Museums – Boomer Away

Investigating the equator

This summer we went to Tennessee to see the total eclipse of the sun, an amazing experience that words fail to describe. This has spurred me to be more curious about the solar system and the glories that we take for granted. So, it’s off to Ecuador, to learn about the equator! (You’re not imagining it; the country was named after the equator itself. I probably learned that in school, but I forgot it along with a lot of other amazing stuff.)

We landed at Quito, and the altitude in the Andes started immediately kicking my butt. It took 3 days until I got my energy back. Climbing off the couch, we went exploring with our new AirBNB friends such as Becca, touring the ancient city center.

Steep streets of old Quito, as storms roll in

We were just in time to observe the Day of the Dead. Families went to pay their respects at the cemeteries, while we indulged in traditional snacks. The bread snacks were fairly bland, but the piping hot colada morada was a keeper, thick, sweet and fruity.

Guaguas (bread babies) and hot Colada Morada

We joined up with a full-day bus trip to the famed street markets at Otavalo. This trip is known for those markets, but along the way we saw so much more. First stop was Cayambe, a scientific research site that is actually right on the equator. As we will see later, that’s… unusual.

Here we heard a barrage of Very Cool science! stuff, including a compelling case for rotating our view of the globe by 90 degrees, so the equator runs from top to bottom. My inner geek was bouncing up and down with joy. I really *got* the fact that every day on the equator has 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark. And how amazing is it, that on 2 days of the year, every place on the planet has virtually the same 12 dark/12 light combination. That’s why it’s called the equinox. Simple facts that we may have learned in 2nd grade, but when I go back and immerse myself in this as an adult, it just moves me. For a whole lot more coolness, check out their website.

Also, from this location you can gaze upon Cayambe volcano. It’s the only spot on the entire equator that has snow on it 100% of the year.

Onward, with beautiful vistas and people along the way.

The guide arranged for a local woman to join us on the bus and explain all the detailed points of the Quechua women’s daily apparel. Everything from the gold color of the necklace representing the sun, to the way they tie back their hair, was meaningful.

The Otavalo market is where tourists go to get beautiful local crafts, from fabrics to furniture. We spent 2.5 hours there, and most wished it was longer. Price haggling here isn’t as aggressively cutthroat as in, say, southeast Asia, but you still have to do it. I found that if I simply asked “Puede ser mas barato?”, then yes, it could be cheaper, and the expected price (or thereabouts) was offered up.

The following Saturday we went touring with our AirBNB host Jacobo, his girlfriend Juicy, and fellow roommate/blogger/travelers Lexie and Josh. We were going to see the “other” equatorial sites. But first, another volcano, and a sweet treat.

The Temple of the Sun is a beautiful site, though to be fair it is only a modern representation of ancient times. Here we were presented with a pseudo-scientific “demonstration” about how your body becomes stronger if you hold magical crystals in your hands. I did find the aromatherapy session calming, so I bought a small vial of eucalyptus oil. The massive internal sundial was impressive.

Onward to Mitad del Mundo, a lavish presentation of the equator that alas, isn’t actually on the equator. It was the best they could estimate it back in the 1700s.

Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (not the actual equator)

At the top of the monument is a massive globe.

The world turned on its side; a new perspective

We went off to find the actual equator, and came to the privately-owned Intinan Museum, purporting to be on the equator. After we paid our $4 entry fee I used Google Maps to verify that we were at zero-zero-zero, and something just wasn’t right. You can see on my phone, it says we had to walk 10 minutes to get to the equator. What the heck? (Blue dot equals my location, red pin equals 0-0-0.)

at Intinan Museum (also not the actual equator)

Here you get to see some interesting exhibits about ancient Ecuadorian culture and crafts, and then you get a pile of woo. For example, you can balance an egg on the head of a nail. Is it because you are on the actual equator? Nah, you can do this at home. But it’s quite exciting as you get sucked into the woo!

This is a fun photo op.

Lastly, and with great excitement, the guide demonstrates how the Coriolis effect “makes” water swirl in different directions. She starts with a tub of water, poised above their equator line, and gently pulls the plug. The water goes straight down the drain! Then she walks the tub and bucket a few feet to the north, pours the bucket into the tub, and the water goes down spinning to the right. Lastly, she takes the tub and bucket to the south of the “equator line”, and now the water goes down spinning to the left. I had to review my videos below a couple of times to see the trickery: when she dumps the water into the tub she does it from the side, creating the swirling motion prior to pulling the plug. Clever magic!

Mummies of Guanajuato

At times in my life my mind goes wandering off on its own, seeking out things that are best left unthought. Then I remember to stop thinking those things and I reel that sucker back in. Here’s a thought I sometimes have, that might be best left alone: if we dug up the bodies in a graveyard, what would they look like? Eeewww, should we just forget about that and move on? Well, right now is your chance to close the page and walk away, because we’re going to talk about it.

