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Toon, my Lima travel agent, asked me, "Why are you going to Ecuador, Doug, you are only staying 3 days?"
Peru & Ecuador 2002 - Part Three: Otavalo & Quito, Ecuador
Dougburnett2003-11-24 13:32:33
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At the top there was a large car park, many souvenir stands and the statue. The view was wonderful and I took quite a few photos. Then I headed back to the hotel.
Once there I packed up, checked out and took another taxi to the airport. I had expected to be able to exchange a traveler’s check at the airport - I was running low on cash - but I was surprised to find there were no banks. Further, when I went to pay the $25 airport tax they refused my travel check, demanding cash instead.
After a short wait we flew out of Quito and a few hours later landed in Lima. I was again met by the driver from the Mami Panchita hotel. Having someone meet me each time I arrived wasn't necessary except, perhaps, for the first night when it made getting to the hotel much easier. After that I knew how to get around but I had asked for transportation when I made my reservation so I was stuck with it. That said, it was nice to having someone meet me and it wasn't that much more expensive that a taxi.
It was still early and I wanted to take a walk and see a little of the neighborhood around the hotel - up to now it had been in late and out early. One of the staff gave me directions to a small commercial district nearby.
On the way I walked through an area of mostly one and two-story cement residences, all with tall fences and locked gates. There was a small, open park in the center of the commercial area. Around the outside were the usual chicken restaurants, food stores and even a church and a school. Further north I found department stores, beauty parlors and fruit stands. It was like a small village and it felt as far away from the tourist part of Peru as Puerto Maldonado had. I amused myself by looking in all the stores. Finally, I picked one of the chicken restaurants and stopped for dinner.
Back at the hotel I drank a beer and visited with a few of the newly arrived guest s - the Mami Panchita is a busy hotel - and offered them some of my hard earned Peru travel wisdom. Then I went to bed - tomorrow I was heading south to visit Nazca.
Copyright Doug Burnett
All rights reserved.
http://www.traveldoug.com
See photographs from:
Peru Gallery
,
Ecuador Gallery
