Day 16 – Quito

We took a local bus (no chickens, no goats) 25km north from Quito to visit the Equator, which is of course the reason Ecuador is so named – you didn't think it was a coincidence did you? We walked around a collection of very small museums that bore no connection to the Equator or each other other than having an incredibly bored looking security guard stationed outside who would turn the lights on for us as we entered. Next stop was the rather Stalin-esque monument that stands proudly between the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Photos of me standing with a swinger in each hemisphere duly taken, we then walked the 250 metres North to where the Equator actually is. No GPS when the monument was built you see, dodgy builders, what can you do?

In the evening, wary of a repeat of last night, we headed out early to a much busier part of town, imagine my delight upon walking into a bar and expecting the usual two bottled horrors to be greeted by a line of seven beers on draught. I ordered an Ecuador Black, delighted that I had found a stout at last, 'sorry, we no have'. Not to be dismayed, I went for the Amber Red 'sorry, we no have'. Slightly perturbed by now the Pale Ale was risked "sorry, we no have'...

You can see where this is going right?

Six attempts later, we finally got to the only one that was available, which obviously was the usual toilet water.

Which leads me nicely onto the current Sud América Gut Rot League © (if any major companies are out there wanting to sponsor this emerging rival to the Sud América Street Snack League please feel free to email me) which is starting to sort out the men from the boys:

1. Conquer – The stand out beer so far, typically it's spotted slightly less than Brigadoon

2. Club – The first one tastes fine, the second is a struggle, they then get steadily worse (the opposite of how beer should work)

3. Pilsner – I can tell no difference between this and Club except the label

4. Brahma – Like a can of warm Fosters on a hot train