I don’t know whether you have heard the news, but you can now fly your pet across the country and not have to worry about them suffocating or freezing to death in the cargo hold. PetAirways will fly your pet cross country in the luxury of the cabin of the plane, where attendants will check on them every fifteen minutes and also take them for potty breaks along the way.
Our cat Checkers, God love her, was a terrible traveler. We would take her back and forth from up north to North Carolina on a regular basis in the car and she would howl the entire way. Sixteen hours is a very long time to be in a closed environment with an unhappy cat in a cage and had PetAirways been up and running, we probably would have employed their services just for our sanity.
So even though we no longer have any pets, this Pet airline intrigues me and I have many questions that need to be answered. For example, are the animals fastened into their seats? Does the attendant stand in the aisle like on a people flight and demonstrate the ease of opening and closing the seat belt clasps? I can just hear the animals now…”Geez…if I only had a thumb!”
And what animal gets to sit at the emergency exit? The person on a people flight who sits at the emergency door has to be capable of functioning should the worst case scenario play out, so I definitely wouldn’t put the Golden Retrievers there. Their tails would be wagging and they would be giddy with the excitement of playing with the oxygen masks that have just dropped from the ceiling rather than concentrating on getting the freakin’ emergency door open.
What do they offer for the entrees when dinnertime comes? “Fancy feast” would be appropriate for the first class felines and of course, it would be served in Waterford crystal bowls. Dogs are not as discerning when it comes to food and will eat anything, as evidenced by our Golden Retriever Sandy who ate 7 corncobs, 10 spareribs and a ball of string at one seating, resulting in a visit to the all night emergency vet. If Sandy were on the Pet Plane, I would be concerned that he would be eating the seat cushions and happily munching on the carpet. And what are the selections on the drink cart? Do the attendants offer toilet water for the dogs in fancy glasses with wide rims so they can lap it up as they cruise through the clouds?
People flights usually have the armed security officers on board in case there is a terrorist attack. I imagine PetAirways will be interviewing the Blood Hounds and the Police Dogs for that position.
How do they handle the potty breaks? On the website it states that the animals are taken on a “regular basis” to a “confined area” for their nature calls. I’m picturing a huge red fire hydrant bolted to the middle of the confined area for the dogs and an oversize sand box for the cats.
What kind of on board entertainment is provided? I would venture to say that they take “car chase” scene clips for the canine spectators and excerpts from Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds for the viewing pleasure of the felines.
Another interesting fact is that just like on people flights, each “pawssenger” is only allowed to bring on board “anything that can fit into a one gallon zip lock bag including food, medicine and a small toy.” Guess the Homeland Security was consulted for the traveling animals too.
Well it all is pretty amazing. But I have to wonder what kind of person would sign on for the job of taking care of animals in midair. The site has a FAQ format and one of the questions was “Should I give my pet a sedative before travel?” The answer was “Absolutely not! Common tranquilizers have very serious consequences for traveling pets”.
And I would add…”Better to leave the tranquilizers for the attendants!!! They’re going to need them!!!”
September 23, Monday – September 24, Tuesday Disembark ship • Fly to Quito • Fly to U.S.
Accommodations: Wyndham Quito Airport
We enjoyed our final breakfast aboard the Archipell II, said goodbye to the crew, and off we went to visit the Interpretation Center on San Cristobal Island, to learn about the history of the Galapagos, its volcanic origins, and how ocean currents and climate have affected the islands.
We walked around the quaint town of San Cristobal and then we took the bus to the airport to fly to Quito. Check in was very easy and we landed in Quito about 5:30 pm. We were given a day room at the Wyndham Hotel so that we could freshen up and repack our suitcases for the flights home. We enjoyed a farewell dinner buffet at the hotel and then it was time to bid adios to our guide and fellow travelers.
Pablo could not stay to be with Allan, me and another traveler, to help us get to the airport since once again, Ecuador instituted a curfew starting at 10 pm and the streets had to be vacated since the electricity would be going off. People traveling to the airports were exempt from the curfew fortunately, but Pablo needed to make his way to his home before the 10 pm curfew.
A shuttle from the hotel arrived to take us to the airport and check in was a breeze. Since we had to be at the airport three hours before our flight, we spent the time relaxing in the Star Alliance lounge and boarded our plane at 12 am.
We flew to Houston, went through customs and immigration very efficiently and then boarded our next flight to Newark.
From the Amazon, Machu Picchu and everything we experienced in Peru, to cruising around the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador, what a wonderful and an amazing adventure it was!! We learned so much, experienced so much, tasted so many different foods, and met wonderful people. It was a fabulous trip!!!
But as always, it’s nice to be back home.
