Guayaquil....unplanned detour

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In my previous post I detailed how I ended up flying into Guayaquil instead of Quito. The flighty was shorter than I expected, but longer than my body was prepared to take. After traipsing all over Miami International Airport I was exhausted, but I could not get comfortable enough on the plane to really get any rest.

Surprisingly, even though takeoff was at 10:00 pm, around 11:30 they served a light meal. I had the taco salad which was surprisingly good. As we prepared to land, and came down out of the clouds and could see the lights of Guayaquil, the first thing I noticed was a huge lit McDonald's sign. There were also significant fireworks in the distance. I took it as a welcome to Ecuador sign, and indulged the fantasy that they were expressly for me! We touched down at 1:05 in the morning.

The airport in Guayaqil is quite modern...in fact it looks brand new. Going through passport control and customs was a breeze. Lines moved fast and in 20 minutes I was looking for a men's room to get rid of some excess liquid, as well a place to replenish it, as I was severely dehydrated. I got a tasty passionfruit and mango smoothie at the the Arrecife cafe which did the trick. Their menu looked quite tasty, with a breakfast combo of ham sandwich, eggs, fruit and a drink for $9.50. Definitely airport pricing! But when you threw in the free WiFi access, I figured the prices were reasonable. I expected to get dollars in change, but I was surprised to get a US George Washington dollar and two Jefferson nickels!

Since the domestic terminal did not open until 5 AM, I sat in the ticketing area and people-watched. People started flooding into the area just outside the international departure screening area at around 3:00. By 4:00 the place was bustling. It was fun to watch the families. My observation is that Ecuadorian families display a lot more affection than most Americans. The children are all adorable and showered with affection. None were ignored and I didn't see any being scolded, as usually happens with US families.

My flight to Quito leaves at 7:35, and arrives at 8:30. I don't know how long it will take to get to my hotel, or if I can even check in when I get there, but certainly am ready for a nap!

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