Trip Index
The next morning, we slept in as long as we could, then headed down to the "basement floor" for a buffet breakfast at the Bistro Latino. I forgot to mention that when guests ride the elevator up to their rooms, the floor buttons can only be pressed immediately after you touch your room card on a sensor to unlock the buttons. I overheard some fellow cruisemates talking about arriving at the hotel at 2am all weary and then had to deal with the elevator since no one told them how to operate it. Plus, the card sensor (a large black circle) was only located on the right hand side control panel (as both sides have buttons) and no signage as far as I could tell.
The buffet had all the usual dishes like bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, cold cuts, smoked salmon, fruit, cereal, yogurt, toast, pastries and a chef available to cook omelettes and fried eggs to order. Coffee and tea were served by the wait staff. Today, we had good service, and hot beverages were poured quickly. We met the first of our cruisemates, Ron and his daughter Naomi, who were sitting next to us. Ron had also booked last-minute, and told me that he put a cabin on hold but released it when a more desirable cabin had surfaced. Perhaps he was the one I was playing hide-and-seek with that day!
Kaleb and I were one of the last to finish breakfast, and we headed to the lobby close to 9am. There were so many beautiful rose arrangements scattered throughout, not surprising as Ecuador is a major exporter. I couldn't resist smelling all the large heads of petals, so fragrant! It's interesting to look at this picture and recognize fellow cruisers since when I took it, I didn't know anyone.
Then we got the go-ahead to board the tour buses. Each bus was designated with a colored "Celebrity Xpedition" sign in the front window, and ours was the "green bus", though it looked more yellow than green, and to make it more confusing, there was a "yellow bus" as well. Passengers on both buses would get confused between the yellow and yellow-green over the course of the day, and it was a running joke.
The weather was perfect. In the green bus, we had Deanna as our tour guide, Jorge the bus driver and Ivan the security guard, who did not look armed. Bottled water was passed around the bus, and there was more available stacked behind the driver's seat. We were also given little white Celebrity Xpedition stickers to place on our person so that the tour guides could easily identify the group. While we were on the road, Deanna would share facts about Quito, what we would be doing for the day, etc. She reminded everyone about the risks of pickpocketing in touristy areas like Old Town (all common sense) and advised one of our cruisemates to remove her overly large gold pendant. Ladies, please leave precious jewelry at home, or if you must bring some, put it in your room safe. Our first stop was to the
Basilica del Voto Nacional. We did not get to go inside, but we were given fifteen minutes to roam the grounds. The exterior architecture was unique in the fact that animals were used in place of the usual gargoyles.
We then were led across the street to where people were selling scarves and paintings. Someone mentioned on Cruise Critic that the scarves here were better quality for the price than any other place on the tour, and I also agree, as the colors were bright and vibrant. The going rate was two scarves for $5, but I was able to buy three for $7, and if you wanted four, you could offer $8.
 |
| Deanna explaining about the arts and crafts |
We then got back on the bus, and headed to "Old Town". There, Deanna led us into a building as an example of Spanish architecture (which was converted to a mall). We also visited the
Plaza de la Independencia and the exterior of the Presidential Palace, inside
La Compania church (no pictures allowed, most people used the free restroom facilities here), and inside the
convent of San Francisco.
At this point, people were getting hungry, and fortunately it was time for lunch. While we were waiting for the tour buses to arrive, I observed the locals buying a meal for 50 cents: potatoes and sausages topped with an onion mixture, cooked in a pail on a street corner.
Lunch was in a restaurant called
Theatrum on the second floor of the Sucre National Theater. No elevators; you climbed a flight of stairs to access the restaurant. It was buffet-style Ecuadorian food. Everything was labeled so you knew what you were eating. (or as well as the translation could tell you) There were large communal tables set up on the inside of the restaurant, but if you go out the doors on the left side of the main dining room, you can be seated outside (shaded area) with smaller tables for four. Kaleb and I opted to sit outside as it felt airy and you can watch the people walking by. (there was blaring pop music coming from a store across the street, so if you don't enjoy Top 40 hits, you may want to stay inside) Guests sitting indoors were treated to a performance by an opera singer,
who was very good. If you liked his work, his CD was being sold at the
front of the restaurant. The restrooms were interestingly signed.
 |
| the fried plantain chips were so good |
 |
| this looked good, but I couldn't eat it since I'm allergic to corn |
 |
| main entrees and side dishes |
 |
| dessert |
 |
| pasta was great, meat was meh (chicken was so dry), the plantain and potato cakes were good |
After lunch, you could choose to head back to the hotel, or go to the Equatorial Line at
Mitad del Mundo, which was 45 minutes away. Many of us continued with the tour. During part of the bus ride, we learned more facts about Quito such as the average monthly pay being around $300!