See you next time!
A sea lion hopped onto our zodiac to say goodbye to us. (Just glad he didn’t hop in when we were in it!!!)
Last night we continued to watch the documentary Satan Comes to Eden about the first settlers to the Galapagos, arriving on Floreana Island. It’s an unbelievable story. The German doctor Friedrich Ritter and his partner Dore Strauch were the first inhabitants. The story takes many turns…two other couples arrive…there’s jealousy, hate, and…history suggests…murder. If you can get the documentary on YouTube, it’s worth watching.
Allan and I didn’t feel like hiking this morning so instead we cruised for an hour in the zodiac. We were hoping to see the red footed boobys. We did see them but they were too far away to glimpse their feet. It was a nice ride and the cliffs were beautiful.
We had a nice lunch and then decided to just relax for the rest of the day. We watched football (my Giants won!!) and enjoyed a glass of wine before dinner.
Dinner was delicious as usual and we went off to bed early since we disembark from the ship and fly to Quito to catch our flight to go home. Our flight leaves at 12:05 in the morning, so we won’t be home until Tuesday.
It was a fabulous vacation and we are so glad we were able to see Peru, the amazing Amazon, Machu Picchu, Ecuador, and the Galapagos. Each section of the trip was fabulous.
My last post will be tomorrow when we are home.
Allan and I are in the cabin labeled for the Booby bird.
The scenery on our cruise.
Seagulls
Blue footed booby
LEON DORMIDO – SAN CRISTOBAL or “Sleeping Lion”, otherwise known as Kicker Rock, is one of the Galapagos’ most well-known rock formations.
It was another night of rocking and rolling as we made our way to the next island – Isla Espanola. We had a nice breakfast and then we went off in the zodiac to cruise around to see the wildlife. So much wildlife to see everywhere, especially birds.
We then took the zodiac to the beach and we enjoyed walking along the sand and just relaxing. We saw the bones of a whale, as well as sea lions lounging on the sand, small birds hopping all over, large birds living on the cliffs, and the occasional lizard.
We came back in time for lunch and the chef made a delicious ceviche dish. In addition to that dish for an appetizer, he also served lasagna, vegetables with palm hearts, and coleslaw.
After lunch we went on a nature walk. Pablo said it would be rough climbing over rocks. Rough was an understatement!!! OMG! We climbed over huge rocks, lava, stones, and slippery rocks. We had to time getting out of the zodiac with the waves to get to the stone pier which wasn’t easy.
The walk took about 2.5 hours and we did see some fabulous birds. Albatross, Boobys, and many more. We even saw Albatross doing the mating dance which was unbelievable to watch.
When we walked back, the pier was under water so we had to climb up lava to get to the zodiac. That was not fun. I told Pablo along the way that he should have added 3 exclamation marks to the daily activity chart after the word ‘rough’. But, by the time we were walking back and had to climb the lava, I told him that 5 exclamation marks would be more like it.
We had bbq for dinner on the ship. I wasn’t very hungry, but it really was very good.
Then Pablo started talking about tomorrow’s activities and he said that there’s a new rating, thanks to me, for the difficulty of the walks from now on. Tomorrow’s walk will be 5 exclamation marks in terms of difficulty. Yesterday’s was 4 exclamation marks. Too funny!
Early to bed since we have breakfast at 6:30 tomorrow to get started on the activities.
Cave we entered on our zodiac ride
Sea Anemones bright orange
Sand sea star
Male Magnificent frigate bird inflating his throat pouch which they use to attract females during the mating season.
White booby.
Pelican
Along the beach we stopped at.
Little lava lizard catching ants for his meal.
Whale bones
The chef putting together a ceviche dish for our lunch. White fish, shrimp, octopus, lime juice, cilantro, onions, mustard, salt, broth from the white fish and the shrimp, tomatoes, and different colored peppers.
Delicious! Served with popcorn and plantain chips.
Lasagna and sides
Babaco fruit
Tons of iguanas on our walk
This is what we had to walk on. Yikes!
Boobys
Albatross doing the mating dance
Walking over the rocks and passing wildlife up close and personal.
We all went to bed very early last night, right after dinner. The ship was rocking and rolling due to the Humboldt current and it took a while to get used to. I started the scopolamine patch and am feeling fine. The door to our closet was banging all night. Allan tried to fix it during the night, which was tricky since he could barely stand with the waves rolling, but the repair was to no avail. Today we’ll have to see what we can do.
When we use the toilet, we cannot throw the tissue in the toilet, but instead, put the tissue in the wastebasket. If we accidentally flush the paper, we have to tell the crew and they have to get rid of the blockage. It’s such a force of habit to throw the tissue into the toilet, that we have to make a concerted effort not to.
