Plaza Grande With the Horse and Carriage
Whether it's Trafalgar Square in London, Times Square in New York or this one in Quito, the kitchen of the city gathers the people together. And, Plaza Grande provides restaurants and/or shopping in any direction you take as you cross the street at the chirping of the traffic lights.
Meeting someone new in this mini village called Plaza Grande wouldn't prove difficult at all.
You could stumble upon tree blossom time as I did during the month of August. Ecuador's perpetual spring gushes in constant profuse display in one area or another. You might even witness the changing of the guards or any event pouring out of the presidential palace. That really makes this presidential front yard grand. I have relaxed on the concrete benches and meditated in this park while waiting for a great photo shot a few times. Cathedral doors usually stay closed facing this Quito park, but the door facing Garcia Moreno Street opens early every morning for daily Mass celebrated in a side chapel. An internet cafe to the right upon entering the Palacio Arcobispal (Archbishop's Palace) puts you in touch with anyone you care to get in touch with around the globe as you snack on something, sip coffee, or simply type your message. More of these quadrangles abound around the historic center, but they seem to function best for special occasions, festivities or Sundays only - when outdoor simple entertainment takes over...theatric performances, concerts and such things. Plaza Grande/Plaza de Independencia resonates with the heartbeat of Quito Colonial. Any given day, or only on Sunday, you'll notice someone:
In Quito, no one explodes in protest of religious pictures or crucifixes in public offices, or about hearing a preacher in a public place. Now, that's freedom of speech! In the U.S. and other places, Catholics live a muzzled life under someone's pretext of not mixing religion with politics and false equal rights. National guards always patrol the area on foot and sometimes on horseback without the horses, but lively entertainment draws you into itself.
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