Pablo & Judi Perez were able to join our team today from breakfast to supper. Our objectives for the day were to prepare for departure to Riobamba tomorrow morning, and sightseeing in Quito with both Pablo & Judi and with Cesar & Nancy.

Our day started with breakfast at the hotel where we were joined by Pablo & Judi. Cesar & Nancy arrived with our bus after breakfast and we loaded up for the day, including things that we wanted to leave at Cesar & Nancy’s house. We road the Teleferico (cable car) up to about 14,000 ft overlooking Quito (it is about 9,300 ft above sea level) on Pichincha which is the volcano that Quito is built on. The day was cloudy, so we could see the city, but not the snow-capped volcanoes that are often visible from there.

Nancy had packed a lunch for us to eat up on Pichincha, and Lydia Peterson got to take what she described as an epic horseback ride on the high slopes of the mountain (Deb, Noah & Steve went along to keep her company).

After our mountain-top experience, we all went to Cesar & Nancy’s house to enjoy some chocolate cake and ice cream and to load the bus with everything that needed to go to Riobamba from the Cortez home.

We then spent some time in colonial Quito where we got to see some 600-year-old churches and the presidential palace. We also ate a delicious dinner in old Quito and said so-long to Pablo & Judi after dinner. Pablo & Judi send their greetings to you all!