Quito: the world’s highest capital? [27/50]

I have never been the greatest fan of empirical observations that purport to measure the “world’s highest” or the “world’s biggest” or the “world’s longest”. There is something a little bit hillbilly about seeing the world this way; something a bit Western Australian or Alaskan perhaps (i.e., lots of geography with a sprinkle of culture). Nothing confuses a hillbilly more than measurements that can’t be generalised to two opposing, acrimonious positions, or even generalised across imaginary “homogeneous” populations (something like the “global” livability indexes that my very own Melbourne continuously uses to polish its banjo).

So, many otherwise intelligente amigos repeatedly say that La Paz in Bolivia is the world’s highest capital, but Quito in Ecuador is the world’s highest capital. This is because La Paz isn’t the capital of Bolivia, Sucre is the capital! But if you look it up, you will find it is a little bit more complex than this (things usually are!).

Anyhow, Quito it is a charming city, I went there for a few days after Banos and wandered around the picturesque old Colonial town and visited a few clubs and bars. I am trying to avoid the large South America cities, but for Quito I made an exception as its’ beautiful colonial centre is designed with humans in mind (and for those humans that like to walk).