One Month with a Toddler and Here's Where I Spent It (Sadly, it wasn't a bar)
We have been in Quito for 1 month now, and I’m starting to get a real grasp for my new city. It definitely feels like home now and I’d love to share some of the places I’ve taken Scout. I won’t lie and say I’ve taken to the Stay-At-Home-Mom life with grace. It has been hard and Mama needed a lot of breaks. Here’s where this list comes in. Here are some places we have been going to burn all that super-human toddler energy and keep me sane. Luckily, through Facebook, I’ve connected with some expat moms and they have been generous with sharing their secret spaces throughout the city.
Parque Metropolitano
Yes, another park. I know. But I can’t help it. This city is full of malls and parks. I think it’s because there is no Amazon here and its consistently 70 degrees. This park is different than the rest. Although it is in Quito proper, it feels like you’ve stepped into a german folk story. Trees tower above the cobble-stoned paths and every few turns you are greeted with a statue of modern art. When we went, we were met with a chilly fog shrouding the hill top. There are several trails and plenty of fantastic views. This place was the perfect place to let Scout climb, dig, run, or her favorite, clack one rock on top of another rock over and over and over and over and over and over and over.
Happy Time
This indoor playground was a b to find. According to google, it was in the CCI Mall. (One of 3 malls that run along the perimeter of Parque La Carolina) I had almost given up and then thought, “Maybe I should just check the Parqueadero (Parking Garage)…weirder things have happened in Quito.” So we did and that is exactly where I found Happy Time. The front is an arcade and the back is a gated play space. It included trampolines, slides, mats, ball pits and so many toys. It seemed that most kids were there sans parent…I assumed they had been dropped off while the parents shopped? But I paid the extra $1 to go in with Scout. She loved it and I will definitely be back. Be warned, however, if you are used to the indoor play spaces of North America, this isn’t going to live up to that. I saw outlets that were definitely within reach of kids, there were spaces that the children could crawl UNDER THE TRAMPOLINE, and I may or may not have seen a bloody smear on a mat. But now I live in a community where children are expected to have some common sense and sanitation is too high a standard. Scout not only survived Happy Time, she absolutely had a blast! I think I can accept that some toys are held together by tape in exchange for a nice 2 hour nap break.
Vaco y Vaca
So, I’ve seen these restaurants at all the malls, but I’ve only visited the one in the Quicentro Mall. This is a restaurant that has FREE childcare while you eat. We stopped in and had some cervezas and papas fritas while Scout enjoyed their fully equipped play room. I admit, there was a teensy part of me that was hesitant, until I actually saw the playspace. There were television, toys, crafts, and several children to play with. Scout had a great time and so did we. I only wish the playspace was open in the morning, because I would probably spend every morning there.
So, that’s all I’ve found so far. There are few more places I plan to check out in the coming weeks. I have to say, the best tool for travel, I’ve found, is Instagram. I use it to help plan every trip I go on. I search bloggers in the area as well as location search. It is so handy in finding communities and hidden gems. I’ll update this post as I explore more!
