Day 24 - Guayaquil

The hotel at Quito airport was lovely, comfortable and quiet and we soon went off but were woken from a deep sleep by my phone playing a tune that I haven’t heard before.  We both assumed it was my 6.00 am alarm and I thought I must have accidently set it to another ring tone.  We got up and started to get ready when Paul suddenly realised that it was only 4.15.  When I checked the phone it was a missed call from a local number.  Very strange.  There was no voicemail so we went back to bed but found it difficult to settle again.  We did get up at 6.00 and had an early breakfast and a look around the hotel but I still felt as if I was on the boat and unsteady on my feet.  Hopefully that will pass soon.  It would be a great place to stay if we needed a stopover in Quito.

Garden at Hotel San Jose de Puembo, Quito Airport

Animals at Hotel San Jose de Puembo, Quito Airport

Hotel San Jose de Puembo, Quito Airport

Garden at Hotel San Jose de Puembo, Quito Airport

Our flight to Guayaquil was on time.  There were 4 others from the same travel company who had done a more extensive tour of Ecuador before going to Galapagos but they had only arrived on the Galapagos Islands the day before so they saw very little.  

We were transferred to the hotel and allowed into our rooms on arrival which was about 4 hours before normal check in – presumably because there are no more tourists coming.    We unpacked a few things and got clothes ready for the following day and our journey home and went out to explore the city.  

It was a strange feeling walking around as we saw very few other tourists.  It seemed that we were the only ones left.  All the major tourist attractions are closed now.  This includes the Malecon 2000 which is a very long riverside walk with gardens, museums and other attractions.  However it is separated from the main road which runs parallel to the river by a 12’ high metal fence which can be seen through but all the gates in were locked and just a few security guards walked around inside so we couldn't get in.  We then went to a cable car which runs across the river but although it seemed to be working, this was only for maintenance work and not open to the public.  We walked back to the hotel and went to the small park opposite, which is called Parque Seminario and has lots of iguanas throughout the park but this was also closed.  Our tour guide had told us there was a hop on hop off bus and we tried to find it only to be told that it has stopped running because of the Corona Virus.  Even the Cathedral was closed to visitors.  So we are finding that Guayaquil is completely shut down on the instructions of the Ecuadorian Government and within 36 hours all tourists will have left.   I took a few photos while we were walking around.  

Torre Morisca - Clock Tower

Attractive Riverside building

Attractive University Building 

The Malecon 2000 (taken through the railings)

Old Railway Carriage in the Malecon 2000 (taken through the railings)

The Malecon 2000 (taken through the railings)

The Malecon 2000 (taken through the railings)

Cerro Del Carmen

Had to smile at the name of this dress shop

San Francisco Church

San Francisco Church

The Cathedral

Seminario Park

Iguanas at  Seminario Park  (taken through railings as park is closed)

Seminario Park (taken through railings as park is closed)

Statue of Pianist and Composer Ana Villamil Icaza (1852 - 1916)

Statue of Pianist and Composer Ana Villamil Icaza (1852 - 1916)

Iguanas at  Seminario Park  (taken through railings as park is closed)

Iguanas at  Seminario Park  (taken through railings as park is closed)

Iguanas at  Seminario Park  (taken through railings as park is closed)

The Cathedral with statue of Simon Bolivar in Seminario Park

(taken through the railings)

Simon Bolivar Statue in Seminario Park

Bird in Seminario Park

Bandstand in Seminario Park

Hotel sun roof - but there was a smell coming from the kitchens and also a lot of traffic 

and building noise so we didn't hang around

We came back to the hotel and enquired about the Botanical Gardens which is a taxi ride away but they are also closed.  When we got into our room the phone rang.  It was the reception telling us that we needed to move to another room as they were closing the floor that we were on.  So we had to repack almost everything and move which was quite annoying as we were all ready for tomorrow.

We stayed in our new (smaller) room after moving as there is not much to do.  We spent some time looking at the map to see what we might be able to do tomorrow morning.