Day 83 - From Crowds to Ghost Town

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We checked out of Hostal Marsella to move to Hotel Boutique Casa Foch our GAP hotel pre Galapagos. Walking outside we expected to hail one of the many taxis, BUT... the first taxi reminded us that the new town Mariscal area is closed to cars every second Sunday to encourage cycling, AND... we then spotted the Quito 15k, meaning our route was almost completely blocked. So walking to the hotel it was! Good job we'd sent home the winter clothes as it is nearly 2km across the city. Navigating our way through the watching crowds and the runners added to the challenge. Boutique does describe the hotel though, very comfortable room.

We headed out to explore what was effectively a ghost town, even quieter than yesterday. Coming across Quito’s crowd of wannabe gangsters was intriguing though so we followed them to what turned out to be a dance battle in a bar. Groups versus groups, not what I expected here. I persuaded Sophie to have lunch in another football showing restaurant (cocktails involved again) before we headed back to our hotel for the GAP pre meet. The boat holds 16, 2 people are already on the boat and 7 of us joining them. 5 made it to the meeting, us, Erica from America and Keith and Sue a married couple from York. Sandra from GAP’s Quito office filled us in on the journey plans and basic itinerary before issuing us with bags for checked luggage and a souvenir GAP Galapagos 2010 t-shirt! Whoop... no need to buy Sophie one now!

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Photos

Luxury Hotel
Included in our Galapagos trip