The equator runs through Ecuador and is what gives the country its’ name. So of course, there is a tourist area for people to come see the center of the world.
Mitad del Mundo is the name of the monument and area that the monument for the equator is located. It is a 40-45 minute bus ride-about $.45 (or you can take a taxi-at least $10) from the Ofelia station in northern Quito. (All taxi drivers also know both where the monument is and the bus station-so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find.)
Once at the middle of the world, you must pay an entrance fee for foreigners, nationals, or students-so if you have a just a passport or a student I.D. make sure to bring it. After you enter, there is a maze of shops and restaurants to walk through. These are generally fairly expensive and touristy, but tasty. The food is typical ecuadorian, including empanadas, cuy (guinea pig), ice creams, churrasco (thin steak with fried eggs on top), and fish prepared in all different ways.
The monument itself is a gigantic concrete tribute to the team of scientists who found the middle of the world using astronomical methods in the 1700s. The team was comprised of scientists from all over the world-including Spain, France, Germany and Ecuador. The monument has a letter on each of its’ 4 sides describing the direction in which that side is pointing as well as an entrance. Here, you can climb to the top of the monument and look down upon the little town around the middle of the world.
Actually, the monument to the middle of the world is not on the equator. Oops, but it was the 1700s. The real monument is in the planetarium about 100 meters or so away-so really they got very close. To the left of the monument (as you are facing it while you walk in) there is a host of buildings. These are different small museums depicting the methods used to find the equator, the different countries involved and the planetarium.
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Posted on June 10, 2010 in:
Sports
Every four years the planet is graced with an event that brings nations together. It is the most widely viewed sporting event in the world. According to FIFA’s own website 715.1 million people watched the final match of the 2006 World Cup between France and Italy. A cumulative total of 26.3 billion sets of eyes focused in on the matches over the course of that years tournament. The moment I start counting down towards once the cup is awarded is finally here. It is the early hours of the morning in South Africa on the day that play begins.
The world cup is a grand stage where an upset can occur at any moment whether because of under rated talent, superior conditioning, gracious officiating, or simple luck. Here are my thoughts leading in to this years cup.
Group A: South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France
Despite qualifying for this years cup on the coat tails of a clear handball in their heartbreaking win over Ireland this past year, France is considered a favorite to make it out of this group. I can’t disagree with this. France has a rich history and a talented young squad leading in to the tournament and I expect them to do well.
In my mind the competition for spot number two from this group is up in the air. I give Mexico a slight edge, but either Uruguay or the home town side could stake it for their own.
Having spent considerable time in Uruguay and maintaining many relationships with friends from the tiny S. American nation, I would really like to see them do well. They have a rich World Cup history as every real Uruguayan will quickly inform you. They are after all the original World Cup champs.
South Africa is the home town side and the atmosphere and national support could carry them beyond most expectations. Every host nation in the history of the World Cup has made it out of the group stage and most have pushed deeper in to the tournament. There is a history of nations having their best performance during tournaments which they host. The question is not can but will South Africa continue this trend?
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Machu Picchu is on many people’s list of places to go while in South America-and it should be. It’s an absolutely stunning site with an immense amount of ancient history.
Most travelers start their journey to Machu Picchu in Cuzco, Peru. Cuzco is a charming, rustic-feeling town and offers many options for travelers. There is an immense number of tour agencies that off everything from Inca trail treks, alternative treks, and treks or tours of Machu Picchu. The only thing negative about this abundance of services is that it’s really quite hard to determine which tour company is reputable.
The Peruvian government has recently made it mandatory for people that want to go hiking on the Inca trail to go with a guide. This is the government’s way of restricting the amount of travelers and what they do there in an effort to keep the Inca trail pristine.
Unfortunately, I do not have a list of reputable tour companies. When I asked at the hostel we stayed at, we were told that many companies earn a bad reputation through bad business practices and selling tourists an all-inclusive tour (as the price implies because many are quite high) but then they fail to follow through in providing everything. One girl we ran into was supposed to be on an all-inclusive 3 day tour if the Inca trail and Machu Picchu, but was instead given a tent to sleep in and only 1 meal a day.
One of the main issues with this is that tourists learn which tour companies are bad and quit using them. So the tour office closes down and reopens a few days later in a new location, under a new name. There are so good companies and guides, but do some research before going with one. Generally, the cheapest tour packages are not going to be good, many fail to provide equipment, lodging or meals, while the expensive agencies may not be all that much better.
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The equator runs through Ecuador and is what gives the country its’ name. So of course, there is a tourist area for people to come see the center of the world.
