Historic La Ronda - Round the Bend Street
Plaques of its story can be read on its walls as you take in the architecture. Before these buildings, the indigenous aborigines from pre-historic times made their living here, using this very street as a path to the Pichincha River, which took care of most of their needs. Evolving in importance, this path became the way to San Juan de Dios Hospital - then on to housing all types of artists - on to a street notorious for crime, a main street for theft and worse. Today, children play here safely, and guards make sure it stays safe for tourists. These buildings are original in their architecture, since earthquakes didn't knock them down. Art galleries and little stores offer stuff to stuff your suitcases with if you feel like spending. We climbed some steps, and after eating a sumptuous meal at Restaurant and Bar La Casa de Los Geranios, still in historic La Ronda, continued round the bend to the exiting Tunel de La Paz (Tunnel of Peace) - which joined the old city with the new in the colonial era - all through this extraordinary street of La Ronda.
Celebrations of holidays here explode with parades, concerts, theatrics in the street, and maybe a few surprises. I feel perfectly safe, as I go with Angel Rea of Huayras Expeditions and drink in the history of La Ronda.
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