The Basilica was big on the inside too.
Very big.
It wasn’t crooked, we were just too lazy to take a straight picture.
It had holes for artistic reasons.
The stained glass had been damaged in some places. The replacement glass did not blend in.
Even where the damage was smaller it was like they didn’t even try to fix it properly.
Even the ones that weren’t damaged at all had kind of weird patterns.
This is the big flower at the front.
There were little flowers in the big flower.
It was huge.
This is the balcony of the Palace in Ecuador.
This is Kerri being guarded.
This is a pretty fountain in the courtyard.
This mural is of the Spanish expedition into the Amazon rainforest.
3000 native people died in this expedition.
The rooms in the palace are very fancy.
This is the dining room.
The dishes look expensive and ugly. And probably not dishwasher safe.
We were not allowed in that room.
This is the little chapel in the palace.
This is mask for the Diablada celebration.
This is another big fancy room.
The flag has silver and gold thread in it.
So does this presidential sash.
The Basilica in Quito is huge.
It has some classy modern touches. Like cobrahead streetlights protruding from the ornate stained glass windows.
It has very unique South American gargoyles. Like anteaters
Maybe sea lions, based on the fins. But the faces are more fish like.
Evil Rams
These are…we’re going with dolphins.
A penguin and an owl.
Eagles
Cartoon condors
Great Frigatebirds complete with inflated pouches.
Giant tortoises
Something very viscious.
Some kind of dog.
Land iguanas
Guinea pigs, which are food here so the pictures are never fluffy and cute.
Monkeys
Anteaters
Panthers
Snappy caimens, which look really fragile but are the most intact.
And marine iguanas. Which even though everyone thought the real ones looked ugly and scary make surprisingly cute and friendly gargoyles.
And boobies!
Ecuador loves life. See, those Spanish lessons were totally worth it!
Lots of the buildings in Quito from the Colonial era have central courtyards.
The fountain used to be the kitchen sink.
The buildings were pretty on the outside too.
This is a very important man with a pigeon on his head.
A band played for us in the main square.
This is a bird.
This is art. It symbolizes something.
Mary is waving goodbye.
This church had much less gold in it.
Which was still a lot of gold. And other expensive stuff.
And creepy faces staring at you.
It appears they didn’t spend very much on the lighting though.
