Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Quito, Ecuador

My final posting from Ecuador contains sights of Quito - the capital city built in a great Valley near the center of Ecuador.

From the top of TeleferiQo, you can see the whole city spread up and down the valley. Every inch seems to be covered.


the three cousins about to ascend to the highest point in the city to see the view


And what a view!


almost in the clouds

a view of the city at night (from a little lower - at a friend's house)
And, of course, no capital city of a country names Ecuador would be complete without the equator running through it.
Strangely enough, the large equator monument, built by the French several hundred years ago) is just slightly off - by about 500 yards. So, we had to visit the large monument (actually the "wrong" equator) and the smaller museum (built on the correct one - and proven by forces of nature)



Not really it....

the real thing!!!

one foot in each hemisphere .... so cool!
If you are ever in doubt as to whether or not you are standing on the real equator...here are a few tricks that will give you a definitive answer:
1. It is very difficult to balance on the equator. Our bodies are used to the pull of one pole, so if you try to close your eyes and walk with your arms out along the equator, the pull of both the North and South poles equally makes it very difficult!


"I think I can, I think I can"
2. When you are directly on the equator (without arms etc extended) there is only one force. Unlike the northern or southern hemispheres, where the primary pull is north or south, respectively, on the equator the pull is directly down. This is shown a couple of ways. First (not pictured here) the water going down a drain does not swirl at all, it goes straight down and out. This was proven on the equator by filling a sink with water, placing a leaf in int and pulling the plug. It swirled around in both the northern and southern hemisphere (only just a few feet from the equator) but directly on the line, the leaf moved directly down without any circular motion. Secondly, you can balance a raw egg on the head of a nail. This is true because the fluid inside is being pulled directly downward. It took some adjusting, but I did manage to balance this egg:
Look, mom! I did it myself!
Another interesting tid bit about Ecuador, that we learned at the equator museum, is that the shrunken head tradition is Ecuadorian. In case one might be inclined to try it at home, here are the directions:
Your end product should look something like this:

The last fun fact from this museum that I'll share with you is the role of the guinea pig in the Ecuadorian culture. In the past, people kept multiple guinea pigs in their homes. They say that they warn of evil spirits and negative energy. Apparently, if someone with ill intent enters the premises, the guinea pigs will start running about and squealing frantically. They had some on the tour and fortunately, our group had great energy because they just went about their business while we were in there (but the tour guide did say that he's had 3 groups that set them all a flurry)


Funny, I wouldn't have pegged these guys are "guard pets"
Stranger yet may be that though these animals are revered for their energy sensing powers, traditional Ecuadorian cuisine also includes roasted and fried guinea pig. Hmmm...??? Doesn't quite add up to me. But, I guess if your guard-guinea pig population is multiplying rapidly you have to do something about it. Martina and I had to try it out for ourselves:
you could see their little toes (see next to Martina's thumb)
but I ate it anyway. A little greasy, but not the worst thing I've ever eaten (believe me!)
The first part of my time in Quito was spent with my cousins. Martina had been living there and was just moving when we arrived. So, we helped her move and saw a couple of the neighborhoods in Quito.
the view from the roof patio of the first house
moving day: there was no room in the cab, so I squashed into the back
a view of a street seller from the back of the moving truck
With Asha and Martina we had some nice dinners out in Quito and took a trip to some natural hot springs in the mountains near Quito. It was truly magnificent - fueled by the volcano, the water was so hot and relaxing. The cold mountain air made the experience even more wonderful.
Dinner at Tapas y Vino
Emily and Asha in the hot springs with the mountains in the background
And of course, no trip to Quito would be complete without seeing some of the old town. The colonial center of town always has a buzz of activity surrounding these beautiful stone buildings and cobblestone pedestrian streets.
a plaza in old town
a view up one of the old town streets
the statue on the hill is the virgin of Quito
a cathedral in old town
inside the cathedral
the "gargoyles" are native animals (these are Galapagos turtles)
Yes, this is a modern cathedral!
another street in old town
After returning from the rain forest with the Herolds, we spent a couple of days together in Quito as well. One day we took a trip out to Otavalo market - a traditional market in the mountains a couple of hours from Quito.
at the market - I love the colors and patterns
Happy and I in our wares that we purchased at the market
lunch break after a full morning of shopping
On our drive to and from this market, we saw rows and rows of green houses. We learned that Ecuador is one of the biggest exporters of roses. We stopped at at "flower shop" where we purchased 4 dozen roses for about $3.00. Amazing!
aren't they beautiful?
On the Herold's last day in Ecuador, we all had lunch in old town. It was such a fantastic group of people that included the Herolds, me and Martina, Jorge (our guide from the rain forest) with his wife and daughter and Maria Clara (the daughter of the owner of another place they had stayed). Here's a fabulous group photo:


And because I had to leave in style, my last evening in Quito included one final shopping spree where I bought this amazing carnival mask. I'll let it speak for itself!