Ecuador | Quito | dizziness | World Cup | United States

Kathryn and I begin climbing the stairs of the church, taking constant breaks to fend off the dizziness and fatigue that the altitude brings on. Climbing a mountain would probably have been easier. About 100 steps up, we walk onto a large balcony overlooking the seating area of the church; a huge stained-glass window glows brightly. More panting out-of-towners reach our level. After we go ­another 50 steps or so, one of the constant surprises of Ecuador reveals itself: a café, with floor-to-­ceiling windows, serving rich coffee (and World Cup soccer games on the tiny TV in the corner). In the distance, we see the massive statue atop El Panecillo of La Virgen de Quito, the angel who watches over the city.

It is at this point that I have to admit to being a chicken. Another 50 steps (and ­several breathing breaks) up is a sign pointing toward the belfry. The problem? The next set of steps is a tightly wound spiral staircase that shoots through the ceiling, making it impossible to see how high up it goes or if anybody is coming down. While I have few fears, climbing tightly wound spiral staircases is one of them. Instead, I spend time shooting photos of the stellar views of Quito from the subspiral level while Kathryn goes on. It turns out that the spiral is topped off with a climb up some bouncier-than-they-should-be ladders that, thanks to openings in the walls around them, give climbers the sense that they're climbing on air. In the United States, the climb up would be a lawsuit waiting to happen. But in Ecuador, it's just a chance to test one's mettle, to see how far you'll go for a good view on a
gorgeous day.

Summer