After a lovely breakfast on the ninth floor of the JW Marriott, we met the other passengers of Celebrity's Xpedition for a city tour of Quito. The sun was shining gloriously and the temperatures were absolutely perfect - great way to begin our journey. We boarded the bus for our first destination, Basicica del Voto National, or the "National Basilica" of Ecuador. Inside, there is an open heart carved where you can see the most famous statue of Quito - a protective angel in the distance.
The Neo Gothic Style, containing gargoyles, was extremely fascinating because the gargoyles were actually the various animals found throughout Ecuador - turtles, ant eaters, sea lions, etc.
Next, we went to the San Francisco Convent where we heard the beginning of the 11:00 AM mass. To see the beauty of this church was one thing, but to experience the sounds was a bonus!
While there, the photographer/author of a leading Galapagos photo journal was selling his books. Naturally, I HAD to have a copy, as well as a picture.
We enjoyed an amazing lunch at Theatrum where we sampled local dishes, such as a unique potato soup, empanadas, fish, and a heavenly blackberry sorbet.
Afterwards, you could either go back to the hotel for a siesta or continue on our tour to the Equator. Guess who went back for his retirement nap?
The Equator Museum was quite interesting with lots of science experiments, local products to sample, dances, HUGE humming birds, and a shrunken head! A little tid bit that
I learned quickly is that before going into a bathroom stall, one takes the toilet paper from the dispenser on the wall.
Our group dined at Gloria this evening where Rob and I met Billy and Bonnie, a delightful couple, retired Air Force, from Florida who have been on 167 cruises! Love it! As our group departed the restaurant, the staff members lined up on the sidewalk for applauses and thanks. I do LOVE this country!
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