A few weeks ago, we had two days to explore Quito a little more. It was so fun and we were able to see so much of the city! Old Town Quito is amazing! Ecuador is different than any country I have been to in South America. Because we are in a the city of Quito it's pretty "americanized" however, at the same time, there are many things all around that remind me I am still in a 3rd world country. Once you leave "central city", you will see much of the poverty that makes up the rest of this country. However, Old Town Quito's streets are lined with beautiful old buildings, huge churches filled with gold, and amazing statues all around!
Kirsten and I in central Quito. Apparently we're looking at different camera, haha!
Fun statue, I can't remember who that is...details!
One of the many beautiful Catholic churches.
The inside of the church...pure gold!
This is one of my favorite buildings because of its rounded corners!
The Chicas!
(Ashton, me, Chelsea, Kirsten, & Janet)
The next day we hopped on the bus to "Mitad del Mundo" (Middle of the World). I couldn't wait to see the actual equator...funny thing (and this could only happen in Ecuador) but years back a park was built around the equator. It's a big tourist attraction with huge monuments marking the middle of the world. Inside the gates are many little tiendas, restaurants, and a museum all dedicated to the "middle of the world". Well, years later and many scientific tools later they figured out that the location they thought the equator was, was NOT really the equator. Oops! So, you have to walk down the street to this tiny dirt path leading to the real equator. It's not the sight or the "greatness" of the fake one, but here you can do many fun little things that you can only do at the equator. Such as, flush a toilet on either side of the line and see the toilets flush opposite ways, balance an egg on the line, try to balance yourself (you can't) on the equator. It's hilarious that they messed up on such a major thing. But, it is Ecuador, so what can I say! Ever since I've been here I've been making this "Only in Ecuador" list, it just seems like crazy things happen here and this is no different.
How often do you get to see that in real life?! Fun stuff!
Standing on opposite sides of the earth!
Mitad Del Mundo
The entrance to the real "middle of the world"
Not quite as elaborate as the other one!
To be honest, as I was writing this blog, it reminded me of Christ, in a way. (Not the mistake part, of course!) Matthew 7:14 says, "But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." The people in Ecuador spent all this time, money, and effort to make something that was, in the end, really a lie. But the real attraction is at the end of this narrow, tiny, secluded, dirt path. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to Him except through the Son...the narrow way that only a few will find! Thank you Father for this truth you revealed today.
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