You’re still here?

OK, your choice…

The city of Guanajuato is built atop a honeycomb of mines, where the indigenous people laboriously harvested precious metals for their rulers and the rulers of Spain. It is a beautiful city, with plentiful walking spaces since the roads and parking lots are mostly underground in the old mines.

Historically the bodies of the dead were interred in above-ground crypts, 7 layers high. The interments were not permanent, as such: the relatives of the dead were supposed to keep paying on the use of the space, kind of like apartments for your elders. If you didn’t keep paying then your elders got evicted, and if they were really unlucky, they wound up standing upended in a showcase, mouth gaping in a silent scream. This is what you are going to see if you go there, to the Museum of the Mummies of Guanajuato.

The land in this area is quite arid, so some of the human remains have dessicated, not rotted. The internal organs have been removed and/or are not visible, but the skin, hair (combed and braided), teeth, fingernails, and most of the clothing is still there on display. I’ve been told that the mummies used to be in open air displays, but some visitors collected “souvenirs” and as a consequence all of the mummies have now been encased in glass display cases.

This disinterment is not an ancient practice, not nearly as ancient as you would hope. Some of these folks died in the early 1900s, meaning that their great-grandchildren may still be able to stop on by and say hello. But let’s not meet these recently-dead first. As we entered the museum we were first introduced to some older characters, and foreigners to boot; does this soften the blow a bit?

The first fellow is a medical doctor from France, who was disinterred in the 1850s. The display informs us that, regretfully, he left no heirs in the area to pay for his ongoing burial. He was a sharp-dressed man with a nice beard, but well, now he’s on display.

Dr. Remigio Leroy, what's left of his earthly remains — Dr. Remigio Leroy, what’s left of his earthly remains

The second person we see is a female who appears to be of Chinese descent. This is the only burial with its coffin intact, according to the information on display.

Based on her features, she is presumed to have been Chinese

After that we see more bodies, a lot more, over 100. My stomach was churning as I contemplated their lives,their families, their demises and unfortunate resting places. And I contemplated mortality, and how I am using this one precious life. Because after all, whether we end up on display or elsewhere, every body is going for the long dirt nap.

This fellow is purported to have been stabbed to death, and there is a visible hole.

I’ve decided to leave out some of the more disturbing mummies, those whose deaths were clearly too gruesome or too soon. Why should I draw the line there, when I’ve already crossed some boundaries? I do think there is a line somewhere, and this is where I choose to place it.

There is a lot of misinformation about the mummies, including some of what you’ll find on Wikipedia. For example, they might state that all of these people were buried in 1833, but the displays contradict this. If you’re looking to learn more, the most factual site I’ve found is located at txstate.edu.

(Please note, I paid the museum’s extra fee to take photos, and did not use flash photography.)

MUCAL Museo del Calendario

Situated in an ancient home that has been renovated into a museum, this is partly an archaeology site, partly a garden oasis cafe, and partly a history of calendars, art, and printing.

MUCAL, rooftop oasis with view of neighboring buildings

MUCAL El Calendario: 3 major classifications

MUCAL is a surprising site and well worth a visit. The relatively small topic of “Calendars” becomes a 2 to 3 hour tour, with a sufficient number of “wows” thrown in. It starts with the history of calendar concepts.

Aztec Calendar, wood, modern reproduction

It then continues on with a focus on the Mexican calendar company Landin, which has supplied the calendars of Mexico for about a hundred years. They are the patrons of the museum.

Most of the artwork is reproductions of the originals. Certain rooms focus on particular artists, including Jesus de la Helguera. Helguera is credited as the best of the calendar artists of Mexico. He preserved legends of Mexico and presented them in ways that shared them for generations to discuss. His principal models were his wife, and his nephew, who are seen in many or most of his paintings. The copies and originals in the museum are detailed works of art.

"The Sleeping Woman" mountain — “The Sleeping Woman” mountain

"The Sleeping Woman" mountain (La Mujer Dormida) (Helguera) — “The Sleeping Woman” mountain (La Mujer Dormida) (Helguera)

In subsequent rooms you tour the history of Landin’s calendars from the earliest days to the present. There are creative allegorical tales.

It’s a delight to mark the milestones of your own life as you travel in time.

Deb was born in this era; this could represent her parents' lives — Deb was born in this era; this could represent her parents’ lives

Our home host tipped us off to get an annual membership. When you arrive and pay your 25 pesos ($1.30) do fill out one of the half-sheet forms sitting on the entrance desk, and include your “address” (email address.) The staff will enter your information into the computer, and you are now free to attend anytime during the year. The outdoor cafe with free wifi is a beautiful place to hang out, read, and enjoy the birds that come to the bird bath. (The oranges that have fallen off the trees are not edible, according to the staff, they are “grey” oranges.)