Ecuador City Tour & Equator Park
Our adventure began in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, where a fascinating tour of the city opened our eyes to its rich culture and history. Ecuador is renowned for its incredible biodiversity, encompassing lush jungles, the unique ecosystems of the Galapagos Islands, and its position at the center of the Earth at 0 latitude and 0 longitude. The primary industries are roses, and shrimp. Huuuuge bouquets of roses filled the hotel lobby; just $2 for two dozen, as the locals informed us.
Our tour included a famous Panama hat store, which are made in Equador, guess that doesn’t roll off the tongue as easily?
Strolling through the cobblestone streets of the old town Quito felt like stepping back in time, each turn unveiling new stories woven into the fabric of the past. The local church, with its towering spire and intricately carved doors, invited us in for a moment of reflection amidst vibrant stained glass that danced with color. We stopped at the convent for a fabulous lunch.
There were lots of people in the streets, wandering, visiting, and many trying to sell things from small trays hung around their necks. Though interesting, you got the feeling of desperation around you, people trying to eke out a living.
Ecuador has faced considerable turmoil in recent years; when the economy fell apart, a few years ago the country adopted the US dollar for its currency to regain stability. No conversion rate issues, so the shopping was simplified. And no mistaking how expensive that handmade Panama hat was. The country also got all the rejected coins Americans were reluctant to use, Susan B, Anthony and Sacajawea dollars. Randy even received a Kennedy half dollar during one of our transactions.
The instability of the country was reflected in a COVID era crisis where the postal system totally collapsed. And the city of Quito is not known as a safe city. The other Equadorians we met were wary of coming to the city, and even the hotel staff warned us about our personal safety. While cruising the Galápagos Islands, a presidential candidate was assassinated a few blocks from our hotel.
One of Karen’s favorite parts of the entire trip was a visit to the Equator park. Originally located about 30 yards to the west, the U.S. government relocated the museum based on GPS positioning to its newer location, 0 longitude 0 latitude. It is called the center of the world. The guide walks you past the gross, and fascinating to some stuff; shrunken heads collected from jungle natives and the dreaded penis fish pickled in a jar, notorious for swimming up the urethra of unsuspecting Amazon river swimmers attracted by the warmth of urine, and finally to the fascinating science stuff. Here, simple experiments that illustrate the differences between the northern and southern hemispheres are demonstrated. I watched as Randy balanced an egg on the head of a nail and participated in demonstrations that revealed the unique rotational pull of water. In the northern hemisphere, water swirled clockwise, while in the southern hemisphere, it swirled counter-clockwise. Yet, at the 0/0 line, the water went straight down the drain without a hint of whirlpool, all shown within the space of about 5 feet and the same bucket of water and sink.
It was a wonderful day, and a great start to the adventure, setting the stage for the next events. This trip was going to be a good blend of food, fun and interesting facts.
