Quito is one of my favorite cities to explore, with its meandering streets, friendly people, majestic churches, and Colonial architecture. Wandering the streets of Old Town shows the mix of cultures over the generations that has lead to today's modern Quito. A stroll down La Ronda shows the importance of the arts with galleries and musical groups playing all along the road. 

On a lovely sunny day in June I explored La Carolina Park, similar to Central Park in New York. Quiteños gather at La Carolina on weekends to play soccer, basketball and volleyball. The southern part of the park has a small pond where paddle boats and a skatepark for bicyclists and skateboarders. Throughout the park artists perform and sell their art. I also visited the Botanical gardens, showcasing the diverse variety of plants all over Ecuador from orchids to cacti.