Leaving Quito

We were all surprised at how much there was to do in Quito. We felt we explored the parts of the city that were suited to us. We had a few hiccups finding restaurants for dinner, but it turned out well. On our final full day in Quto, we went to one of the many parks. They had a market going on and you could purchase all sorts of crafts, clothes, jewelery, paintings, etc. The kids loved the park and the weather was fabulous again. Before we left, we watched a girl singing with her father in the park. He played the guitar and she played a flute of sorts...not sure, she stopped and just sang by the time I got closer, but she was talented. It was a lovely ending to the day.

We finally packed up and left the apartment after our week in Quito. Our arranged driver, Washington, met us at the apartment building for the 3+ hour drive to the mountains. He didn't speak any English, so it was another quiet ride. Of course, the kids fell asleep on me immediately. This has become their usual routine to avoid carsickness. I have mastered Spanish for 'The children don't like long car rides. They prefer to sleep.' Unfortunately, they miss the amazing views of the country along the way.

More Quito

Aside from the double decker bus tour and the Equator excursion, we explored other parts of the city on our own.  We really enjoyed the historic center so we went there another day and toured the churches and various town squares. We went in and out of the streets exploring parts of a city that you just can't see on a bus.

Michael was specifically interested in the Iglesia de San Francisco. We ended up on a walking tour of the area with a man named John. He was a persistent old guy with few teeth. He told us that back in the day he taught in the states in Wisconsin and near Chicago. This was actually our second encounter with him. We shook him the first day and somehow he found us on the second day. Michael was feeling charitable and curious, so off we went on a 90 minute walking tour. I will say, John did show us parts of the city we would have missed. He did have some interesting information on facts and the history of the city. He did, however, repeat himself on occasion. At the end of the tour, he charged more money than necessary and wouldn't really take less.

View from Old Town 

Michael and John walking ahead at the Iglesia de San Fransisco

One other thing we were advised to visit was the teleferico or skyrail further up the Andes Mountains near the Pichincha Volcano. Quito is already high, but this will take you up another 1,000 meters to over 4,000 meters. You can hike even higher when you get off the skyrail. We had a beautiful day and the scenery was spectacular. Maeve felt the effects of the altitude and took it easy. Liam and I ventured on for more views and photos. Another spectacular day.

Our transportation arrives

Maeve and Michael chillin at the top

Liam snapped a pic of me a little further up the mountain

Time to enjoy the view

A small chapel at the top with paths beyond to continue a hike

Spectacular views all around

Another path that will eventually go even higher

Always time for selfies

Pretty steep drops, but a lovely view of Quito

The Middle of the World

No trip to Ecuador is complete without visiting Mitad del Mundo, the middle of the world, (the Equator). There are actually two spots to visit. The first is now developing into a small tourist village. There is a monument marking the Equator separating the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. Tourists flock to have their photos taken straddling the line so they are in two hemispheres at the same time. 

Ahh, the typical tourist...Northern and Southern Hemisphere,....or is it?

Unfortunately, this is not actually the Equator. This one is about 240 meters north of the Equator. The original monument was built in 1936 when the measuring methods were not as accurate. This current monument was built in 1979 when they knew it was not placed accurately. The park here is also being built up even more. I've read they plan to fix the error. In the meantime, you can exit this park area and walk a couple of hundred meters to the south to a small outdoor museum where there is a sign boasting the real equator as calculated by GPS. Of course, you have to pay again.

The outdoor museum entrance fee includes a guide that takes you around providing information about the indigenous people of the area and the Equator. They also conduct little experiments that show unique features of the location. Most of us know that when the water goes down the drain, it circles to the right in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere water circles to the left. On the Equator, water just drops down. My favorite Equator fact was that you weigh less on the Equator perhaps about a pound due to centrifugal force and being on the largest part of the Earth. We were also able to balance an egg on the end of a nail due to different gravitational forces. I was able to do this and earned a nice diploma too. 

We really enjoyed the outdoor museum. It was smaller and personal. It was also incredibly sunny and dusty. We were high in elevation and if it's a clear day on the Equator, you really need to be careful with the sun. We decided to head back for lunch and skip the traditional meal of roasted guinea pig featured at a local restaurant. 

Yes, it's a touristy spot, but sort of a must see, especially since we were traveling with children. There were some neat experiments and we enjoyed the outdoor guided museum.