Up the TeleferiQo

Another major tourist attraction in Quito is the TeleferiQo (clever spelling!) that opened in 2005 and is a big hit with locals and tourists alike.

It's a six-passenger tram that takes you to one of the lower slopes of Volcan Pinchincha that towers above the city. You go from less than 10,000 feet in Quito up to what they call Cruz Loma at 13,287 feet. Hey, that's about 2,000 feet higher than the summit of Mt. Hood.

It made me a little dizzy when I got there. I wished I had brought that coca candy I bought from a vendor in the square in Quito which is supposed to be good for that. I definitely got winded walking around, but I got used to it and Daniel and I hiked up to get a good view of Ruca Pinchicha, one of the highest peaks at 15,180 ft.

Since the volcano has erupted many times there is not just one cone, but several peaks. There is a great view of Quito from Cruz Loma which you can just make out behind me in this picture.