Quito - Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 66

Ananké (Camino de Orellana) is the first restaurant you'll hit on the Orellana, Guápulo's
most stylish spot that's still affordable for students and artists who gather in its colorful
enclaves and loungy nooks. Try to get a seat on their heated terrace that has the best views
in town (after the Mirador). Downhill from Ananké you'll pass by a row of cafés that be-
come bars at night, like ChiQuito and Café Guápulo , where walls are covered from ceil-
ing to floor in artwork created by countless patrons. They have all the materials, so ask to
draw your own (if the staff don't ask you first.)
Guápulo's central attraction is the Santuario de Guápulo , a neoclassical church that dates
back to 1596. Its pulpit, considered by experts to be the most intricate one in all of South
America, was crafted by local artist Menacho in the 1700s. The square that introduces
Guápulo Church is reason enough to go; a peaceful, non-touristy square flanked by an-
cient stone benches in the shade of trees. Facing the sanctuary, there in a lookout point at
its right that might be curtained by trees but just a peek behind it awards views of the
Tumbaco Valley.
Iñaquito
Iñaquito is a prominent financial and banking sector of Quito that doubles as an affluent
neighborhood, with many Americans inhabiting its high-rises and the wide Parque Caro-
lina taking up most of its space. The 165.5 acre park features the city's botanical gardens,
a Vivarium, food stands, plenty of greenery and volleyball, basketball and soccer courts.
There's a small pond where paddleboats can be rented and a skate park popular with cyc-
lists and skateboarders. Resembling New York's Central Park, La Carolina is the main
reason to visit Iñaquito.
Due to the taste of its inhabitants, Iñaquito is also home to a cluster of malls, including El
Jardín (Amazonas and República) Quicentro Shopping (6 de Diciembre and Naciones
Unidas) and Centro Comercial Iñaquito (Amazonas and Naciones Unidas). Iñaquito is
more of a strip mall that has a movie theater, fast food restaurants and clothing shops
while the other two rival malls in the U.S. and Europe in terms of exclusivity and cleanli-
ness. For a completely different experience, visit the Mercado Iñaquito (Iñaquito and
Villalengua), which has fruit, vegetable, herb and juice stands, along with two food courts
where anything from blood stew to mangrove mussels can be sampled. The stark differen-
ce between these two worlds encapsulates Quito in a nutshell.
Avenida Los Shyris which parallels La Carolina on its east side is lined with modern
lounges and fine dining restaurants, like Argentinian steakhouse El Chacal (Eloy Alfaro