Review of Quito

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Quito is a city on the move, lots of new construction, cleaning and repairing old things, lots of keeping the past, environmental considerations also.  Lodging and good food is cheap. I did not get sick on anything, seems good sanitation, ate at restaurants, street vendors, everything, tho I did drink bottled water.  Brushed teeth etc. with tap water.  No problems.

The high altitude would take some getting used to.  One runs out of breath during even minor exertion, and waking up gasping in the middle of the night is a little disturbing.  I wasn't there long enough to acclimate.   The mountains surrounding Quito tend to keep pollution in the city, it does not blow away or dispurse.  The pollution is mostly from cars and buses, I think.  As more people prosper, more are able to afford automobiles.  The city tries to keep the traffic flowing smoothly by having a complex grid of one way streets and infastructure such as overpasses and tunnels for the increasing numbers of automobiles.  However gridlocks in many areas are common during rush hour.  

Quito is surrounded by dormant volcanos, which have erupted periodically from time to time, causing havoc.  These volcanos are very close.   Past eruptions have caused the airport to shut down because of ash.  Potentially I think the city could be vulnerable to a big eruption.   Also I think Quito is very vulnerable to earthquakes, especially now with the urban sprawl extending into canyons and pearched on the side of the mountains.