Tomorrow we´ll be leaving Quito after having spent another 2 nights here. We all loved this city and are planning to live here sometime within the next 10 years. However, it´s almost time to continue onward to new adventures. But first; a recap.
The night we stayed in Otavalo was spent dancing to a Colombian band in a town square. Most people were very timid, the indigenous people seemingly having a Swedish attitude toward concerts, but soon enough we got to twirling around with some really drunk old guys. We had so much fun, but when one of them tried focusing his vision and making moves on Monica and I, we decided to move to a different part of the square. The dancing probably lasted for a good 5 hours or so, and we were pretty tired and sweaty by the time we walked home.
After returning from Otavalo we travelled way off to the edge of Quito to go to a car market. The original plan was to buy a car and continue our trip in that. However, some sage advice from Sandro (Alex' dad) put us off the idea and we've decided that bus is the way to go. However, all this car-buying business has actually been fun and allowed us to see some non-touristy sides to Quito (before we went to Otavalo we also went to some used car shops and did some car-inspecting there).
Today we visited Mitad del Mundo outside of Quito, which is where the equator lies. It took ages to get there, first taking a trolley-bus, then a bus and then another bus (though I have to say that we're all very impressed with the public transport service here) before finally arriving at an eerily empty and slightly bizarre village-type park. Presiding over the tourist shops and restaurants that made up the park was the huge monument raised on the mitad del mundo and we had good fun taking some silly photos there that I can't upload right now because I forgot my USB-cable. We also visited some museum-y buildings housing pretty shoddy exhibitions. This Ciudad Mitad del Mundo was a bit of a letdown.
However, we had read in trusty old LP that there was another museum nearby and went off to find it. Upon arriving we thought the entrance fee was a bit steep but decided to go for it anyway, and we were not to be disappointed. Our guide, Sofia (who also came with us to see jazz in town tonight), was excellent, we got to try all kinds of fun experiments (pouring water and seeing it swirl in different directions, losing our balance on the equator, placing an egg on a nail without it falling off, etc.) and learned useful things like how to shrink your enemy's head. Basically, if you decide to go to see the equator, skip the Ciudad de Mitad del Mundo and go straight to this place; Intiñan something something.
Tomorrow, Charles and Monica are off to scale the rugged terrain of Cotopaxi for 3 days while Alex and I go look at volcanic lakes. On Thursday (I think) we're going to Baños and this will be followed by a couple of days in the jungle. Yay!
Toodeloo