The zodiac we ride to and from the ship in, is similar to what we used in Antarctica. It’s a little tricky entering because the ship is bobbing up and down and the zodiac is bobbing as well. The crew on the zodiac and on the deck of the ship give us a hand to get in. Once you get in, you kind of stagger to sit on the side of the craft since the waves are pretty strong and the raft is going up and down. The only thing I don’t like…there’s nothing to hold on to once you’re perched on the side of the craft. The driver does go slow, and we have to wear life vests, but fingers were crossed that we didn’t fall in.
We arrived at Floreana Island and had to swing our feet over the edge and wade in the water up to our calves to get to the beach. Allan and I had on water shoes so that worked great.
The minute we landed, the sea lions came to greet us. The difference between sea lions and seals is… sea lions have ears as well as strong bones in their upper fin (scapula and humerus) to allow them to “walk”. Seals on the other hand propel themselves on their bellies. A group of sea lions is called a harem.
There were tons of sea lions including moms with babies. When a female gets impregnated, it takes about 6 months until the birth of the baby. She nurses the baby after it’s born, and will go into the water at some point and leave the baby behind. That means she’s ready to be impregnated again. When that happens, the new pregnancy sits off to the side of her body for about 6 months so the mother can continue to nurse the first baby. Once the first baby is a year old, it goes off in search of his own food of fish in the water. At that time, the mother can now continue the pregnancy of the new baby she’s carrying. Mother nature is amazing!
The Galápagos cruising itinerary is filed with the conservation authorities of the Galápagos National Park. Park biologists periodically review it, and they have the authority to make changes to the plan to minimize our impact on the ecosystems of the islands.
After visiting with the sea lions, we spotted a blue footed booby with her young. Pretty amazing to see.
We walked a bit further and saw in the distance, some flamingos standing in the lagoon. The flamingos are actually orange and not pink. We were able to witness the mating dance which was very lucky indeed. It was hard to photograph however because they were so far away.
Later in the morning, some people went snorkeling but I decided not to. The water is very cold. And I think it was a good decision since it was overcast and the people who snorkeled said it was dark in the water so you couldn’t see much.
We enjoyed another delicious lunch and at 3 o’clock, we boarded the zodiac to go to a very unusual post office. Post Office Bay – Galapagos does not have employees, stamps, or even walls or ceilings. It’s a place where the concept of old fashioned hand delivered postcards still holds true.
Back in the whaling days, sailors would be far away from home and missing their families. The sailors set up their own unique way to get mail to their loved ones. The system was simple: any passing sailor could leave a letter in a big wooden barrel and at the same time, he had to check if there was any mail going near to his home that he could deliver himself when he returned home. For example, a sailor who was finishing his journey in London, England would take any mail with a London address. When he finally reached port he was then responsible to deliver it. Bearing in mind that whalers could spend two years or more at sea, this was a very slow mailing system – sometimes letters were delivered more than a year after written.
We participated in the tradition by addressing the postcard that we bought in Quito to ourselves, and turning it in. At the same time, we searched through the piles of postcards to see if there was a postcard with an address near to our home that we could deliver. Unfortunately, there wasn’t one postcard near Bethlehem.
We hope a visitor to the Galapagos post office finds our postcard one day, takes it to their home in Pennsylvania, and knocks on our door to deliver it. It could take years, but it’s fun keeping up the tradition. Unfortunately, we didn’t find any that we could deliver. They did have one from Kenya and one from Istanbul.
We got back in the zodiac and saw sea lions, iguana, brown pelican, crabs, and blue footed boobys.
At one point, a sea lion was playing with us – going under our boat and surfacing right at our side. It was really fun.
We came back to the boat and had a special meeting with the crew and a drink. They all introduced themselves and then asked that we do the same. Each person gave their name and where they lived, but of course, I had to go the extra mile. When it was my turn I said…
“Me llamo Irene. Vivo en Estados Unitos en Pennsylvania. Yo tengo cuatro ninos. Soy una abuela. Yo tengo tres nientas y tres nientos. “
What a brown nose! 😂😂😂
Dinner was really delicious. Perfectly baked fish with salad and potatoes and strawberries for dessert.
The sea lions came right up to greet us
Awwww
Sea urchin
Pregnant sea lion
Our ship
Blue footed booby. (Photo courtesy of Dave)
Flamingos (photo courtesy of Priscilla)
Flamingos. (Picture courtesy of Dave)
This sea lion was bitten by a shark.
Darwin Daisy
Booby birds. Notice their blue feet.
Beautiful colors and cacti
Going through the mail to see if any postcards are near our home so we can deliver to the person who left them at the post office. Unfortunately, there was not a postcard from Pennsylvania.
