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Basilica Del Vota Nacional

Dustin has wanted to visit the Basilica in Quito for a couple months now. The past couple years the kids visited the Basilica when they went on the Quito field trip. This year they did some other things instead. So, I told him I'd take him sometime. Turns out we had time to do it on Tuesday morning this week. Dustin didn't feel too well when he woke up, but I bought him a Sprite, and gave him a painkiller. I figured he wasn't feeling too well because of the altitude and the fact that he probably hadn't had enough to drink. We got on the trolley and headed down to old Quito. The trolley is very cheap to travel on, but also a great place to have your wallet pickpocketed. For that reason I left my wallet at home and was travelling with a few dollars in my sock. The trolley was a bit crowded, but a lady noticed Dustin wasn't feeling well, and let him have a seat. Once we got off the trolley, we walked up hill for a block, very close to the Basilica. Dustin had sat down once or twice already, but by this time he was sick, and threw up in the gutter. He was ready to go home then, and I didn't blame him. But, I convinced him to walk on up to the front steps at the Basilica and wait ten minutes to see if he wouldn't feel better after he threw up. Sure enough, we went on, and twenty minutes later he was fine. The Basilica was built at the turn of the last century (boy, that's confusing now, isn't it? Let's just say at the end of the 1800s) and because folks around here aren't concerned with liability, much of it is open to the public. Even way up at the very top of the bell towers. It's outrageous, full of awesome views, and not a place for those scared of heights. In this photo I've circled the two towers you can climb to. The one on the left is way up there. When we got to the highest level we were above the bells. This photo is taken from the tower circled on the right in the previous photo. I've circled a person there so you can get some perspective. And finally, this photo of me is taken at the top of the clock/bell tower, at a point that I circled in the photo with the two circles on the towers--the left circle. Follow all that?! Anyway, it was a great time for the boys as they climbed and explored.