9 Dec, La Mitad del Mundo

Michael and I went to La Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the Earth) yesterday. Quito is situated just south of this little momument. It cost us about $0.80 each to take the bus up there. He said, "it wasn´t that big of a deal. It´s just like any other tourisy place."

When we got there, I quickly learned that he was right. You might have just as well been in "The National Lampoon´s Vacation" because when we arrived, it kind of reminded me of that. You know, they show up at the Grand Canyon, took a couple pictures and took off.

We got off the bus, and walked across the street. A man was standing at an entrance gate. There is a big parking lot that you walk through. When we got across the parking lot, we came to a window where ywe paid $2 to get in. We walked down a long sidewalk and came to the monument. Once we took a couple pictures, we needed to either find something else to do or leave. We got some heladas (ice cream). It´s not really all that exciting, but I suppose just for the sake of being able to say that you have been to the middle of the world, you might as well spend a couple dollars and a few hours and do it.

I shouldn´t end without saying that there are actually other things to do there. There is a museum and some little tour you can take to the actual equator. Because the actual equator runs through some mountains and some Incans ruins they put the monument a little south.

I have heard a couple different things about where the actual equator is, for example, the monument is within 150m (492ft) of the actual equator. Also, the monument is eight degree seconds south of the actual equator, which is about 247m (810ft).