Have a head ache? Maybe you just lack oxygen.

Three bucks will get your pretty much anywhere around Quito via taxi. If you have a plan and know what you want to do, taking a taxi is a bargain. It sure beats walking in my out of shape opinion. I did walk to Church this morning; it was only 4 blocks away, I can handle that.

Church was scheduled to start at 9:00 am and I was starring at a locked gate being the only one around at 8:45. Was I concerned? Not really, because this is Latin America and that’s the way it works here. Starting times are pretty much a suggestion of when something should begin. I love it.

Church went well; I was greeted and welcomed by most of the good folks who were flying in the door at the last minute so the service could begin. It’s interesting attending Church where you don’t understand anything but I knew when to say amen and recognized most of the hymns which I “sang” in English. The Spirit is all that is important and It was in attendance.

I bailed after Sacrament Service and had the whole day in front of me. There is this cable car gondola thingy that I heard about. What a great way to spend some time I thought and for the most part it was.

Flagging down the taxi I leaned in the passenger window and asked “Taxi metro?” He indicated that he not only had a meter but would actually use it. I got nicked the other day by a taxi driver who didn’t use a meter and I didn’t negotiate the cost of the ride prior to getting in. Lesson learned.

The taxi ride to the Teleferiqo (the cable car to the top of the world) was uneventful until the last quarter mile. The hill we were going up was extremely steep and the taxi just gave out. I mean it wouldn’t go another inch up the hill with me in the back. The driver was embarrassed and so was I. You know it’s time to lose weight when the car you’re riding in knocks’ out because it can’t handle the load.

Finally arriving at the place where you buy tickets for the cable gondola I spotted a sign that says Adults $4.50, Foreigners $8.00. “What the heck is this?” Why would they almost double the price for tourists? I thought. If I spoke the lango better than my current 1 year old level of Spanish I would give somebody a piece of my mind. After a few minutes of fuming I glance back up at the sign and it says something about “express service”. Hmm, could I get to the head of the line and bypass the hoards waiting to purchase a ticket?

Being a foreigner has its advantages. I would have been waiting in lines for 2 hours, at least, but because I am a foreigner and was willing to cough up 8 bucks for the privilege, I was ushered to the front of the line.

My gondola was waiting to transport me to head throbbing and lung burning hell. Once again I didn’t think about the effect of high altitudes and what it can to do the body.

For a couple of days after arriving in Quito I felt the effects of altitude sickness. Nothing major, just slight dizziness, headaches and the ever present mouth agape drawing in as much air as my lungs could suck in.

The gondola ride was absolutely beautiful. It was so wonderful I barely noticed the non-stop jabbering of the teeny boppers from Germany (I’m guessing). Nope, the ride was sptacular, awe inspiring in fact.

There are several platforms you can choose to go when you exit the gondola. After looking around I decide to go to the one that is up about 200 steps or so. I didn’t count the steps, there could have been more or less but who cares, I was feeling good!

Finally at the 10,000^th step or at least it felt like the 10,000^th step I was at my chosen destination. I didn’t know my heart could beat that fast or that I could suck in bugs from 10 feet away and why did everything look like I was looking down a narrow tube? At least I didn’t quit like that little wiener of a taxi that couldn’t get me up the hill. I had made it.

Snapping pictures almost faster than my camera could record them to the SD card I noticed a throbbing in my head. My heart rate was recovering and my vision was getting back to normal but the throbbing was just beginning. Ignore it; it will go away, right?

I visited other platforms and kept snapping pictures. Looking down at Quito from +13,000 is truly breath taking, figuratively and literally. After a couple of hours I was ready to make like a sea gull and get the flock out of there. My head hurt.

Turns out that Quito Ecuador is the second highest capitol city in the world following Lima Peru. I almost doubled that altitude buy going up to near the top of this huge mountain and now I know what altitude sickness is really all about. Not fun but what are you going to do? I got places to see and capillaries to burst.

Next:

Moving on. I’m done with Quito.

Mi grande cabasa is hurting.