Quito 17th and 18th Sept.

Arrived quito after very long flight which included a one hour stop in Guayaquil when we had to stay on the plane while they refuelled. From the time we left Buenos Aries to Quito it took over 8 hours. Stept off the plane and wobbled a bit, took a few deep breaths due to the higher alltitude. 2800 metres. Met our driver and taken to hotel Mercure and after settling in went for a walk to stretch the legs and came accross a nice park, a huge church and an indigenous market. Then to dinner and early bed as very tired. Next day Miriam picked us up and took us up a very steep cobbled road to a lookout to view Quito on the way to the Chapel of Men. A gallery of paintings by yayansamin, South Americas Picasso. A very famous artist who had the dream to build this beautiful gallery but died before it was completed. And then to the Botanic Gardens where we found many plants which were familiar to us.  After lunch we ventured out again to find the Cultural Museum. Not only did we fail to find it we got caught in very heavy thunderstorm and got soaked while trying to get back to the hotel.  Dinner in hotel, early bed for 5.00am start to Glapagos.