Coming back to Quito and Ecuador after an extended U.S. visit, I find it spooky how some big places no longer are attracting people.
The upscale Patio Andaluz hotel near the presidential palace here in Centro Histórico used to have some patrons on weeknights -- people eating in the hotel restaurant or returning to their guest rooms. Now it's just me. (I'm taking some meals at the hotel restaurant while the temporary lack of Internet service for my condo is being sorted out.. and taking advantage of the hotel's excellent WiFi.)
Having eaten tonight, I'm on the Internet via my laptop on a couch in the interior gran sala of the hotel. An occasional hotel employee passes nearby -- one just brought me my takeout bag for chicken-dinner leftovers -- but in two hours here tonight, there's not a guest in sight. On Saturday night there were several parties in the hotel restaurant for dinner. But weeknights, it's crickets.
----
Last night I went for a swim at the Matovelle school next to the famous cathedral the Basílica del Voto Nacional. The other pool I used to use, Valencia, about six blocks further down Calle Venezuela, has closed.
I got to the Matovelle pool at 6 p.m. There was music playing from speakers, but the lights were off and nobody manned the front desk.
A few minutes later the conserje found me outside the unlocked building and invited me in to use the pool.
I asked if the jacuzzi near the pool was operative. It obviously wasn't as the conserje pushed a button to start heating the pool remotely.
The pool water was cooler than I remembered -- maybe they're saving on heating -- although the jacuzzi was great and the place was cleaner than ever.
Around 7 p.m., just as I was exiting the pool/jacuzzi area, a couple of women showed up in their bathing suits.
It appears not many adults want to pay five dollars a pop to swim in a public pool during a pandemic. There were no kids at all, at least not during my visit on a Monday evening, to the Matovelle school's indoor pool.
cccmedia in Centro Histórico, Quito
Where the Heck Is Everybody?
Dear cccmedia,
I see that you frequently post information to the forum. I would like to say that I find your posts quite informative. I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me.
What is the status of the COVID curfews and restrictions in Ecuador? Wife and I were planning our 2 week scouting trip ahead of our retirement move last April/May, but postponed due to the COVID issues. We would hate to get there and find out all activities are reduced because of the epidemic.
We are planning to visit the Salinas - Manta coastal areas.
Thanks in advance.........
Jeff
When my wife & I did our delayed Luna de Miel, the hotel we stayed at in Manta only had us as a guest. We checked out another hotel (I was confused about which hotel I booked at), & the only guests they had were from Quito. This was back in December/January.
Jeff. I will ask my wife since she is there in Manta right now, & post something later.
Damon.
Jeff_Angie wrote:Dear cccmedia...
What is the status of the COVID curfews and restrictions in Ecuador? Wife and I were planning our 2 week scouting trip ahead of our retirement move last April/May, but postponed due to the COVID issues. We would hate to get there and find out all activities are reduced because of the epidemic.
Dear Jeff,
This is my third week back in Quito, after spending the entire pandemia in the USA to that point.
Virtually everybody here, on the streets, in the shops, at medical facilities is wearing a mask, indoors and out. Even in the parks they are medically masked.
Restaurants are open although many apparently have a much-reduced business from pre-pandemic times.
Many evenings I have been at Patio Andaluz (see above post) until around 12:30 a.m. There is no prohibition being out that late, as there was with the May curfew. I have the hotel call me a taxi, which whisks me back to the condo's indoor parking area.
Banks, pharmacies, hair salons and many other businesses are open in the areas I travel, primarily El Centro and Mariscal.
Many businesses have closed or reduced hours, probably due to lack of business.
Nightclubs close at 10 p.m., although in the north part of town (no Gringos), a couple stay open till 4 a.m.
The party buses that used to ply Calle Oriente (and many other streets) outside my condo on weekends seem completely absent.
Many places require people entering the indoors to allow a temperature check and to get a hand spray of protective liquid or gel.
I do not have reliable information about the coastal places you mentioned.
Have I left out anything you need to know about?
cccmedia in Quito
Thank you.
Coast is roughly the same.
Masks worn, temperature checks going into supermarkets / malls / bigger shops.
Most places open.
Not many people about
October 5, 2021...
Quito's El Centro is coming back to life.
I just had an excellent meal featuring salmon and fresh vegetables at a restaurant that looks out onto the Plaza de la Independencia, which eatery had been closed for a year and a half. It re-opened this week. It's the restaurant in the Plaza Grande hotel. There are few other customers, but that is probably because la gente is just starting to realize the hotel is again open for business.
My other favorite restaurant, just around the corner on Mejía, Vista Hermosa (beautiful view), has been open all along, but with few patrons until September. When I was in there a few days ago, most of the tables in the main dining room were occupied. The place was humming.
At the nearby indoor swimming pool at Colegio Matovelle, dozens of swimmers and jacuzzi bathers were present on Sunday afternoon. In July and August, the place was empty except for myself and a scant few others.
cccmedia at Plaza de la Independencia in Quito
After an extended stay in Colombia, I returned to Quito on February 19 (2022).
On my first week back, no bank or business asked at the entrance to see my 'carné' or 'carnet' -- official evidence of covid vaccinations.
In recent days, El Comisario grocery store and another business were asking to see the document.
I talked my way past the 'vigilantes' at both locations. I consider the vaccination document too valuable to be taking it around town routinely.
Today I made copies of the vaxing-doc. I intend to take a copy with me when I am out, while leaving the original in a safe drawer at home.
cccmedia in Quito
Hi All,
I've been in and out of Ecuador four times since last summer. Each time, some places want vax and PCR papers , some ask if I have them (but don't want to see them,) and some places won't let people in the door without a vax card.
Nothing is consistant. I like your idea of a copied vax card. I think I'll copy ours.
Have a great day.
Robin Lynn
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