Brown Pelican
Look closely to see the iguana and the colorful crabs.
September 19, Thursday,Quito • Fly to Galápagos • Embark Galápagos small ship
Destination: The Galápagos Islands
Accommodations: ARCHIPELL II CRUISE
We were up before dawn to check out of our hotel by 5:30. Having hot water in many of the rooms on our floor in the hotel has been an issue the last few days. And by an issue I mean… not existent. So, we couldn’t take a shower. We washed up in the sink and then went down for a light breakfast and coffee.
The bus took us to the airport and check in was a breeze. We boarded our plane and off we went. We had to fill out a lot of paperwork stating that we weren’t carrying any fruit, nuts, etc. in our suitcases. We also had to fill out a Galapagos form that we turned in and the other half we keep and turn in when we leave.
We had to make a stop and change planes, but everything went very smoothly for re-boarding. We were not given anything to eat on the plane, but they did have tea and coffee. Allan and I asked for a glass of water and it seemed like a huge inconvenience to the flight attendant. She brought Allan’s and I told her to just forget it. Before the plane landed in the Galapagos, the crew came by and sprayed the overhead bins with I am guessing was an insect spray.
We arrived at Baltra Island’s Seymour Airport and turned in our declaration forms. We boarded a bus which took us to a ferry and we landed on Santa Cruz Island, the second largest of the Galápagos Islands. During the ride, Pablo told us that fishing without a license is illegal in the Galapagos. If a boat is caught without a license, the boat is seized and the fisherman is fined and put into jail. Then, the boat is taken out to the ocean and sunk! The government really means business when it comes to illegal fishing.
Our bus was waiting for us and we went to visit the El Chato 2 Ranch – a private tortoise reserve. The Galapagos Islands are actually named after the tortoises, as the word Galapago means horse saddle in Spanish. When the early Spaniards arrived, they rode the giant tortoises like horses for fun.
The tortoises are abundant on the reserve and they spend their time here during their migration between the coast and the highlands. We were issued rubber boots and then went to walk along the paths to find the tortoises. We didn’t have to look very far, since wherever you looked, there were tortoises. We observed them up close and personal and Pablo gave us an introduction into their mating habits, how to tell males from females, and a lot of other interesting facts. He mentioned that a male tortoise can weigh as much as 650 lbs.
After spending time with the tortoises, we went to a giant volcanic lava tunnel where we walked down lava steps and then walked through a cave where lava once flowed, leaving behind the hollow tunnel with the volcanic rock above. It was pretty amazing to see.
We boarded our bus once again and took a water raft ride to the Archipell II, our home for the next four days.
Upon arriving, Pablo told us how to don our life jackets in the event of an emergency, and also showed us where to store the shoes we will be wearing when off the ship. We cannot wear those shoes onboard as they don’t want any soil transferring to the ship from the different islands we will be visiting.
We had a delicious lunch – fish, spinach pasta casserole, salad, onion, palm hearts, and tomato side dish and fresh fruit for dessert. We can fill up our water bottles each day with fresh water from the cooler. There is a bar on board and we can start a tab if we’d like.
Our cabin is small, since the ship can only accommodate 16 passengers, but we have plenty of drawer space and a nice shower. Allan and I have one of the two double bed cabins.
We had a really good dinner. The chef on this ship is amazing. Everything is delicious!
We are going to bed now. Busy day tomorrow. Since the ship will have WiFi on occasion, hoping to keep posting. Buenos noches.
On the drive to the ferry.
Our boots
Hello! Pablo figured this tortoise was about 130 years old.
In the lava tunnel
This is the watercraft that we take whenever we leave our ship to go touring.
September 18, Wednesday Quito • Botanical Gardens • Mindalae • Cable Car
Destination: Quito
Accommodations: NH COLLECTION QUITO
This morning we were able to sleep in as we didn’t need to board our bus until 10 am.
Allan and I always sign up for alerts from the US embassy when traveling to different countries. Today we got an alert from Quito, Ecuador saying:
“The Ecuadorian government announced a series of nationwide overnight electrical outages from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.from September 18-19. Scheduled outages may persist past the currently scheduled dates due to the ongoing nationwide energy crisis. U.S. citizens should monitor official announcements from the Government of Ecuador for changes to the power outage schedule. The Ministry of the Interior announced corresponding overnight curfews during the power outages, which limit freedom of movement with limited exceptions for essential workers and airport travel. Accommodations.S. citizens should comply with curfews, local laws, and the Department of State’s Travel Advisory for Ecuador. U.S. citizen residents and travelers should expect heavy military and police presence throughout Ecuador during these periods, which may include check points on roads. Be aware that power outages may affect traffic lights, emergency response, power in buildings (including elevators) that do not have independent generators, cellular service, and the internet. U.S. citizens should exercise caution during electrical outages, especially during periods of darkness, including taking measures to protect personal safety. We recommend planning for power outages by stocking up on essential items, such as food, water, medical supplies, and other personal items. International airports in Quito and Guayaquil will remain fully operational during the electrical outages. Travelers should monitor their flight status closely. Travel to and from the airports is permitted during curfew hours for individuals with a scheduled flight. U.S. citizens traveling to or from the airport for a scheduled flight should carry their flight itinerary and passport.”
