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.
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.
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.
At the top of the monument is a massive globe.
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.)
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!
