Leaving Puerto Arroyo to get to Quito is a bit of an undertaking. The flight itself is reasonably short, but between point A and B, you have a pile of connections to make and as nothing goes off on time here (i've read that the! Ecuadorian lateness is famous even in latin america), it can be incredible. There was so much waiting around that by the time we got our luggage in Quito, I had finished a book of Galapagos history that I started at the bag check in line in aeropuerto Seymour in Galapagos.
Leaving the hotel, we got a taxi across the island to the ferry across the channel to the bus to the airport to the line for check in to the line for security to the line for boarding to fly to guayaquil to wait for refueling to fly to Quito to wait for bags to get a taxi to get stuck in traffic to finally getting to the hostel in Old Town, where we had to explain the directions to our driver. Not one of these interaction went off smoothly or on time, lines were at least 50 people long and there is simply no sense getting angry about it.
When at last, we arrived at the hotel after nearly 2 confusing hours getting from the airport to old town, we dropped our bags and went to eat, after having nothing since breakfast. Luckily, this is the neighborhood I took a little food tour in a few weeks back, we went for chicken in peanut stew, beers, some little beef and potato croquettes and the real winner, caldo de 31. The caldo de 31was clearly a local favorite, though the owner warned us off: "people like you don't usually like this, " she said apologetically.
We were sold. A delicious pho-like broth with scallions and the perfect amount of heat with a mixed bag of cow's organ meats, from brain to tripe to kidneys to liver with veggies. Amazing with a little lime and roasted corn. Afterna long hungry day, it was amazing. The whole meal cost us $8. Joy.
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