New-Yorker-blog-karenrobbins

Our flight from Baltra Island to Quito was once again delightful. Even in economy we were treated like first class. Some of the guests left us at the airport to catch flights to other places like Lima, Peru to see Machu Pichu. The rest of us boarded buses for the JW Marriott in the city again.

The shuttle bus was a little smaller than the other buses we had been on and he took a route we hadn’t used before on our sightseeing and trips to and from the airport. We wound our way down a street reminiscent of the crookedest street in San Francisco. There is so much more to Quito than you can see in a day. This would have been a fun ride if we’d have done it in the daylight and been able to see this part of town better.

There are lots more ways to see the Galapagos than on the Xpedition. It was a choice that we were comfortable with. I sat next to a man on the flight to Houston who had been on a large boat with a group of 36 who explored the islands for five days. A little research and you too could find yourself exploring this wonderful area of our world and wondering how Darwin could have missed the Creator there.

An Italian restaurant? We're in the middle of Ecuador! Why would Celebrity Cruise Lines take us to an Italian restaurant for dinner? Because it's good--really, really good.

Not having much time from our late return after our visit to Mitad del Mundo, we freshened up quickly. Thankfully this trip was meant to be casual so we didn't have to dress up much. We met again in the lobby with the other 90 or so Celebrity guests and boarded our buses once more.

It was a short trip to the restaurant where we were to eat. Our buses stopped on a side street and we walked down a smaller alleyway to a gate. Once through the gate there was a collective ahhhhh. We had entered the subtly lit garden of Carmine Ristorante.

The converted mansion had at one time five bedrooms but everything inside had been remodeled to include many different dining venues as well as several lounges. Some of our group headed up to the second floor dining room while others of us who didn't mind a little cool evening air, opted for the covered patio area that had space heaters to chase the cold.

The menus were simple with a couple choices for appetizers, several entrees and of course a couple of dessert choices. The full menu at Carmine's offers much more but we were a group of 90 or more descending on the restaurant all at one time. They handled all the commotion with grace and efficiency.

Carmine himself helped out by taking our orders. He was an amazing man--outgoing and energetic. Throughout the evening he not only supervised his kitchen but greeted every single guest in and out of the house. He spent time with some folks from New Jersey and swapped stories of his adventures in New York City's restaurant culture.

Our appetizers arrived quickly. I had seared tuna which was heavenly, done perfectly so that it was tender and almost melted in your mouth. Bob enjoyed a Caprese salad of mozzarella cheese and fresh sweet tomatoes. In our basket of breads there was one that we fell in love with--a foccacia that was buttery and with just the right amount of garlic.

Carmine had tried to talk me into a shrimp filled ravioli as I ordered but I am such a mushroom lover that I wouldn't be deterred. I don't know what the shrimp might have tasted like, but the mushroom was everything I could have wanted in pasta and fungi both with a delicate buttery sauce drizzled over the top.

While my mushroom ravioli was excellent even more so was Bob's sea bass which he graciously let me taste. The fish was done to perfection, tender and seasoned lightly to bring out the flavor. Unfortunately we did not think to take pictures of our dishes but you can find pictures of the food Carmine usually serves at his website: Carmine, Gastronomia & Arte

As we awaited our dessert, I couldn't imagine how it could get any better. Our plates were delivered with two light cream puffs that were topped with a
warm rich chocolate sauce. Ecuador has some fine chocolate and I'm guessing Chef Carmine takes advantage of it. Since I can't eat ice cream, I passed my scoop over to Bob who was doubly delighted at that point.

As we were finishing, Carmine made the rounds again to be sure his guests were all happy. I leaned over to Bob as we watched him interact with everyone and said facetiously, "It's a shame he doesn't like his job." This man was not only a wonder in the kitchen, but he was an amazing host. He invited us to look around the restaurant more and see all the venues that included a couple of large rooms for small groups where they could dine privately.

If you happen to be in Quito, save room in your budget for an evening at Carmine's. You won't be disappointed.

Our evening ended early as we were expected to assemble in the lobby of the Marriott at 6:30 a.m. to fill out  forms for entering the Galapagos and then make the hour long journey back to the new Quito airport for our flight to Baltra.

