Quito [Ecuador]

Quito should be like any other big city: loud, dirty, fast.

And it is all these things.  But, there is also something different.  The population (approximately 3 million people) seem a little more friendly, a little more solid and genuine.  They are mountain people and they still act like it.

Perhaps it's the altitude, ranging from 2,800-3,100 meters, making it the highest official capital in the world.  Perhaps it's their idea of preservation (Quito is considered to have the best-preserved, least altered historic center in Latin America).  Perhaps it's their heritage (the city was founded on the ruins of an ancient Inca city).

I can only say it has been an enjoyable time in Quito.