Well, this journey started off a bit chaotic with having to wake up at 2:30 in the morning to go to the airport, but it wasn’t too bad. We flew to the hot and humid climate of Miami later in the morning, and then went to Miami Beach for a few hours after that. Then some of us stopped at a nice little Mexican restaurant to grab some lunch before going back to the airport to catch a flight to Quito. After a hour or so delay, he finally made it on the plane and got to Ecuador late on Saturday night. Then we took a nice and relaxing 45 minute bus ride to the hotel called Real Audencia. I was absolutely exhausted and may have had the best sleep of my life that night.

Our first day in Quito started with a great breakfast at 8am where we had some fresh fruit and juice, eggs, and croissants. We then got ready and went to the Cathedral for Mass. When we first walked in, I was immediately struck by the very unique architecture inside. There was gold everywhere, and it really took me back to the 16th century. It really was nice to see how passionate the people of Quito were about their religion. After that, the group explored the Plaza, where we saw vendors selling just about anything you could imagine. It was so touching to see how everyone was having a great time there. Then, we went to the museum right next to the cathedral, where we learned a lot about the history of the area. We also gained some insight into Ecuadorian beliefs when it comes to religion. At the tail end of the tour, we got to tour the top of the cathedral, where we could see everything below us. It is so cool to see the difference in architecture between here and the States. After that, we went to a vendor and got churros, which were phenomenal. We had to grab lunch, so we went to a small place where a big enchilada was only $1.50. It is crazy to see the price difference between here and the USA. The food was great, and the waiters were good as well. We then just explored some more of the city, stopping at vendors and small shops and looking around at the cool products that the city had to offer. I then ended my day with a nice dinner on the third floor of the hotel, where we had chicken, rice, and salad. For dessert, we had a bowl of ice cream and some raspberries on top. Overall, it was an extremely fun and insightful day in Quito. I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me next!