We stayed at a lovely boutique hotel called Mansion del Angel which had been the mansion of a tobacco tycoon. Not inexpensive, but very pretty rooms furnished with antique furniture, modern bath fittings, and adorned with fresh flowers in the rooms. It's in the historic district, but across the figurative tracks from the tourist area, so walking in the neighborhood was strongly discouraged by the hotel staff.
We took a cab into the center and visited St. Augustin church and monastery, where a very charming young guide worked very hard to help us understand his Spanish and what we were looking at in each room of the museum. We walked up to the Grand Plaza and then to San Francisco Square, stopping in at La Compañía de Jesus, a church whose interior has practically every square inch gilded. Sadly, no photos allowed inside.
On the way back to the hotel we had lunch of ceviche, locro soup, and other local specialties at the Hotel Grand Plaza.
That evening we ate at a restaurant called Café Mosaico up the hill above our hotel. Good food and great views.
Next morning was an early start to catch the flight to Baltra in the Galapagos via Guiaquil. See Day 1.
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On our return we had another night scheduled at Mansion del Angel before flying back to Miami. Since we arrived at 3pm and it was a gorgeous, clear day, we took a trip up the cable car up to about 14,000 feet to see Quito from above (Quito is surrounded by a number of volcanoes). Spectacular views, but no air! Tough enough breathing at Quito's 9000 feet.
After the "TeleferiQo" ride we met our boat friends, Elena and Federico, at our hotel, and they took us to see the "happening" area in the historic center, called "La Ronda". An authentic dinner there, complete with minstrels and artisans wandering in off the street to entertain us. They drove us up the hill behind out hotel to Itchimbía park to take a few more photos (in case we didn't have enough already).
