Just like any city, there are yellow taxis. Most of these are not metered, and so you have to agree with your driver about the fee. This isn't always easy and it can be really hard when the driver gets lost, doesn't listen to you about where you live, etc. Private individuals and cars sometimes also operate as taxis. I didn't do this very often, and I don't think my friends would have been happy with me if I had. One night I also had a taxi driver who was more interested in watching the police chase a thief down the road than in actually bringing me home. Yes, fun times in taxis. However, taxis are cheap and safer than walking at night, even if you're only going a few blocks. And did I say cheap? Usually my fares were $1 or $2, and I never paid more than $4. Seriously.
Cheaper even is the bus. There are three types of city bus in Quito. There are two systems similar to light rail or trams, one being the Trole and the other the Ecovía. The Trole system is notorious for pickpockets, but if you're aware and careful of your things, it's really fine. Ecovía is similar, but not as crowded. I'm sure this has to do with the routes and where people are headed. Most tourists don't know the Ecovía well (that includes me). But they are nice and clean public transport systems. And cheap. $0.25 each ride.
Most buses are the same price, but prices can go up when you travel further. For instance, I think the bus to Mitad del Mundo was $0.40 each way. Buses are crowded and people sit/stand anywhere they can. They have what I can only describe as a hawker, who stands at the entry and yells out the route and stops. Often, he collects the fares too. Marialisa and I watched a fistfight between a hawker and a potential passenger once.
These buses also belch black smoke (not always, but often), and pick up people who sell food on the bus (gum and candy, chifles and potato chips, ice cream, all kinds of things). If they're just picking up or dropping off one or two people, and they are young and healthy, the bus often doesn't come to a complete stop. And I wondered if the buses were individually owned, as they often were decorated inside.
Like this bus. You can see the ways people sit and move are a little different than our buses. Also, the red fringe window treatments on this one were really special. Many buses had stickers, bumper stickers, all kinds of things that just fascinated me.
The long-distance intercity buses were similar. People literally hopped on and off, people got on and rode for a few miles while they sold food, and they were generally really crowded. The main difference was that there wasn't the same need to yell the stops with these buses. But they, too, were inexpensive ways to get around. For instance, my bus from Tena to Puyo was only $2.50, and Hannele's from Tena to Quito was just over $5.
I had classmates who went everywhere by taxi. I understood the convenience argument, as well as the safety argument at night. However, I'm a walker, so I was pleased to be in a part of town where I could walk a fair amount during the day. I also was lucky that I had native Ecuadorians with me much of the time, either friends or professors from school, who helped navigate the buses and transport options. I think this was an easy and efficient way to get around the city, but that, like in any city, takes some getting used to and a certain knowledge of the city layout to navigate well. And it certainly provided an interesting perspective, one that I know made my trip richer and more enjoyable.
No comments:
Post a Comment