WOW! We’re actually flying out early tomorrow morning to go to the Galapagos, so we’re hoping we won’t be affected.
Anyway, after breakfast we drove to the Botanical Gardens. Pablo narrated the tour and we saw some beautiful flowers, trees, and the highlight… orchids. So many different varieties, each one more beautiful than the last. Then we sauntered by the rose garden and savored the aromas. Ecuador grows and sends roses to every part of the world. It was a nice botanical garden and we were lucky to see many cacti in bloom as well as other plants that don’t bloom very often.
After the gardens, we visited the Mindalae Museum. This museum gives insight into the traditional culture of the Ecuadorian people. It is spread throughout six rooms in five floors, each with a unique theme: Shamanism, Andean Worldview, Clothing, Ceramics, Natural Fibers, and Amazon Worlds.
The building has an opening which has been called ‘The Eye of the Sun’. It is through this opening that for both the summer and winter solstices (June 21st and December 21st), and the equinoxes (March 20th and September 22nd), a column of light shines through each of the five floors, all the way to the bottom. These dates were key events for the ancient people of Ecuador. Since we were very close to the September equinox, we could see that the sun was almost to the window. On September 21…it would be there and would shine down through all five floors.
We saw displays showcasing the clothes of the indigenous people of Ecuador and also their musical instruments.
We had lunch at the museum, which was very good, although I did not care for the pumpkin soup.
After our tour, Pablo arranged for taxi cabs for 8 of us to ride the Telefériqo cable car which promised a dramatic ascent to over 13,000’ up the volcano. It took about 18 minutes and when we got to the top, the views were magnificent.
We returned to the hotel and began packing our small carryon for our trip early tomorrow to the Galapagos. We will leave at 5:30 am.
Sharon, Dick, Allan, and I decided to go back to the Chinese restaurant we went to the other night for dinner. We started to order and our waiter, who did not speak English very well, kept saying that the items we wanted to order were not available. Only a few appetizers were available, a few soups, and some entrees. We were so shocked and disappointed. We couldn’t get the steamed dumplings or the red bean paste dumpling. So Allan and I both ordered the wonton soup with pork, chicken, and shrimp and I ordered a spring roll. Our waiter brought our drinks and said we had to order now. We weren’t happy, and didn’t understand, but we complied. Our dinner orders arrived and we asked for another round of drinks. The waiter said he couldn’t do that. We needed to leave. We were not understanding, and then it dawned on Sharon. The electricity cut and the curfew!!!! The waiter and staff wanted to get home before the lights went out. We understood and quickly ate and went on our way.
So after dinner, we went to the hotel across the street from our hotel and had a nightcap. Hotels have generators fortunately, and our waiter told us that management was putting the staff up in rooms for the night, so they wouldn’t worry about getting home.
Then it was back to our hotel for hopefully a good night’s sleep.
This might be my last post for a while since I don’t think I will be getting cellular or WiFi while in the Galapagos. I will be writing my posts everyday and when I can, I’ll post them.
The Quito Botanical Garden
Water lilies blooming
Such an unusual flower
The orchids were beautiful. So many varieties.
Even a cactus was blooming
At the Mindalae Museum
If we had been a few days later, the sun’s rays would have been directly over the windows that line up on all five floors.
September 17, Tuesday Grand Circle Foundation visit: Sinamune Children’s Orchestra • Visit Inti Nan & the Equator • Explore downtown Quito
Destination: Quito
Accommodations: NH COLLECTION ROYAL QUITO After breakfast we drove to the Sinamune School, our first stop of the day. On the way, our local guide Israel, told us some info about Quito.
People drive to work in the city and take their kids to school, etc., so traffic can be a big problem. In order to alleviate some of the congestion, the government said that If your license plate ends with a 1 or 2, your vehicle is restricted on Mondays. Ends in 3 or 4, it’s restricted on Tuesdays. Ends in 5 or 6, it’s restricted on Wednesdays. Ends in 7 or 8, it’s restricted on Thursdays. Ends in 9 or 0, it’s restricted on Fridays. If you were caught driving on a day that you weren’t supposed to, you paid a $200 fine. However, the plan backfired. People needed to get to work, so they got around the law by buying a second car with a license number different from the original. So in actuality MORE cars were on the road.