Our lunch for our day in Quito with the Celebrity Cruise Line's precruise was at the Theatrum, a restaurant located on the second floor of the Sucre National Theater. While the food was very good and we got to sample some Ecuadorian dishes, the real treat came in the tenor who surprised us with his musical presentation.

I found out later his name is Stahl and he released an album called Locked In last year. He had a wonderful repertoire of classical and popular music and a voice as clear and sure as I’ve ever heard. He was unbelievable. If I had not been sitting so close, I would have said it was lip syncing to Pavarati. Someone on an earlier tour must have videoed him. Here is a link to hear his Music of The Night.

Several interesting things were pointed out to us. It is easier to balance an egg here. Gravity has less pull so you weigh less. 

This spot was determined to be 0 degrees latitude by a team of French scientists in 1736. No surprise that they did not have the advantage of a GPS. They used the tools available to them to triangulate the area and come up with that spot as being right on the equator. And they were close. Modern technology has determined that the true line of the equator is about 900 feet to the north of where we stood, or so some would have us believe. All of this of course we found out much later. So we were thrilled to claim we'd stood on the equator. Ah well, close enough, I guess. Next time Bob vows to take his GPS.

 We went up to the top of the monument by elevator and took in the view. Then we descended by the stairs which took you through a museum display at each level depicting several different native communities and eras. At the very bottom was a display for Galapagos, whetting our appetite for what lay ahead.

Quito, the capital of Ecuador, sits at an altitude of around 9,000 feet. To combat altitude sickness, we were advised to drink lots of water and there was plenty of bottled water available from our tour guides. We did well, only occasionally feeling a bit light headed and of course short winded when it came to doing any stairs.

As we waited in the lobby of the Marriott for everyone to gather for our day exploring Quito I noticed large arrangements of roses everywhere. A fresh rose had even been laid on our bed last night. So many roses. . .and then I remembered. When I had the flower shop, all the roses we bought from the suppliers came from South America. Later we would see roses for sale: 25/$1!

Our morning was spent strolling the streets of Quito in the old town after a stop high above the city at La Basilica. We stood outside and admired the facade full of animals and birds of Ecuador. While there, we were approached by a handful of vendors. Our guide told us they were from an indian tribe in the area that sells hand made good among other things. Several ladies had a pile of brightly colored scarves folded over an arm. Each lady wore a green felt fedora with a feather in the hat band. With them was a beautiful little girl who was selling handmade purses for a $1. I asked if she would let me take her picture for $1 instead and she and her mom agreed.

Crossing the street at the corner, we were able to go through the gate to walk the length of the Presidential Palace and were just in time to see the changing of the guard. As a matter of fact, I almost became a part of it as I got a little too close and was nearly speared by the end of a flag pole. Just inside the entryway, we were able to view a lovely courtyard split by the main staircase into the palace. The top floors are occupied by the president of Ecuador and the lower levels are for governmental purposes. There are tours that can be had to see some of the inside.

Around the corner from Independence Square is the Church of San Francisco. It is not only a church but a monastery and museum as well. We climbed steps up to a balcony overlooking the sanctuary to see the amazing ornate decoration. Most of it was gilded in gold. We could not take any pictures because too many others in the past had used flash rather they meant to or not and there were services going on. 

The museum in rooms off the main sanctuary
 was full of wonderful statues, many that had been used often in religious parades years ago for special festivals.

The sky was pitch black all around us. Earlier we had seen a red sunset stripe the sky above the clouds below us. I knew we were approaching the Quito airport as we’d been advised to turn off all electronics and my water bottle was slowly collapsing on itself.

I searched below for any sign of a city and saw nothing but eerie grayness punctuated by the flashing of the plane’s wing lights. I reached for a copy of the airline’s magazine thinking I still had time to peruse the pages. All of a sudden we felt a jolt and realized we were on the ground. The first landing strip light flashed by my window. I turned to Bob and his eyes were as wide as mine. Neither of us had even heard the landing gear go down, the last indication that the plane would land. It was as if we’d set down on the landing strip as a helicopter would.