Hola! I have officially arrived in Quito and have spent a full day here! So far, I have consumed a lot of coffee and tried many different chocolates. We arrived at the airport and boarded our flight at 6. We had a 7-hour layover in Miami and made sure to take advantage of it! We packed our bathing suits, changed at the airport, and headed to South Beach! We were so lucky and got the best weather for this quick beach trip—90 degrees, and the water was just right! I made sure to apply sunscreen.

After our beach outing, we returned to the airport in time for our flight to Quito. The flight was only 4 hours and went by quickly. Before I knew it, we were in Quito! We grabbed a quick dinner at the airport and took a bus to our hotel. We stayed in a historic hotel in the lively center of Quito, just a few blocks from the stunning Plaza de Santo Domingo. On Mother’s Day, the plaza was filled with locals celebrating with their families. We attended a mass at the Church and Convent of St. Francis and were able to admire the incredible architecture and learn about the history of this amazing place of worship.

After mass, we had empanadas for lunch and enjoyed some delicious churros. We did plenty of sightseeing and hiked up to the Quito Metropolitan Cathedral (pictured here), where we got breathtaking views of the city from the top! We took a break and recharged with cappuccinos and a chocolate tasting at a local coffee shop. After that, we walked to the opposite side of the city and took a cab to see the Virgen de El Panecillo (Angel Statue) up close. We finished the day with dinner back at the hotel. It was such a busy day filled with memories I’ll never forget!