Another interesting tidbit Israel told us was if a family enters a vacant house, and stays for ten years without anyone evicting them… the house is theirs forever. Wow!
Israel said that Ecuador has 4 worlds. The Amazon, the Andes, the Coast, and the Galapagos. Each world is very different.
Ecuador uses American dollars as their currency and they also have their own coins that are not usable in the US. The United States mint had been producing Sacagawea dollar coins since 2000. The coins were not popular in the US, so they were sent to Ecuador, since Ecuador prefers coins over paper money. We wound up with two Sacagawea coins which we will keep for posterity.
Another fact that we have been made aware of is…most public bathrooms do not have toilet paper. We have learned that the hard way, so always pick up toilet paper whenever you can, and keep it with you.
We finally arrived at our first destination…the Sinamune School, to hear the Sinamune Disabled Children’s Orchestra, supported in part by Grand Circle Foundation, perform. The Sinamune provides disabled children and adults with the opportunity to learn music or the fine arts. It was founded in 1992 by Maestro Edgar Augusto Palacios and his wife Marcia, with the goal of rehabilitating special needs people as well as integrating them into mainstream society. The Sinamune project focuses on teaching orchestral groups, fine arts, song, art, painting, and handicrafts. (We saw some of the students’ handiwork was for sale in the gift shop.) Additionally, the school tries to reinforce math and language skills, according to the students abilities. Over the years, Grand Circle Foundation along with travelers, has donated $285,320 to Sinamune, which has helped refurbish the auditorium as well as helped towards the purchase of musical instruments, scholarships, school uniforms, food stipends, and much more.
The school is comprised of children starting from the age of 12, who have physical and/or mental challenges. These may include physical disabilities such as blindness, deafness, or motor and mental disabilities such as Down Syndrome. There is no age limit for ending participation at the school. Programs are formed based on individual needs. The goal ultimately is to give these students the tools they need to go out into the world to be on their own.
Maestro Palacios was there playing the trumpet with the orchestra today. The orchestra has concerts and travels around Quito and the world to perform. They were amazing and very professional and we enjoyed the concert immensely. We noticed that two members of the orchestra were blind. Some of the students came out to do dance routines and at one point, they invited all of us to dance with them. It was joyous.
After the performance, we drove through downtown Quito, which actually is a UNESCO Heritage site. The drive was an experience!!! The streets are like in San Francisco – and possibly with even steeper hills. Our bus driver had to really hit the brakes as we went down hill after hill.
We finally arrived at the Inti Nan museum. Inti Nan is the Quechua phrase for “Path of the Sun” and it sits directly on the equator. We didn’t tour the museum, but we had a great time anyway…standing on the equator, trying to balance an egg on a nail, walking a straight line with our eyes closed, and watching a demonstration of the Coriolis Effect.
Standing on the equator: We put our feet in huge shoes for north and south and posed for the picture op. Next we all tried to balance an egg on a nail. It’s very hard to do and no one in the group succeeded.
Walking the equator with eyes closed: You can feel the pull left and right so it’s very hard to walk the straight line.
Coriolis effect: The guide stood on the equator and filled a basin with water. When he pulled the plug, the water went straight down the drain. But when he went to South side, the water drained clockwise and at the north side, it drained counterclockwise. Pretty amazing to witness.
We then went to a demonstration and tasting of the chocolate grown in Ecuador which is said to be the best chocolate in the world. Switzerland and Belgium buy chocolate from Ecuador we were told.
It was time for lunch so we walked to the restaurant which was right near the Presidential Palace. Imagine our surprise when we weren’t allowed to get to the restaurant because the street to walk to the restaurant was being guarded with police in riot gear. Apparently, there was a protest and strike going on by the taxi cab drivers. Our guide Pablo tried in earnest to convince the police we just wanted to get to the restaurant since we had reservations. But, it was to no avail. Finally the chef came down from the restaurant and said he would accommodate us in his other restaurant a few blocks away.
As I mentioned, the streets are very steep so we had to navigate up, up, up the hills to get to the restaurant which wasn’t easy because of the altitude of over 9,000’. We arrived at the beautiful eatery and were served a wonderful meal. The chicken soup was the best soup I’ve ever tasted. The main course Allan and I chose was fried pork and it came with a lot of sides. But it was too much to eat. We told Pablo to please tell the restaurant owners to serve smaller portions in the future. We just don’t want to waste the food.
