Update - home again finally Saturday night. Ecuador was absolutely awesome! MIA not so awesome once again. I was sick as a dog on the way down to Ecuador so my first impression of MIA was clouded by some kind of kick in the gut flu bug. However, my second impression of MIA on the way back thru the states was worse than the first. We had a 1 hr 40 minute layover in MIA to clear customs. Our Quito flight landed 10 minutes early so our reward was 20 minutes in the penalty box and then find a new gate. Another 30 minutes or so waiting for our bags to offload, then off to customs. That part went quick and easy, but we were then routed back into a long, stalled line for AA to recheck our backs for the MIA-SFW-DEN legs with only 15 minutes until boarding time. After attempting to get help or explanation of the holdup in this line, we (and most every one else in the line) gave up and headed back out to the front for the general ticket counter for help. Aside - there was more English spoken in Quito Ecuador airport than at MIA and more traveler help available there as well. My limited Spanish was inadequate for getting directed to the correct areas in MIA and the folks that spoke some English didn't seem to interested in pointing the way...
Another couple of hours in MIA and we're off to Dallas with 1 hr to change planes (and concourses) to make our Denver connection. Departing Miami 20 minutes late didn't help the confidence factor of making this connection. We sprinted thru Dallas and made the flight with 5 minutes to spare, but I guess it's obvious our bags didn't make this flight. Oh well, if there's any good place to lose one's bags, I guess the last leg of homeward bound is the best place to do it. Our bags were deliivered to the front porch at 3 am Sunday ... just 24 hours after getting checked into American Airlines in Quito, Ecuador. What a trip!
