Galapagos 2013: Vacation, Evolved
For this year's Clan Kossover holiday trip, cynic51 and I talked the parents into a warm weather vacation. Admittedly, we did not have to talk very hard to accomplish this task. A big trip over the holidays is not without precedent - in 2004, we went to Australia for 3 weeks and in 2006 we went to Cozumel. It had been a few years since our last "big" holiday trip, and it was decided that this year, it was time. Through a decision-making process that involved some online research and consultation of well-traveled friends, we decided upon a destination and schedule - a 7-day boat cruise through the Galapagos Islands, aboard the M/Y Letty.
On Thursday, December 12, everyone made there way by plane to Atlanta for a brief 24 hour stopover, which included a nice dinner with ES at The General Muir, a midnight showing of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and a hair-raising taxi ride through Friday afternoon traffic to get to the airport for an on-time departure, which we did make thanks to the skills of our taxi driver, for which he received a handsome tip. One 5-hour flight later, we were in Quito, Ecuador!
Our hotel for the 2-night stay in Quito, located in the Mariscal Sucre district, was recommended by our tour company, Ecoventura, and was very comfortable, including a continental breakfast. Saturday morning was a bit of a lazy one, with most of us walking up quite dehydrated and with headaches, partly due to the elevation, as Quito is almost at 10,000 feet above sea level. After breakfast and extensive napping, we pulled ourselves together to wander around Quito Saturday afternoon. We took a taxi down to the Plaza de la Independcia, where we had a very pleasant wander through many highly decorated Catholic churches, taking in some beautiful architecture on a slightly overcast day. We taxi-ed back to our neighborhood and had a nice wander through the Parque El Ejido, a short walk from our hotel. Quito appears to be a very bike friendly city, with dedicated bike paths and easy bike rental locations, very similar to the bike share programs that are starting to pop up in US cities. If it had been a clearer day, we may have tried to go to the TeleferiQo, but we didn't. Alas - perhaps next time :-)
Saturday night found us eating dinner in the hotel and hitting the hay early, as we had an early start to get back to the airport and to the islands on Sunday morning. Once at the airport, we were met by tour company reps who helped us check our luggage and delivered our boarding passes for the Aerogal flight to San Cristobal via Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city, located on the Pacific Coast. Two flights later...........
On Thursday, December 12, everyone made there way by plane to Atlanta for a brief 24 hour stopover, which included a nice dinner with ES at The General Muir, a midnight showing of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and a hair-raising taxi ride through Friday afternoon traffic to get to the airport for an on-time departure, which we did make thanks to the skills of our taxi driver, for which he received a handsome tip. One 5-hour flight later, we were in Quito, Ecuador!
Our hotel for the 2-night stay in Quito, located in the Mariscal Sucre district, was recommended by our tour company, Ecoventura, and was very comfortable, including a continental breakfast. Saturday morning was a bit of a lazy one, with most of us walking up quite dehydrated and with headaches, partly due to the elevation, as Quito is almost at 10,000 feet above sea level. After breakfast and extensive napping, we pulled ourselves together to wander around Quito Saturday afternoon. We took a taxi down to the Plaza de la Independcia, where we had a very pleasant wander through many highly decorated Catholic churches, taking in some beautiful architecture on a slightly overcast day. We taxi-ed back to our neighborhood and had a nice wander through the Parque El Ejido, a short walk from our hotel. Quito appears to be a very bike friendly city, with dedicated bike paths and easy bike rental locations, very similar to the bike share programs that are starting to pop up in US cities. If it had been a clearer day, we may have tried to go to the TeleferiQo, but we didn't. Alas - perhaps next time :-)
Saturday night found us eating dinner in the hotel and hitting the hay early, as we had an early start to get back to the airport and to the islands on Sunday morning. Once at the airport, we were met by tour company reps who helped us check our luggage and delivered our boarding passes for the Aerogal flight to San Cristobal via Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city, located on the Pacific Coast. Two flights later...........