After lunch we walked through Quito’s colonial nucleus – Independence Plaza, with a winged statue representing freedom. In the plaza is the San Francisco Convent, the oldest and most significant religious site in Ecuador. Israel told us a great story…a myth…that supposedly, the builder of the convent, Cantuna, was told he must finish the building within three years or he would be killed. He took the job, but realized, he would never be able to complete it in time. So he made a deal with the devil. He would sell his soul to the devil if the devil would help him complete the building in time. The devil said it’s a deal and rounded up his helpers to get the building completed. But Cantuna was sly. Just before the midnight deadline, he removed a single stone from the structure, meaning… the church was never completed!!! Cantuna told the devil he hid the stone so it would never be found. The building was basically done, so he wouldn’t be killed, but the devil would never get his soul because the devil never officially completed the structure. Great legend.
We walked to the Presidential Palace because by that time the protest was over and the police had dispersed. We saw the guards in traditional uniforms keeping watch.
Our last stop was the most beautiful and ornate church in Ecuador … Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús. This Jesuit church is one of the greatest baroque masterpieces in South America. Construction started on the church in 1605 and it took 160 years to complete.
Everyone had to take their hats off to enter and we were very lucky since a new bishop about a month ago agreed to let visitors take photos inside the church.
Everywhere you looked, there was gold. No one knows exactly how much gold has been put on the walls and columns, but it must be a staggering amount.
While returning to our bus, we took a detour to a place that Israel’s daughter calls “Happy Heaven”. It is a candy store. We tasted caramel corn and then we had a taste of mistalis candy. Popularly known as borrachitos, these are candies of different flavors that are filled with liquor. You put one in your mouth…wait a second or two…and then experience the “pop” as the sugar coating disintegrates and the liquor oozes into your mouth. They were divine. These sweets date back to colonial times when women were not allowed to consume alcoholic beverages, so they made these candies and no one was the wiser.
We returned to the hotel and had to talk with the management to fix the hot water situation we’ve had since the morning. We didn’t have enough hot water this morning to shower and when we came back from touring, it still wasn’t fixed. We have hot water now, so fingers crossed for tomorrow.
Dick, Sharon, Allan, and I went to a wonderful Italian restaurant for dinner. They gave us a complementary appetizer and we ordered pizza which was so delicious. Our waiter was the manager and he was great! He recommended a delicious wine from Italy that was just the perfect accompaniment to our pizza and then he surprised us by giving us a complementary dessert. It was a great meal!
Tomorrow we don’t have to start touring until 10 am, so we can sleep in for a change.
The Sinamune Orchestra
Dancing
Masks the students created
Standing on the equator
Awwww….
Allan trying to balance an egg. No one in the group was able to do it but the guide did it pretty quickly.
Ta da!
Police guarding the Presidential Palace
View from the restaurant window looking out on Independence Plaza
Delicious soup
Fried pork, hominy, potato or squash (not sure), corn on cob, tomato and onion. Too much to eat.
San Francisco convent in Independence Plaza
Compañía de Jesús de Quito
The stairs on the right are not real. They were painted in to add symmetry.
September 16, Monday Cuzco • Fly to Quito, Ecuador
Destination: Quito
Accommodations: NH COLLECTION ROYAL QUITO
Activity Note: We will spend the day at elevations above 8,000-9,000 feet. We recommend staying hydrated while at high altitude
Today was a day of flights and I don’t mean the kind that a waiter lines up for tasting, but the kind where you wait IN lines and finally get seated on a plane.
We were up very early to take the bus to the airport for our flight to Lima. The hotel opened the restaurant for us at 5:30 am and we had a quick bite. The young girl Allan and I sat with on the train to Machu Picchu, who came from Chile, happened to be at the breakfast as well. When I went over to her, she jumped up and hugged and kissed Allan and me. She has been traveling solo and she doesn’t speak very much English, but we still were able to communicate. She finished her breakfast and when she left, she hugged and kissed us again. We wished her safe travels and off she went.
Our group then boarded a bus for the ten minute drive to the airport. Patty had already procured our boarding passes for the flight to Lima as well as the boarding passes for our next flight to Quito, Ecuador. She also had our luggage tags all set and on our bags, and the bags would be checked straight through to the Quito airport. Check in was a breeze because in Peru as well as Ecuador, seniors are able to get in the line for pregnant women, parents with children and folks in wheelchairs, etc. which is much shorter. In the states, they have lines for parents with small children and folks in wheelchairs, but it never includes senior citizens.
We bid Patty goodbye. She was an amazing guide and we were so appreciative of all she did for us and the knowledge and history she imparted to us. We hope to stay in touch.
The flight to Lima was fine and upon arriving we made our way to international departures. We had to go through security again since we were leaving Peru and flying to Ecuador.
