A huge investment from the city that is barely able to suppor
t itself (that is, come out in the positive each year), it’s an incredible ride. It starts at the base of Volcán Pichincha west of the city. The cable car climbs the 2.5km route rapidly to reach 4100 meters at the top of Cruz Loma (the valley of Quito is at 2800m).
The view is incredible from the car, though the tiny space between my eyes begins to ache as the pressure decre
ases with increasing altitude. As we climb, the city takes shape – I can see the valley in which Quito lies along with adjacent valleys to the east, slowly succumbing to the pressures of urbanization and associated land conversion.
Out beyond la mancha urbana de Quito (literally “the urban stain”) agricultural fields hang onto steep hillsides. Then again, from several points within the city, at ground-valley level, I can see distant agricultural fields along the slopes of surrounding hills...and the houses that are slowly creeping up them.
t itself (that is, come out in the positive each year), it’s an incredible ride. It starts at the base of Volcán Pichincha west of the city. The cable car climbs the 2.5km route rapidly to reach 4100 meters at the top of Cruz Loma (the valley of Quito is at 2800m).The view is incredible from the car, though the tiny space between my eyes begins to ache as the pressure decre
ases with increasing altitude. As we climb, the city takes shape – I can see the valley in which Quito lies along with adjacent valleys to the east, slowly succumbing to the pressures of urbanization and associated land conversion.Out beyond la mancha urbana de Quito (literally “the urban stain”) agricultural fields hang onto steep hillsides. Then again, from several points within the city, at ground-valley level, I can see distant agricultural fields along the slopes of surrounding hills...and the houses that are slowly creeping up them.
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Picture 1: View of Quito from inside the TeleferiQo cable car. Barely visible are the father and daughter who accompanied us (Bárbara, Santi and I) up on the 2.5km ride.
Picture 2: Me at the top of Cruz Loma. Hacía tanto frío y viento!! Y que cansancio de caminar a esta altitud con solamente 5 minutos para acostumbrarme.
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