The Middle of the World

We're standing on the equator
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Mom and George arrived in Quito late on Sunday night, so I didn't see them until Monday morning.  It was great to see them after being away for 6 weeks... so strange to think I have been away for so long.  The time has gone extremely fast and extremely slowly at the same time.  I can hardly believe I'm half-way through with this amazing adventure...

Anyway, we took a city tour of Quito on Monday, and went to the Teleferico - which is an incredibly large cable car that goes up about 4,000 meters above the city.  I got some amazing views of Quito.  Also, we went to the "Mitad del Mundo," or the Middle of the World -- the place that marks the actual equator line.  A monument was erected about 15 years ago (I think), before there was GPS, so the truth is that the equator line is about 200 meters off the mark.  So, our driver took us to the place he thinks the real equator is and we took a photo straddling the north and south hemispheres.  Not exactly scientific, but it works in Ecuador!!

Quito from the Teleferico
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That night, we went to dinner at the house of one of George's business connections -- a very interesting woman who works for the mayor in Quito and does a lot of foundation work in and around Ecuador.  It was very interesting and she told us of the many problems that Ecuador has -- poverty, education, migration.  I wish there was something I could do to help this country, but I can't wrap my head around how I might be able to yet.  Yet!

On Tuesday, Mom and I hung out in the morning and had some QT and in the afternoon, the three of us went to the Banco Central museum.  Then, we packed and generally hung out getting ready for the Galapagos!