Ecuador - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 575

Govindas Esmeraldas 853; map p.573. The best vege-
tarian option in the Old Town. Healthy breakfasts and
specialities such as veggie risotto for lunch. Mains $2-4.
La Guaragua Espejo Oe2-40; map p.573. Appealing little
restaurant just down from Plaza Grande. Ecuadorian
specia lities such as seco de pollo (chicken stew) and chuleta
(fried pork chops); the great-value set lunches will set you
back $3-6.
Pedro y Pablo Chile, at Plaza Grande; map p.573. Just one
of the many cafés in a delightful food court hidden in a
historic building on Plaza Grande, serving mainly seafood.
Mains $4.
Tianguez Plaza de San Francisco; map p.573. Under the
church on the plaza, this is a perfectly situated café in
which to take a break from sightseeing. Well-prepared
local specialities and indulgent desserts are slightly pricey
($3-8) but worth it for the great setting.

brimming with Beatles memorabilia, is great to escape the
disco craziness.

OLD TOWN
Café Sibari La Ronda; map p.573. Just one of the many
café options along regenerated La Ronda. Catch live music
at weekends or have a quiet drink during the week.

6

DIRECTORY
Banks and exchange There are plenty of banks near
Av Amazonas in the New Town but fewer in the Old Town.
They are normally open Mon-Fri 8.30am-4pm and Sat
mornings. Try Banco de Guayaquil on Reina Victoria, at
Colón, or Banco del Pacífico, on 12 de Octubre, at Cordero.
Books The English Bookshop (Calama, at Diego de
Almagro) is the best place in Mariscal to pick up fiction and
travel books, to buy, sell or borrow. Libri Mundi (J Mera,
at Wilson; T 02 223 4791, W librimundi.com) is the best
place for new books, and Confederate Books (Calama, at
Mera; T 02 252 7890) is also good for secondhand books.
Embassies and consulates Argentina, Amazonas
21-147, at Roca T 02 250 1106; Bolivia, Eloy Alfaro 2432, at
Fernando Ayarza T 02 244 6652; Brazil, Amazonas 1429, at
Colón, Edificio España T 02 256 3086; Canada, 6 de Diciembre
2816, at Paul Rivet, Edificio Josueth González T 02 250 6162;
Chile, Juan Pablo Sanz 3617, at Amazonas T 02 224 9403;
Colombia, Colón 1133, at Amazonas, Edificio Arista T 02 222
2486; Ireland, Antonio de Ulloa 2651, at Rumipamba T 02
245 1577; Peru, República de El Salvador 495, at Irlanda T 02
246 8411; UK, Naciones Unidas, at República de El Salvador,
Edificio Citiplaza, 14th floor T 02 297 0801, W ukinecuador
.fco.gov.uk; US, 12 de Octubre, at Patria T 02 256 2890,
W ecuador.usembassy.gov; Venezuela, Cabildo 115, at Quito
Tenis T 02 226 8635.
Hospital Hospital Metropolitano, Av Mariana de Jesús, at
Av Occidental T 02 226 1520, emergency and ambulance
T 02 226 5020.
Internet Quito's New Town is full of internet cafés, charging
about $0.70-$1/hr. Friendly, comfortable places include
Papaya Net (Calama, at JL Mera; T 02 255 6574) and Sambo.
net (JL Mera, at J Pinto; T 02 290 1315).
Police La Policía de Turismo (Reina Victoria, at Roca;
T 02 254 3983).
Post o ces The most convenient o ce for La Mariscal is
on the corner of Reina Victoria, at Colón (Mon-Fri 8am-
7pm, Sat & Sun 8am-noon; T 02 250 8890).
Shopping Mercado Artesanal (Juan Mera, at Jorge
Washington, New Town), weekend market at Parque El Ejido,
and Mercado Ipiales (Chile, at Imbabura, Old Town).
Telephones CNT ( W www.cnt.com.ec) has its main o ce
on Eloy Alfaro near 9 de Octubre and branches around the
city. In Mariscal there is an o ce on Reina Victoria. You can
also buy Porta and Bell South phonecards at most larger
shops.

DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE
NEW TOWN
Mariscal in the New Town has a vibrant nightlife scene and
gets packed on weekends. The most happening area is
along José Calama and Foch between avenidas Amazonas,
Juan León Mera and Reina Victoria. Bars are busy from 8pm
onwards with the clubs filling up towards midnight and
winding down around 3am. Remember to take a taxi at
night. Mariscal is quiet and feels dangerous on Sundays,
when most police take the day off.
Ì Bungalow 6 Calama, at Diego Almagro; map p.575.
A mixture of locals and tourists flock to enjoy the great
atmosphere and dance to Latin and pop classics in this
hugely popular bar/disco (entrance $5 including one drink).
Corner Pub Amazonas, at Calama; map p.575. A small
new bar on the corner of Mariscal's main drag, popular
with expats and locals alike.
Finn McCool's Almagro, at Pinto; map p.575. The most
popular expat pub with draught beer, pool, quiz nights,
movie nights and plenty of rock music.
Mulligans Calama, at Reina Victoria; map p.575. Very
popular Irish bar with draught beer, football on the big
screen and traditional gut-busting food. Guinness is
extortionate though, at $12.
No Bar Calama 380; map p.575. Raucous Mariscal disco
with a large dancefloor. It gets very loud and crowded at
weekends (entrance $5 including one drink).
El Pobre Diablo Isabel La Católica, at Galavis; map p.575.
A Quito institution in La Floresta with a bohemian atmos-
phere, cocktails, a good restaurant and live music.
Seseribó Edificio El Girón, Veintimilla, at 12 de Octubre;
map p.575. A long-time Quito favourite and the best place
to dance salsa and merengue , or just stand back and watch
the experts. Thursday nights are particularly good.
Strawberry Fields Forever Calama E5-23; map p.575.
A world away from No Bar next door, this tiny rock bar,