Quito - via Double Decker Tour Bus, and a little hoofing it along the way...

We got up this morning and had a wonderful breakfast of freshly made yogurt and fresh cut oats, banana and papaya juice with a dash of vanilla, and toast with blackberry and strawberry jam.  Of course I had my freshly prepared Ecuadorian coffee!  Delicious!  All prepared by our host and enjoyed while chatting with a couple by the names of Tracy and Jim.  They are from Amsterdam and have been touring South America for the past eight months.

After a nice conversation with our fellow house guests, our host called and arranged for a taxi to come pick us up and take us to the Parque De Carolina where we would catch the double decker tour bus.  For $12 each we could tour the city and get on and off the bus as we pleased at the various stops, then catch the next double decker when we were ready to move on to the next stop.  This was a wonderful way to see the city.  However, before we left we were in our room gathering our things to take with us and Jana opened the curtains to this!  Mount Cotopaxi - an active volcano some 31 miles from Quito, rising some 19,347 ft.  in elevation. Just WOW!

As we were leaving Jana and our wonderful host, Jenny, gave me a wave as I wandered around La Casa Amarilla taking pictures of the well manicured grounds.

So we headed out to meet the tour bus and arrived just in time to catch the 10 am bus.  They leave on the hour so it worked out well.  We boarded the bus and of course had to ride in the open air of the top deck.  Where we saw some of these sights.

We jumped off the bus at the Centro de Arte Contemporaneo, where we saw some interesting art work and then moved on to the next couple of stops by foot. We saw Basillica del Voto Nacional, otherwise known as "La Basillica". La Basillica built in 1884 is the most important work of neo-Gothic Ecuadorian architecture and is one of the most representative of the Americas. It is the largest neo-Gothic basilica in the New World. The building is noted for its grotesques in the form of native Ecuadorian animals such as armadillos, iguana, and Galapagos tortoises. Interesting, to say the least...

Then it was on Plaza Grande, which is flanked by the Presidencia de la Republica, the Presidential Palace.  The Plaza was filled with people and it literally was one of the most beautiful sights I've ever witnessed.

We kept hoofing it down Avenue Garcia Moreno and saw the Cathedral de Metropolitana de Quito, Iglesia de La Compania de Jesus and then on to Iglesia de San Francisco.

Then it was back on the bus to go up there.... the Bosque Panecillo.

Where not only did we see the Virgin Mary, but we also saw some beautiful sights of the city and more great views of the volcanoes that surround the city.

Then it was off to our last stop for the day, the Teleferiqo and Vulqano Park.  Vulqano Park is an amusement park for the little ones and Teleferiqo is a gondola lift (sky bucket) that takes you to the top of the Pinchincha Volcano, some 12,943 ft. in elevation.  Unfortunately, the queue line was just too long of a wait so we didn't ride the sky bucket to the top.  But we plan to go back tomorrow when hopefully it's not so crowded.

From there, we skipped the bus ride back to the starting point, hailed a taxi, and for $2.00, our cabbie dropped us right at the front door of La Casa Amarilla.  Jana took a much needed siesta, while I put this blog report together for you.  Now, it's off to the shower to get ready to head our for a traditional Ecuadorian dinner.

If today was a harbinger of thngs to come, we are in for one heck of a trip!

Hasta manana, amigos!

To view the full album of edited pics from the day click here.

La Casa Amarilla

We arrived safe and sound in Quito last night around10:30.  Amazingly,  the flight from Atlanta to Quito was a mere four and a half hours.

Cleared customs and headed for the exits. We had prearranged for private transportation to take us to our accommodations for the evening.   As we walked through the exit door there were people everywhere waiting on their loved ones and friends to arrive. It was almost like a mob scene waiting on their favorite rock star to arrive! Almost immediately we spotted a young man holding a sign that read, "Turk and Jana Bence".  We waved at the young man and he and his mother greeted us and escorted us to their waiting van.

Our ride into Quito was filled with conversation and viewing the sites,  as much as we could in the dark.  But the size of the mountains were very striking.   Quito is undergoing highway modernization between the recently opened airport and the city center.  But at one point we were detoured through a twisty, curvy mountain road that we were told dates back to the days of the Spanish Conquistadors and follows the path they used to travel to the Amazon in search of gold.

We arrived at the La Casa Amarilla Guest House around midnight.   Since we were such late arrivals we were politely shown our room and we quickly settled in for the night, after reading an article or two on Auburn's victory over Arkansas of course!

So now begins our first day in Ecuador.   I write to you from a colorful sitting area in La Casa Amarilla listening to the church bells in the distant this gorgeous Sunday morning.  I hope I'll be able to capture a photo of the sitting room and post it here with my tablet.  Although this post is long on words and obviously short on photos don't expect this to be the norm. In fact, my intention is to let pictures do the speaking for us, as each picture speaks a thousands words doesn't it.

So for now I bid you aidios, as I'm beginning to catch my first scent of some wonderful Ecuadorian coffee brewing.  Beunos dias mis amigos!

Just Around the Corner Now

It's Monday,  August 25, 2014 and in exactly five days Jana and I will be aboard a Boeing 767 rolling down the runway at Hartsfield International in Atlanta bound for Quito, Ecuador.   We will carry with us the excitement that always accompanies traveling to a foreign land for the first time.  But we'll also be carrying the many memories of awesome adventures we've experienced in the past as well.  All of that combined, I expect, will lead to another "trip of a lifetime".

For a peek into our past travels click here.   But stay tuned right here, because this is where we plan to chronicle our adventures South of Latitude Zero.  A place neither of us have ever been, but can't wait to get there!