Mitad del Mundo

Today I visited the Middle of the World.

When you are in the country that is named after the equator (Ecuador literally translates to equator) it seems silly not to visit the line that folds the world in half.

Located just 22km north of Quito is where French scientist Charles-Marie de la Condamine calculated the equator in 1736. A huge (and slightly ugly) monument stands in recognition of the measurement made in the 1800's. But he was wrong.

The actual equator, true 0'00" latitude - proved years later by GPS - lies 250m to the north in a patch of land owned by a local Chicha-maker (a popular drink made from corn). OK, I guess Charles Marie didn't do too bad seeing as how he forgot to bring his space satellites and super computers with him. Now, the Chicha-maker's home has been preserved, but has also been turned into the Inti-nan Solar Museum (below ).

For my $3 entrance fee, I learned:

On the Equator, you are 2 lbs lighter, have less gravity pulling on you, and you're weaker.

A raw egg can rest vertical on a nail.

If water is funneling out of a drain, leaves remain floating above the cyclone; they do not get sucked down into the funnel. --> Thus proving that tornadoes and tropical storms are scientifically impossible in this lovely country. Also giving scientific proof that legendary doldrums do exist.

Your shadow remains on the north for 6 months of the year. And then it switches to the south for the other 6 months. 2 days out of the year you won't have a shadow at all.

And I got a passport stamp! And if you know me, you know how excited I get over a stamp in my passport. And if you don't know me, just know it's a lot.