As it turned out our hotel was located way out in el Quinche, which is about 25 miles (45 minute drive) or so northeast of the the city of Quito. Who knew?? 
This morning we decided to check out the tiny town. There were vendors everywhere. Every kind of shop you can imagine. And amid all this hustle and bustle sits the parish of The Quinche. It is famous for the Marian Pilgrimage. The second week of November more than 800,000 believers make the pilgrimage to the shrine of the Virgin of El Quinche from the village of Calderon. The walk is done over night and they arrive at dawn the next day to the church of El Quinche. On November 21st the mass party ends with a procession through the streets of Quinche.
On July 8, 2015, during his Apostolic Journey to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay, Pope Francis went to this National Marian shrine of El Quinche, and met with clergy, men and women, and seminarians.
It is a very big, beautiful and ornate church. Gold filigree and carved wooden statues, huge stained glass windows.
Pictures just don't do it justice.
Anyway, after our visit to the church we decided to check out of the hotel and get somewhere closer to Quito. We loaded our suitcases onto the bus bound for Quito and enjoyed the ride. It took about an hour and a half, and cost $1 each - but we were in Quito. We hailed a cab ($4) to get us the rest of the way to Plaza Fochs, which is a hub of activity, with restaurants, bars, hotels, hostels. We will stay in this area for a few days while we do some more "touristy" things.
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