For today I banded together with another Australian gentleman from my hostel to hire a driver and car for the day. Our target was to drive about 45 minutes north of Quito to visit the Mitad del Mundo (the center of the earth).
First stop was at the Pululahua volcano to admire the crater. It was lovely, lush and green. As we stood there and watched the clouds came in and filled the crater. It was lovely to watch as the mist ran up the sides of the crater and over the top.
Pululahua volcano crater
Pululahua volcano crater – covered in clouds
From the volcano we headed down the road to Museo Solar Inti Nan which has the equator line. The museum was hoaky but being on the equator line with one foot in the northern hemisphere and the other in the southern was fun.
Split down the middle at the equator
The museum also tried to explain the importance of the location of the equator (this really didn’t come across) but they did have a genuine shrunken head. Shrunken heads are made from the severed heads of those defeated in battle. The bones are removed and the skin dried and stuffed so it can be worn as a trophy.
Shrunken head
Also included in our itinerary is the large and tacky Mitad del Mundo tourist city. It was so horrible though that I couldn’t bring myself to take pictures as we walked around and out the gate again.
Our driver then dropped us in the Plaza Grande where we had a nice picnic lunch (while listening to the woas of an American gentleman who joined us on our bench) followed by a beer on the roof top terrace of the Vista Hermosa (aptly named as the views of the city were lovely).
View from our patio at the Vista Hermosa.
Very early tomorrow morning (4 am pickup for the airport!) I am heading to the Galapagos Islands for an 8-day cruise. For the duration of the cruise I won’t have access to wifi or the internet so this will be my last post for a while. I’ve been hearing the great of experiences of other travellers who have just come back so I am very excited and will have massive amounts of pictures to share I hope.