cool climate all year round, at 2,850 meters (9,000 feet) above sea level. Benefiting from recent construction and efforts to revive tourism in the floundering ciudad vieja, Quito now hosts one of the best-preserved colonial centers of any Latin American city. You can find an ornate church or site of interest on practically every street corner and dine out on the local delicacy of cuy (guinea pig). Quito was home to the late Ecuadorian painter and national treasure Oswaldo Guayasamín; do not leave town before seeing his riveting depictions of indigenous suffering and man's inhumanity to man.

Quito travel guide by ricardo tripwolf

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