The middle of everything

I used to (and still do and still will) call Nebraska the middle of everything. Because that's truly how I feel when I'm there. I feel like the earth is erupting around me and spreading out for miles. However, a few weeks ago we actually went to the middle of everything, to the middle of the world. And Quito really does feel like the middle of everything. But instead of erupting from Quito, it feels like the world is falling into it, and it's unreal. This blog, and I know it's a long time coming, is about one of my favorite days in Ecuador so far. We didn't do anything terrifying. Finally.

We started out the day going as a group with our teachers from the language school to el Mitad del Mundo, the middle of the world. We are in Ecuador, after all, so it's only fitting we went to the Equator. The story goes that the French built a huge monument in Ecuador where they decided the equator was located. And that's exactly what you see as you head toward the middle of the world: a giant statue that basically screams in French, "We were wrong." Because the actual equator is down the road a bit and has a nice little museum on it for touristy folks such as ourselves. To the museum we went, and we did all the cutesy experiments, and although it was a little corny, I had a ton of fun. And, hey, I can say I was in two hemispheres at once. Also, the experiments were way cooler than I wanted them to be. We saw how water on the equator doesn't rotate at all when it drains. Then we moved five feet to the north and watched it rotate. Then we moved five feet to the south and watched it rotate in the opposite direction. It's true, ya'll... it works. We also saw a shrunken head... so that's something.

Here are some photos from our trip... mostly of me being awkward. Enjoy.

The group on the equator. Count it.

Need to stop biting things in photos.

Panicking about something, probably.

At the end of our tour we saw a performance of an indigenous dance, and Sophie and Laura were chosen as volunteers to participate.

 

 

That night we went to the Panacea. We had been in Ecuador for three weeks by this time and had grown accustomed to seeing a giant statue of the Virgin Mary, with wings, overlooking the city. That night, Hugo drove a group from the school up to the statue, and that was when I fell in love with Quito. The view from the top of the Panacea was breathtaking. It was the kind of view that reminds you why you love the things you love. And even though I know they won't do the experience justice, I'm going to share a couple pictures from that night with you.

It's hard to tell from this picture, but this statue is giant.

And here is Quito, erupting like a wild thing in the night.

As though the day hadn't been wonderful enough, we went to a street called La Ronda after the Panacea. While our group was big and the street was crowded, I loved how authentic and beautiful it was there. We walked around enjoying street performers, buying silly treats, and spending time among Ecuadorian families. A few members of our group were SET on getting empanadas. And when they described the size of the empanadas, I assumed they were exaggerating. But, then we got empanadas... and, well, you can be the judge.

I think we overdid it a bit.

Sorry this is so late in coming... I have a lot more to share with you, but, for now, this will have to do.