These old men sharing snacks represent Ecuador's culture and tradition

I'm busy catching my breath on Quito's oxygen-starved streets when I enter the Plaza Grande on the first afternoon of a 10-day Contours Travel tour.

The Ecuadorian capital was the world's first city to be declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, in 1978, thanks to it containing the best-preserved historic centre in Latin America, including 13 squares, Plaza Grande being premier among them.

Founded by the Spanish in 1534 on the site of an Inca city, Quito is spread along the slopes of the Pichincha volcano in the Andes mountains. At its heart is the Plaza Grande - or Independence Square - flanked by ornate palaces, including the seat of the president, municipal headquarters and a 16th-century Spanish cathedral.

It's a lively square where couples walk hand in hand and children chase soccer balls around paved walkways.

Taking it all in while sharing a bag of nuts, probably like they do on most days, are these three old men, sitting beneath a backdrop of flowering Arupo trees, native to Ecuador.