14-16.04.11 Quito

At 2,850 metres above sea level Quito is the second highest capital city in the world. It is home to 2 million people. The thought of another large city didn’t really appeal to us but passing through is essential as it’s the primary transport hub in Ecuador. That said, the city itself is pleasant and a visit to the old town, known as El Centro Historico, was a must.

We caught the guided Metrobus from the gringo filled Mariscal in the new town and headed towards the Plaza Grande and the Plaza San Francisco in the old town. Both fine examples of colonial architecture with beautifully preserved churches, monasteries and cobbled streets. As the bus arrived we were greeted with a wall of facial flesh pressed up hard against the glass. It was heaving and there was no way anyone was getting on or off. The next bus came and went squeezing perhaps 2 more people on, next up it was our turn. After letting some granny fight her way off with a corn on the cob we squeezed on for the 10 minute journey. It was very intimate indeed. A pick pocket could have literally strip searched me and I wouldn’t have noticed.

The Plaza Grande

 The Plaza Grande

After exploring the Plaza Grande we walked up the hill to admire the gothic grandeur of the Basilica del Voto National. It was a bit like Notre Dam but the grotesque gargoyles have been replaced with animals from the Galapagos Islands. I was amazed that this church in only 120 years old. We climbed the unnerving steep stairs and ladders through the roof structure up to the 110 metre high tower. The views across the city were spectacular. I turned around to savour the moment with Rach but she had already disappeared back down the ladder with trembling knees and a case of the shakes.

Rach high up on the exteral ladder of the Basilica del Voto

Gargoyles replaced by creatures from the Galapogos Islands

 The following day we caught a bus 20km north to the town of Mitad Del Mundo (meaning middle of the world), aka the Ecuator. Here there is a complex with different pavilions describing the experiments of the Frenchman Charlres Marie de la Condamine’s which proved the position of the Equator. It was pretty mind blowing to say the least. The centre piece of the complex was a tall monument and of course a long line running from west to east splitting the planet into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Naturally we took ‘the photo’ of each of us straddling the Ecuator. 

Me with one foot in the Northern hemisphere and one foot in the Southern Hemisphere, 

or not as it turns out!!

Now here’s the funny bit… The location of this line and monument was decided in the mid 1900’s based on mathematical triangulation carried out over 200 years. Imagine how frustrated they we when some clever dick used a GPS in the late 80’s which actually put the Ecuator 200 metres down the road.  At the real Equator we visited a small but fascinating museum where we were shown a number of bizarre Jonny Ball-esque demonstrations.  These included water running down the plugholes clockwise and anti-clockwise 1m each side of the ‘real’ Ecuator and without a vortex at all on the line. Gravity also does some strange things.  For example, I was able to balance an egg on a nail point but unable to walk along the line with my eyes closed without swaying. We learnt some pretty interesting facts too. At the Ecuator it gets light and goes dark exactly the same time every day all year round, there is no equinox, there is no shadow at noon, hurricanes or typhoons are physically impossible and there are only 2 season each year. Wet and dry.   

Me in the Southern Hemisphere, Rach (mostly) in the Northern Hemisphere at the 'real' Ecuator

Jonny Ball knows all... A range of fascinating experiments along the Ecuator

Things then turned even more surreal. During this visit we were shown how to make a shrunken head. This bizarre ritual was carried out by the indigenous Shuar people who shrunk the heads of their dead enemies and used them as trophies. Perfectly rational behavoir I thought. They shrink to less than a quarter of the size. So, if ever you need to shrink someone's head this is my step by step guide. 1. Cut off the head leaving the neck on. 2. Remove the skull. 3. Hang it upside down. 4. Steam it for a couple of hours over a medium heat. 5. Sew up the mouth. 6. Insert hot coals into the head to retain the shape. 7. Display as a trophy of war. 

Genuine shrunken human head on the right. Head of a sloth on the left. Nice!

I think that's an appropriate place to end this post.