That flight was fine until the end when we flew over the mountains. The plane banked and dropped over and over… a few big drops made people scream. I just held onto the seat and finally, we landed. Whew! A little scary.
We had to go through migration and show our passports to be stamped and then we picked up our luggage. Our new guide Pablo was waiting for us and off we went for the 45 minute drive to the hotel.
After settling in to our room, which is quite spacious, we met Dick and Sharon for a drink at the bar. The bar didn’t have many selections and no one was there except us, which was odd. After we ordered, the bar tender had to go somewhere else to get the glasses. Weird. The hotel itself is lovely with many amenities, but the bar, even though quite cozy, is not the best.
At 6:30 we had an intro meeting with Pablo and he told us what to expect for our next few days in Quito and what we should prepare for when we leave for the Galapagos on Thursday.
The meeting lasted for about 45 minutes and we were starving, since we’d eaten a light breakfast very early in the morning and only had a quinoa bar on the plane.
Sharon, Dick, Allan and I went down the block to an Asian restaurant and Allan and I had steamed dumplings, a red bean paste dumpling, and wonton soup with shrimp and pork. The meal was outstanding!!
Then it was back to the hotel and we fell into bed for a good night’s sleep.
September 15, Sunday Cuzco • Qoricancha Sun Temple • San Blas walking tour
Destination: Cuzco
Accommodations: JOSE ANTONIO CUSCO HOTEL
Activity Note: We will spend the day at elevations above 11,000 feet.
We recommend staying hydrated while at high altitude.
After breakfast we went on a walk to the Qoricancha Sun Temple, (Coricancha) which was a ceremonial structure during the Inca era. It was the religious and sacred place where appreciation was shown for Inti, the Inca Sun God. It was one of the most sacred buildings of the Inca Empire. People from all over the Empire gathered at this temple to worship and pay tribute to their gods, but the interior of the enclosure was reserved for the most important personalities of the time. Historical records note that its walls were once covered with 700 sheets of gold that was studded with emeralds and turquoise. When the sunlight streamed through the windows, the reflection off the precious metals was blinding. Most of the temple was destroyed after the 16th-century war with the Spanish conquistadors because they took the stones to build their own churches and homes.
Much of its stonework was used as the foundation for the seventeenth-century Santo Domingo Convent which was rebuilt after an earthquake in 1650 destroyed the first one.
The masonry was made from stones that were similar in appearance and they did not use any stones with an imperfection or break. It’s amazing how they constructed the temple, even knowing to tilt the inner walls to be stronger if an earthquake hit. There is one corner that is constructed by one huge stone with I think 7 angles. You have to wonder… How did they do it???
There was no mortar used to put the stones together but instead, a sort of bitumen with which they used to affix the stones. The stones themselves are so well worked that no joining or cement can be seen in the original walls. When parts of the temple had to be restored by archeologists, you can see the cement that they put in between the stones to repair them. The original stones put together by the Incas is seamless.
We were able to stand inside one of the rooms that was original to the temple and in another room we looked through a trapezoid window that gave views through other rooms. It was truly amazing to see the parts of the temple that are still standing. Some folks laugh and say that aliens must have come down to build the temple since how did the Incas have the knowledge to build something so precise without the tools that we have today. There are some stones that were found that the archeologists still don’t know what part of the temple they were from.
We left the temple and walked through the San Blas neighborhood and saw many of the architectural relics that tell the history of the Cusco area. We once again arrived at the Plaza de Armas, that we visited last night.
We walked back to the hotel and had a delicious light lunch and then got ready for our flights that will leave very early tomorrow – first to Lima and then to Quito, Ecuador.
At 6 pm we had a recap of our wonderful time with Patty and drank Pisco to celebrate our adventures together. Then it was off for the farewell dinner and back to the hotel to get a good nights sleep for our 3 am wake up call.
The jewelry store in the hotel was open when we returned and many of us bought a piece of jewelry. I bought a beautiful silver slide with inlay of different stones. It is all handmade.
The temple
Looking through the trapezoid window
Original room of the temple. How did they make the blocks so precise?
Original artwork
The most important part of the temple where a gold medallion was placed to catch the sun.
It is believed that protrusions were put in this area so that the sun would cast different angular shadows along the wall, changing in length as the sun moved across the sky. You can see the beautiful shadows in this picture.
Walking through the streets of Cusco
A very old wooden balcony still standing
An original stone block entryway. The door however is not original. The snakes and the emblem above the door signify someone of great importance lived there.
Cathedral in the Plaza de Armas
Archbishop’s Palace
Sign posted on each floor of our hotel near the elevators.
