Mitad del Mundo; a 30 meter tall monument to mark where the equator passes through Ecuador. There you can stand with a line passing between your legs, to show you're simultaneously in two hemispheres. Next door, there is the Intinan Solar Museum, which claimed to be true spot that the equator passes through. Either way, both were equally amusing.
Gavin and I with our new friends, Islay and Doug, ventured north of Quito to see for ourselves the demonstrations which ostensibly only happen on the equator. The demonstrations included pouring water in a sink directly on the equatorial line, which drained straight down. Additionally viewing the clockwise and counter clockwise draining of water North and South of the line. Another example was balancing an egg on the tip of a nail, which Gavin and Islay were successful in doing. We also had to attempted to walk in a straight line, eyes closed, arms out and attempted to hold our balance. That was not an easy attempt for anyone. Quite a kitschy place, but entertaining.
We took a bus back into the cloudy, chilly city. I had read many good reviews regarding a decently priced restaurant in the area we were staying. After a long attempt at finding the Fried Bananas Cafe, we finally were able to fill our hungry stomachs. It's easy to say that Ecuador has a significantly larger variety of food to eat than Colombia and Venezuela had to offer, at significantly cheaper prices as well. I can find salads, falafel and my new favorite, aguacate (avocado) cream soup.
After our fantastic dinner and dessert with our friends, we had planned to let our stomachs digest and later meet them for drinks during the last night of the Founding of Quito festival. However, we all ended up not feeling up to venturing back out, nor do I think we could have possibly comfortably ingested anything more. Gavin and Islay corresponded via email, and we arranged to possibly rent an apartment together in Rio de Janierio considering we will be traveling there at the same time. Gavin and I are very hopeful that will work out.
Today we took a bus to Banos, a tourist town with many excursions to offer. We wandered around town, got some dinner and boiled in a hot spring with locals and foreigners alike. The water is fed from the active volcano that looms over the town, set to possibly erupt in 2012. It's located mountainside, with a small waterfall beside the pools. We came out of the water looking like lobsters, but the place had some cold pools you cool off in.
Tomorrow we have a reservation for a dune buggy to take to some local waterfalls. We're looking forward to our time here in Banos, as it has alot to offer. We just need to narrow down what it is we'd like to do.
June (y Gavin)
mas fotos after the cut:
2 comments:
'the active volcano that looms over the town, set to possibly erupt in 2012.' ~ Doomsday, lol.
I would have enjoyed visiting this area. I have a hard time believing all of these strange things that you can do and see here on the equatorial line - like balancing an egg and water draining straight down, etc. I feel doubtful - like as if things are skewed in order for them to happen like this, for tourists' entertainment. Almost like the same feeling and thinking you have when you're at Ripley's Believe it or Not - lol. I guess I just have a hard time understanding the science behind this place and how the laws of physics change, or something like that....it really is beyond belief for me.
Anyways, tonight I spoke with a woman from Santiago for a good 30 minutes. It was my first time on Rosetta Stone world program, and coincidentally I meet someone who just moved to the States from Santiago. Our communication was not too bad considering her english and my spanish were so-so. I told her all about you guys, and we discussed a lot about Santiago. She recommended eating 'pastel de choclo' (sweet) and 'humita' (corn baked over chicken, I think, from her explanation - not sure because we were speaking spanish and english to each other, but I wrote it down).
“Kilometers are shorter than miles. Save gas, take your next trip in kilometers.” – George Carlin
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