This weekend my group went to visit the equator. Went yesterday in fact. It was SUPER cool. I will eventually get photos posted here on google, also more on facebook, from yesterday. Still I think it will be fun to try and describe it, so here goes:
From the parking lot we walked to the walkway that leads to the monument. Leading up to it are large statues, busts, really, of the men from France and Spain who made contributions to the study of Ecuador and the Equator, some I recognized, like Condamine, and some I didn't but enjoyed learning about, like Jean Godin des Odonais. Look on Wikipedia, or just google if you want. Fascinating men.
Then there's the statue of the monument itself. It is very large as inside it contains a multiple story museum covering ALL the indigenous groups of Ecuador. I had a tour of the museum. It was interesting, but also different. I felt like a little kid stuck in a classroom...hard enough to pay attention in English too, let alone Spanish. But I got the gyst, for sure. We were very lucky to get the tour as that way our questions could be answered.
Later we were able to take photos and look around. There were many shops for souveniers (I got a great deal on some postcards...but stamps are VERY expensive, yikes) and also ice cream shops. They make the ice cream by hand, it is called helado de paila in a large bronze bowl over ice. Delicious. My friend Sarah and I then went to watch the dancers performing in a sort of stage. Their music was recorded, but they were all extremely talented...and those costumes. Wow. Bright, bright colors, scarves and hats, ponchos, chaps for the men (which were thick and VERY furry, they looked extremely uncomfortable-heat wise-to wear).
Then there is the equator itself. 0, 0, 0. WOW. The line was painted through many parts of the area, through the monument, down and up stairs, across this pole they have upright for the solstice when the sun is directly overhead and makes no shadow (which unfortunately I will miss out on witnessing as this coming June 21, a Thursday, I will be too busy with work and school...que triste (how sad) ! The line also went through the space where the dancers were performing. It was fun to walk on the line and jump from one side to the other also.
The only other time I have done anything like that was at the Alaska-Yukon border. Both things are very exciting, should you get the chance (to do both or either) I highly recommend you do so...
Happy father's day to all! I shall write more soon, for sure. I am getting the hang of this, sure is fun!
Cheers,
Juls
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