Because my passport isn't due to expire until 2019, I wanted to get extra pages added. For those who don't know, after December of this year, that option will no longer be available.So I made an appointment with the U.S. Consulate in Guayaquil to come in to get that done. I printed out the document needed, read all the FAQs and waited for my appointment day.
Our driver and friend, Emilio Morocho, picked us up at at 7:15, allowing plenty of time to make my 11:45am appointment. We actually arrived at 10:30! I checked in with the first security desk, after being directed there by a very nice female security guard.
I had read to bring in as little as possible, not even a cell phone. So my purse had my wallet, some bathroom necessities (hey, it is Ecuador), my passport and other IDs and my paperwork. The only thing that caused a question was my little single use Wet Ones.
But the lady guard told me that she would hold it for me - not that I was worried. LOL! From there I was pointed to another desk with my purse in a plastic bin. The bin was passed through an I walked through a scanner, then was wanded. The bin was now moved to another counter inside where I was able to claim it and was directed to the next stopping point. There the Ecuadorians were in a line but I was sent inside the next building. Here my purse was once again inspected and although I walked through some type of scanner, the beep wasn't an alert. I was directed to a window to get helped.
Yes, here I am an hour early, everyone has been very pleasant and helpful, laughing at my Spanish. No hassles, nothing like I had heard from others. The clerk motioned me up when he was free. He spoke excellent English, he took my papers and passport and handed me a paper to take two windows over to pay my $82. There a nice lady took my money and gave me two receipts (I did have correct change but could have used a credit card).
Back to the first window where I turn in the receipts and am told that my passport will be ready in 25-30 minutes. And it was! I took my newly fatten passport, my task completed an hour early. I had forgotten about my single use Wet Ones but the guard hadn't. She saw me exiting the building and handed it back to me. Talk about service!! Thank you to all the staff there!
From there we headed into downtown Guayaquil for lunch and a little sightseeing. We stopped at Chifa Dinastia for a lunch of Chinese food. Stu had shrimp and broccoli, I had chicken and broccoli and here is what Emilio ordered!
Stuffed, with a container of leftovers, we strolled back towards the parking garage. We made a stop at the Guayaquil Iguana Park - what a treat! They're on the ground, in the trees and plants. Here are a few photos:
Here are some photos of the park as well as our walk along the malecon before we left.
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Ciao for now!
