Quito, Ecuador I #023

---

Upon our arrival in Quito we had to go through Customs and Immigrations and we were met by a Celebrity Xpeditions representative to be assisted with our transportation to our hotel.  JW Marriott was our wonderful hotel with all the amenities and a huge breakfast buffet in the morning each day.

Quito, Ecuador's capital, sits high in the Andean foothills at an altitude of 2,850m. Constructed on the foundations of an ancient Incan city, it’s known for its well-preserved colonial center, rich with 16th and 17th-century churches and other structures blending European, Moorish and indigenous styles.

It was formally San Francisco de Quito, is the capital city of Ecuador.  Was founded in the 16th century on the ruins of an Inca city at an elevation of 2,850 metres (9,350 ft) above sea level - being the highest official capital city in the world and the one which is closest to the equator. 

Quito is one of the most compelling cities in Latin America. Nestled in a long, narrow valley in the Andes on the slopes Volcano Pichincha to the west, Quito enjoys a spectacular natural setting. The Ecuadorian capital city's mix of colonial and modern architecture creates a fascinating built environment.

Our first tour was a city tour of Quito in our air-conditioned motor-coach with a visit to the colonial city with lunch and a visit to the Half-of-the-World Park and Museum where we could stand on the Equatorial line.  We took videos of the guides telling the stories, the Indian Ceremonial Dance, the chocolate demo and so many things to see and take in there!  All on our download so you can experience this with us!!!  Here's a few photos and you can get the rest of our story on our 30-minute download...

            We then took a lovely day trip to Alambi Hummingbird Paradise.

The Alambi Reserve lies about an hour outside of Quito along the highway heading to Mindo.  In our visit, we could marvel at the variety of hummingbirds in the small garden.  There was plenty of time to take lots of pictures that are included on our wonderful download for your own enjoyment!  I doubt if you'll ever see more hummingbirds at one time - both around the feeders and in the wild. 

We continued our tour to; the Minto Chocolate Factory where we Immersed ourselves in the flavors of Ecuador and learned about the country’s thriving chocolate industry. Our video of the young lady gives us much history of the chocolate and the products they sell at their store.  She took us out to view a real chocolate tree to see what it actually looked like and it was quite large!

After our learning session, they gave us time to taste the chocolate and enjoy a selection of 7 different types of chocolate, brownie, cocoa syrup, cocoa BBQ sauce, chocolate fondue, and hot cocoa.

Then off to the Butterfly Garden - it was a great experience, not something you see everyday!   We spent a lot of time there and really enjoyed their show!  They were flying all over and if you were still, they would land on your arm!

 We ate an amazing lunch afterwards in the restaurant.  There are lots of photos and videos we've put on a download for your pleasure and just $12.00!

To top off the adventure that day, we had a great dinner at the beautiful Sachatamia Rainforest Reserve Lodge and Restaurant!  It had rustic quarters in a secluded jungle ecolodge with an indoor pool & mountain views.

We sat in their restaurant and looked out at the beautiful green forest and there were hummingbirds out there eating also. You can order your own download!

It's been reported that it's "one of the best places to stay in Mindo, they have an incredible forest,  and one of the best bird watching sites in the country."