When we arrived at Mitad del Mundo, we were given admission tickets to the museum and were instructed to meet later in the afternoon at a different location to board the buses back home. (near some pink buildings where restroom facilities were also located) We were free to roam for about an hour...everyone pretty much took pictures standing on the Equator (though the painted line is inaccurate) then perused the museum, where you could go to the top of the building and look around, plus there were exhibits of local culture and peoples. Clouds were starting to roll in. Kaleb and I hopped onto the bus just as the rain started. At the pre-appointed meeting time, we were still missing one family, so Ivan the security guard grabbed a few umbrellas and went in search of them. He found them at a different set of pink buildings, oops! Ivan only had enough umbrellas for the family, so he was soaked to the bone, but he had a smile on his face...what service. :)
 |
| at the Equator |
 |
| meet behind these bathrooms! |
The rain stopped once we drove closer to Quito. When we returned to the hotel, we had an hour and a half to relax and freshen up before we were to board the buses again to take us to tonight's dinner at
Carmine Restaurant. Deanna had told us that we didn't need to worry about dressing up as the restaurant was booked exclusively for Celebrity. Carmine was located about 10 minutes away from the Marriott. We disembarked from the bus, then walked through an outer doorway (where there were bouncers/bodyguards posted) and down a path that led to the restaurant, which used to be a former president's residence. There was a big Celebrity Xpedition welcome sign set up at the entrance. The house was beautiful, painted white with windows galore, roses everywhere (even 3 foot long ones) and ivy growing on the exterior. The hostess asked if we wanted to sit inside or outside, and since the night wasn't too cold, plus there were plenty of gas heaters set up on the patio, we opted to sit outside. I had low expectations for the meal as it was listed as "Italian" on the itinerary; I had visions of a buffet with spaghetti, garlic bread, etc. Boy, was I wrong, and I'm glad I was...it was one of the best meals of the trip, though it would have disappointed the folks who did want lasagna and spaghetti.
 |
| welcome juice was given at arrival; one glass of wine also included |
 |
| assorted breads; I overheard one table saying they couldn't stop eating it because it was so good |
 |
| the bocconcini, delicious |
 |
| tiradito, very yum |
 |
| sea bass was the catch of the day, cooked to perfection |
 |
| moist chicken oporto |
 |
| ubiquitous fork-and-knife shot |
 |
| tasty profiteroles |
 |
| "frozen cappuccino" = tiramisu, very delicious, better than the profiteroles |
 |
| we were given a survey to fill out |
The restrooms in the restaurant were full baths, since this was formerly a home. There were three; one on the ground floor, and two upstairs. The indoor seating was very elegant and I heard someone playing piano upstairs. (it may have been one of the cruisemates) On the bus ride home after dinner, we were reminded that by 9pm, to take our unlocked checked luggage down to the library next to the Xpedition desk as they would be inspected by the Galapagos agricultural authorities the following morning. We would not see the bags again until we boarded the Xpedition. The good thing was that since we were flying charter, there were no 3.5 oz/100ml restrictions on liquids, making packing the carry-on easier, since you still needed to use toiletries the next morning. Also, when you brought the bags to the library, they were locked with a zip tie, so the contents would be "safe". (good to pack some nail clippers on the outside of the bag to cut them off later; nail clippers aren't supposed to be carried on, though they never found the pair in my backpack. ;) )
We're finally going to be off to the Galapagos!!!
***
Don't miss a single entry...get full updates to my blog direct to your inbox! Click
here
to subscribe. Unsubscribe at any time. Your email address will
never be shared with anyone. Thank you for your readership!
Thanks for the great, detailed review of your day. I'll be coming back to it tomorrow to make note of some of the tips. We always enjoy al fresco dining, so knowing those options exist in both restaurants is good to know.
ReplyDelete