Sightseeing in Quito

Final week in Quito

We were still working in the clinics every morning, but since Spanish classes had ended, we had our afternoons free to explore the city.  We spent one afternoon walking around the "Old Town" area, where there are endless colonial churches and buildings.  We visited a monestary called Santa Catalina, where they have a large collection of religious art, and the cloistered nuns make wine and natural soap.  

Monestery of Santa Catalina

Jana couldn't resist ringing the bell after we climbed up the bell tower.

Beautiful view from the tower

A brief glimpse inside the church at Santa Catalina

After the monastery, we walked to Plaza Grande, which contains the Presidential palace, the Archbishop's palace, the Municipal palace, the National Cathedral surrounding the Monument to the Heroes of Independence.  Unfortunately, shortly thereafter an afternoon downpour came and ended our city explorations for the day.

National Cathedral in Plaza Grande

Plaza Grande and the Monument to the Heroes of Independence

The next day we had much better weather and decided to head just north of Quito to the monument at the equator, know as Mitad del Mundo.  This large monument was built where the equator was calculated to lie 1743.  Turns out, according to GPS, that the true equator lies a little farther north.  There is another museum that claims to be at the true equator as well, but I was disappointed that I didn't have my own GPS to prove it.  

Mitad del Mundo!

Our tour guide claimed that it is easy to balance an egg on a nail when you are at the equator because the forces that pull in the direction of the poles are perfectly balanced there.  Not sure I believe him, but how else would my clumsy self accomplish this?

And I have a signed, stamped and dated certificate to prove that I did it!

Last day out in Quito:  Our house mom hired a driver to take us to see a few of the sights that are not easily accessible by bus or on foot.  First we rode way up to the Templo de la Patria, the miliary museum that overlooks all of central Quito.  From up there, you get a sense that the city goes on forever .  

Quito from above.  The green area in the middle is known as the panecillo (little bread loaf) and the Virgin of Quito lives on top of it, watching over the city.

View from the Templo de la Patria

Jana, Me, Sue and The Virgin of Quito

Thats pretty much it!  Oh yeah, there was also the part where I got super sick, but let's just say I will forever be grateful for the healing powers of ciprofloxacin!  Don't leave the country without it!