I finally made it to the Guayasamín museum, checking off the tourism list for Quito. Guayasamín’s house is located atop the hill on the east side. I took the regular bus to the nearest stop and walked up. It’s a nice area, but quite a sidewalk hike.
At the house I got a tour in Spanish from a very nice Cuban lady who was very eager to help me understand, though her English was limited. I insisted that I understood most of it, which was largely, but not entirely, true. There were also a French couple and an Ecuadorian woman with a young daughter on the tour. The girl was equally ready to help out with translations. The couple spoke Spanish and English well, but the guide was looking for someone to practice French with. They ended up exchanging numbers. Once again it was difficult for me to get out a sentence in French that wasn’t half in Spanish. Overall it was a friendly group and an unexpected language lesson as well as a good tour. My unfamiliarity with the art probably detracted more from the tour than the language limitation.
Retrospective Addendum: The Capella del Hombre exhibit was very impressive. The art and the motif are quite moving. I appreciate the concept of the chapel of man and the image of man reaching for the sky but, as the name implies, not necessarily for God. Unfortunately photography is not allowed, so you’ll have to visit it yourself.
Yo lloré porque no tenía zapatos hasta que vi un niño que no tenía pies. – Oswaldo Guayasamín
Guyasamin’s house.
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The view from Guayasamin’s house. The top of his Cappella del Hombre and Pichincha in the background.
Copyright 2015 CC-BY-SA
Costs
Cost today: $28.85
Cumulative cost: $2,650.62
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