Less developed than Mitad Del Mundo, the entrance to Intiñan Museum (located closer to the real middle of the world as established by GPS) is tucked away off the side of the road. Walking across a bridge, the winding path led through some greenery before arriving at a gathering of modern buildings made to look like huts. Birds chirped as the breeze rustled the branches they were settled in. Continue reading “Intiñan Museum (The Real Middle of the World)”

As I walked through the gate and up the sidewalk, nothing seemed out of the ordinary…then, the monument came into view. Rising 30 meters (about 90 feet), it dominated the center of the “village” that has sprung up around it. The bright center line separated the two halves of the world and acted as a guide like the yellow brick road leading straight to the door. Continue reading “Mitad Del Mundo”

It was difficult to give up my layers at first. The chill in the air and the mist sticking to my goosebumps made me reconsider, that is until I put my first toe into the water. I registered the sting only for a second before throwing everything below my shoulders under the surface. My muscles relaxed as I swirled around, taking in my surroundings. Continue reading “Papallacta Volcanic Pools”

I should have been tired after a two hour flight, two hour layover, and five hour flight, finally arriving in Quito at 11:30 p.m.,  but all I could feel was the excitement. It was chillier than I was expecting (whenever I hear equator I automatically picture a tropical paradise), but my friend from Quito had warned me, so I had the proper pants and jacket to keep me warm and dry. The airport was by no means empty, but not nearly as busy as Atlanta had been. The further we got from the airport the more lights we came upon until we could see the twinkling of Quito. The orange and yellow dots splashed up onto the mountains like grains of sand washed onto the beach.

Continue reading “Travel Quito, Ecuador”