Spring

Determined to spend time acclimating to Quito's altitude (9,252 feet) before tackling greater heights in the mountains, I have a day in the city at hand. We pay the 25-cent fare for the public trolley and head to Old Town.

Just 12 hours after the quiet of the area at night, the square is a changed place. Sunshine floods the historic area and shutters are open wide, revealing tiny mom-and-pop restaurants serving plate lunches for just a dollar or two and bakeries selling empanadas and sweet rolls filled with mora (blackberry)­ jam, plus electronics stores, Internet­ cafés, and more. On this bright Sunday morning, the weather is nothing less than perfect as residents stand on balconies or lean out the windows of their pastel-colored buildings - pale yellow and orange walls, with the occasional bright turquoise thrown in, highlighting the curve of the cobblestone streets.

Old Town has a bit of steep to it. One street slopes up, while, down an alley, a tall staircase is the fastest way down to the main street (though it makes for an exhausting climb back up). Quito's altitude adds a layer of tired to uphill climbs, but sometimes a slow schlep up is well worth it: An imposing church off in the distance looks like a must-see, so the gradual stepping up to the neo-Gothic Basílica del Voto Nacional begins. Along the way, four preteen skateboarders test their English on us and mug for the camera. They beam over the attention before zipping off down the hill.

Although a statue over the front entrance welcomes visitors with open arms and a heart-shaped window softens things a bit, the basilica has, to put it mildly, a stern exterior. What it doesn't have is a sign warning of the trembly-legged adventure that awaits us inside.