|
The UK-based Travel Channel were filming in Quito last week as part of a new 30-minute programme, called “Essential Ecuador”. The 4-man crew spent two days in the capital before heading off to the Amazon for a couple of nights and a visit to Otavalo market on Saturday. The programme will be broadcast in the summer throughout Europe, Asia and Africa. The Travel Channel (www.travelchannel.co.uk/essential ) crew, led by director Ged Cleugh, arrived on American Airlines (www.aa.com ) on Saturday night. Ged was accompanied by Peter Velluet (camera), Stuart Jones (sound) and Mike McClean, the presenter, a familiar face on British television. They stayed at the colonial Hotel Patio Andaluz ( www.hotelpatioandaluz.com ) in the Old Town for their first four nights.
On Sunday, they explored the Old Town, getting shots of the Plaza Grande, Plaza San Francisco, Calle de La Ronda and street scenes.
Then it was off in the van to the Middle of the World complex, where they filmed presenter Mike McClean in front of the Equator Monument at 0˚0’0”. A short hop took them over to the Inti Ñan Solar Museum where the crew filmed the famous ‘swirling water’ trick and got up close and personal with a real-life shrunken Amazonian shaman head.
Back in Quito, the Capilla del Hombre ( www.guayasamin.com ) provided a stunning backdrop for a view of Ecuadorian art in the company of Gabriela Guayasamín, the grand-daughter of Ecuador’s most feted contemporary artist, Oswaldo. Over in La Mariscal, it was time for Mike to get his dancing shoes on for some salsa lessons at the Café Libro ( www.frommers.com/destinations/quito/S34627.html ), which he managed in great style, in the company of about 20 dancers from La Academia, one of the country’s top dance groups. At the end of all that, they just made it for a delicious meal at Theatrum ( www.theatrum.com.ec ) in the Old Town.
On Monday the crew hit the streets of the Old Town again, interviewing Maria Fernanda Carrion inside La Compania de Jesús Church. The Quito School of Art will be an important part of the programme, so they filmed at the Franciscan Museum as well as shooting the amazing restoration work presently underway inside the church of San Francisco itself.
After lunch at Hotel Plaza Grande ( www.plazagrandequito.com ), the Escuela Taller Quito 1 (Quito Workshop School) was next on the list of locations, where Mike was introduced to the skills of the Quito School of Art and tried his hand at some gold leafing. On Tuesday, the train awaited. With the help of teachers and students from the Andean Global Studies Team ( www.andeanglobalstudies.org ), the crew filmed Mike entering the Chimbacalle station aboard the Chiva Express (www.chivaexpress.com ), as well as filming the beautiful steam train.
From there, they dashed to a military base to the south of Quito for a one-hour helicopter ride along the Avenue of the Volcanoes and round Quito. Further south, they hooked up again with the Chiva Express and filmed onboard as the train rolled through the countryside between Tambillo and Machachi.
In the Cotopaxi region, the crew were the guests of Mignon Plaza and the staff of Hacienda San Agustín (www.incahacienda.com ) who put on a great show with cowboys – and their famous llamas! The Amazon was the next port of call, with the crew travelling by TAME ( www.tame.com.ec ) down to the jungle town of Coca where another helicopter awaited for their flight over the rainforest to the helipad at Sacha Lodge (www.sachalodge.com ). There they spent the day filming from the great canopy walkway, fishing for piranhas, filming monkeys and generally getting into the Amazonian swing of things. The next day they filmed the community of Añangu, part of the Napo Wildlife Center ( www.napowildlifecenter.com ) where Mike learned about the ways of the Amazon’s inhabitants. Back in the Andes, the crew filmed some shots of modern Quito and La Mariscal quarter, before heading north to Otavalo, where they stayed at Hacienda Pinsaqui ( www.haciendapinsaqui.com ). The next day, they headed to the animal market and then to Otavalo’s fruit and vegetable market. Mike had his first taste of cuy – the Andean speciality of guinea pig – before hitting the Plaza de los Ponchos for some shopping at the colourful handicraft and souvenir market. Returning to Quito, the crew spent their last night at Hacienda Rumiloma ( www.haciendarumiloma.com ) perched on a hillside above Quito, where they were entertained by members of the local dance troupe and enjoyed a fine farewell dinner. * The crew were the guests of the Quito Visitors’ Bureau.
Flight support:
Logistics:
Accommodation:
Locations: |
20°C 
