Last Day in Quito ~ Saturday, July 26, 2014

We had a leisurely morning with plenty of time to repack to go home. I also had time to update my blog with the seven days we had spent in the Galapagos. At noon we checked out of the room then went to a hotel lounge where we ate leftover pizza for lunch.

At 2:00 the group boarded the bus. First we went to a supermarket. Delphin gave us each a dollar to buy some produce. I found a huge avocado which was larger than I had ever seen. Paul bought five beautiful tomatoes. Many venders sold their produce like the open markets. We gave our purchases to the bus driver. He was very excited to receive mine. Delphin then surprised us by taking us to Helios de Paila Pomasqui, a gourmet ice cream shop, and treated us to ice cream cones. Each of us got to pick two unusual favors. They were very fruity, but I couldn’t tell you what I ate. We saw an ice cream demo too.

Then we drove to the equator where a park guide took us around to various displays and told us how the indigenous people lived, including how they shrunk heads! We saw some examples. Then he demonstrated things that happen only at the equator. I was able to again balance a raw egg on the head of a nail. Like I did in 2008. I got a certificate this time.

Our farewell dinner was held at a museum that displayed traditional dress of the indigenous people, musical instruments, cooking pots, weapons, shaman curing herbs, and jewelry. Delphin had lived a lot of this. His father was a renowned shaman, and his brother is now a shaman.

After the museum tour, we ate a catered dinner which included fish, rice, fancy julienned vegetables, and wine. Some kind of cake wrapped in a leaf was dessert.

Then our bus driver drove us to the airport. Delphin took us to the LAN check-in desk. Six of us boarded the flight to Miami. Paul and I had gotten exit row seats with more leg room there. He slept on the flight, lucky him. I was very restless. There were no movies that I wanted to watch. At 3:00 A.M. We were served lasagna, cake, and even wine if anyone wanted it. I didn’t.

When we entered the U.S. in Miami, we checked in at a kiosk with our passports. Then we went to an agent to finish the process. After we picked up our luggage, we were welcomed through by another agent. Then an OAT agent met us downstairs to direct us to our gate. We had to go through security again. TSA agents were yelling at everyone and being extremely rude. I have never been to an airport that had such rude agents.

By this time it was early Sunday morning, July 27, 2014. Our next flight was from Miami to Dallas. When we arrived in Dallas and were sitting at our gate, Bob Myers came up to us and said, “Hello, Carol Greene! Bob Myers!” I haven’t seen him since last summer’s Alpha Gam summer party. He said he just finished riding RAGBRAI, Great Ride Across Iowa, an annual event of his for the last eight years. Paul and I bought cob salads for lunch. I called Kevin, Joy, and Linda, then we boarded the plane for San Jose. Bob was on the same plane. I love coincidences like these.

We sat together on the last leg of the trip to San Jose. Kevin picked us up at the airport, and we took a quick detour to Costco to pick up some groceriese. I wouldn’t have to leave the house tomorrow for anything.

Kevin chauffeured us smoothly home. Tara, our German Shepherd, was very happy to see us! Kevin picked some zucchini from the garden that he had faithfully watered, and I picked some tomatoes. I started a load of clothes in the washer, and I cooked hamburgers with barbecue sauce and caramelized onions on sourdough bread served with dill pickle spears. We talked with Joy on the phone, then went to bed by 6:30! For me, the person who doesn’t sleep on planes, it was at least 38 hours without sleep.

What a great trip 🙂

. Produce stand at the supermarket