Hello from Quito, Ecuador

My brother James and I arrived in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, late Monday evening. We are staying in a Hostelling International youth hostel. So far in our first full day here we have seen the colonial and historical center of the city, Plaza de la Independencia, a few cathedrals (one of which we climbed to the top of one of the towers for a beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding city), and rode the teleférico (cable car) to the top of a mountain - probably over 10,000 feet. Quito sits in a valley at over 9,000 feet in the Andes mountains, and is surrounded by several snowcapped volcanic peaks. It has been quite cool here compared to Alabama, in the mid-50s to low-60s. Tomorrow we may visit a monument on the actual equator and some other sights. We´re heading south out of Quito on Thursday, but don´t know yet specifically where to. But we do have to be in Lima, Peru, by Sunday.