Mitidad del Mundo
The country of Ecuador is named for the famous line that passes right through it, the equator. The equator is 22K north of Quito. No trip to Ecuador would be complete without a visit to this famous landmark.
We took a bus to the equator with a bit of difficulty. We got off at the wrong bus stop initially, but quickly got shown the right way. A police officer saw us, and pointed us to the right bus without us even asking. Do we look like tourists? I guess we are not blending well.
The monument to the equator is between some vast hills, as well as an extinct volcano. Because of the altitude, the equator is actually quite cool here. For two dollars, you can visit the monument, as well as the shops and restaurants that surround it. There is a museum, a planetarium, and a scale so that you can check the theory that you weigh less on the equator.
The monument itself is actually said to be 240 meters off the mark of the actual equator. I , however, did not mind, and enjoyed jumping between the hemispheres like the tourist that I am. It does not compare to the Galapagos, but it was good touristy fun.
