Bienvenidos a Quito

the wee hours of Wednesday, July 4

After the easy first leg of our travel day, and the not-so-easy second leg, our flight landed at Quito’s Mariscal Sucre Airport at 1:25a.

After a long travel day, we were grateful that we landed at this airport, literally IN the heart of the city, and not the new one that is still under construction.  It turns out that Sucre is just 4+ miles (7 km) from the JW Marriott.  (The new airport, we’ve been told, is going to be about an hour’s drive away.)

The city sits at 9,350 feet (2,850 m) above sea level, making the airport one of the highest in the world.  The change in altitude became apparent very quickly.  As we hastened to Immigration, we were quickly brought up short by a little wooziness, not to mention the sensation of breathlessness.  Whoa!  Reminded so dramatically to take it easy, we slowed our pace.  By the time it was our turn to show the duty officer our passports, we were feeling right as rain again — though more than a little tired.

By 2:30a, bags in tow, we were outside the arrivals terminal, wondering if we’d be able to find a taxi or have to go back inside to call the Marriott shuttle.  No need.  A security guard directed us to a line of taxis.  Checking to make sure the vehicle had an official orange license plate, we hopped in for the short, $8 ride to the hotel.

Bienvenidos a JW Marriott en Quito!
[collage compiled from photos on the hotel’s website]

Our 10-day Galápagos package with Celebrity included two nights pre- and one night post-cruise at the JW Marriott.  When we decided to add a few days on our own in Quito, we opted to book our add-on stay at the same hotel.  Mui got a great government/military rate, which didn’t include breakfast, but did give us free internet connectivity.

Despite it being the wee hours of the morning, we were graciously welcomed to the Marriott by Alberto at the front desk.  As we sipped what turned out to be the first of many glasses of fruit juices we would be consuming while in Ecuador, the formalities were completed and we were handed keys to Room 528, overlooking the lobby.  The good news — we won’t have to move to another room when the Celebrity package kicks in on Friday.

Room 528 — quietly elegant.

Our view of the lobby from Room 528 (left); and our room as seen from the lobby.
Despite the events going on at the hotel, noise did not filter up into the room.

Too tired to really appreciate the elegant appointments of the room, we brushed our teeth and fell into bed.  The last I remember is that the bedside clock showed 3:05a and I was thinking what a good thing it was that we had changed our plans for July 4th; we’d be able to rest up before sightseeing in earnest on the 5th.

Ecuador is considered the rose export capital of the world.
[the photo, by the way, was taken on another day during our stay at the JW Marriott.]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!