Quito

Quito

After a week on the ship in the Galapagos, with limits on water usage, Miriam and I luxuriated under long showers before heading out to see the historic district of Quito.  We learned that Mondays are the changing of the guard at the Presidential Palace, only two blocks away, so we wandered up to see that event and also looked for locations that Miriam’s dad had photographed in the 1970’s.  Much had changed, but we did locate San Francisco Square and the churches close by.

Church in Plaza Grande

Part of San Francisco Square

Typical Historic District street

Plaza Grande - Quito

After the colorful ceremony changing the guard, with many people in traditional Ecuadorian dress, we had lunch at “Mea Culpa” restaurant and then back to the hotel to finalize packing for the trip home.  

Changing of the guard

Colorful Uniforms

Lots of Pomp & Ceremony

Guards at main palace entrance

Traditional Dress

More Photo Ops during ceremony

The Delta Airlines red-eye flight left Quito at 1130 PM and landed in Atlanta about 0600.  Both of us were able to doze on the flight.  In Atlanta we were able to use our Global Entry (NEXUS) cards, bypassing both the lines at immigration and customs.  The flight back to Seattle on Delta was uneventful, just long after the flight from Quito.