Visiting the Quito Basilica

 On our first Saturday in Quito, the Caldwells took us to the downtown plaza to see museums and churches. The basilica is quit an enormous building with towers you can see from everywhere in the city.






The Church and Convent of San Ignacio de Loyala de la Compañia de Jesus de Quito is a Catholic clerical complex in the historic center of Quito. The facade is entirely carved in volcanic stone.


The church and its rich ornamentation, completely covered with gold sheets, is one of the main tourist attractions in the city. It was visited by Pope John Paul II on January 30, 1985 and by Pope Francis on July 7, 2015.


No pictures are allowed, so these are from Wikipedia. It is just this shocking, but the age doesn't really come through in these pictures. Things crumble over time and this church is no exception.


On the way back home, we stopped at the República del Cacao shop in Quito. It had a shop with chocolate bars, a little museum to show the process of making chocolate, and an ice cream bar to enjoy amazing treats.


I loved seeing the beans, but the big knives surprised me. I guess children must be more well-behaved here.

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