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Passport junkie.
That’s me. A person who wants to fill their passport with as many stamps from as many countries that they can.
This summer, I had done quite a bit of traveling with my family, however, even though we had visited cities to which I had never been, it was to countries that I had already marked off my map.
Scouring airline routes for a new country to visit, I decided that my husband and I could make it down to Quito, Ecuador, somewhere neither of us had ever traveled to, without a lot of fanfare or time off of his schedule.
Arriving late at night, the sky was dark and foggy and their wasn’t much to see at the airport or on our taxi ride to our hotel in the downtown area. So, it suffices to say that I was up early and eager to see what Quito had to offer.
One of the most popular attractions in Quito is the Equator. Yes…that imaginary line that runs through the center of our globe and what Quito is named for. If there was nothing else that we would see, this had to be it!
So you ask…if it’s imaginary, how would we find it?
Uber, of course!
Journeying via Uber for a few miles from the downtown area, our destination was Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World City), the location of where the monument to the equator has been built. Though is is touted that this is the exact location of the equator, as was determined by the eighteenth century Franco-Spanish Geodesic Mission, the World Geodetic System, used in modern GPS systems, actually shows that the equator actually lies about 240 meters north of the marked line.
Oops!
No matter, we would visit this Disney-esque like park and then head to the real Equator location at the Intinan Solar Museum afterward.
Passing through the entrance, we headed through the well-manicured grounds to the pyramidal monument which dominates the park’s skyline. Each side faces a cardinal direction and the monument is topped with a globe. Naturally, the first thing we (as all other tourists) did was to straddle the yellow “equator” line in front of the monument. For a moment, my husband was in the northern hemisphere and I was in the south…yet only a few inches away from each other!
How cool is that?
We ventured into the monument to visit the small museum that offers insight into the Ecuadorian culture as well as information about the equator and the history of Mitad del Mundo. Working our way through each level, we finally, found ourselves at the top which offers a viewing platform and amazing perspectives of the property and the city and mountains beyond.
Making our way throughout the property, we found it to be quite vast and offering many attractions, including shopping and restaurants along a small colonial square, a llama farm, beer and cocoa museums, a planetarium and replications of ancestral housing. There are three cultural museums, the Ecuadorian Pavilion which offers a look at pre-Columbian art to inform of the history of Ecuador, the France Pavilion, a two-storied space which offers insight into the main contributions provided by the First and Second French Geodetic Mission and the Guayasamin Pavilion where you can appreciate the works of Ecuadorian painter and sculptor Oswaldo Guayasamin, who fought for the rights of the indigenous people. The Cultural Square hosts cultural events on most weekends and there is a small train station which provides transportation throughout the park with commentary emphasizing the history of the park.
My favorite thing (besides dining on delicious empanadas) was our visit to the chapel modeled after the many churches that dominate the center of Quito. Ascending the bell tower, we had a beautiful view of the monument and the square below, I immediately focused in on this sign.
Oh, yes! I’ve always wanted to ring a church bell!
Descending back into and out of the church, we made our way, next door, to the Virgin’s Museum which highlights the most important Virgins celebrated and worshiped around the world. Just down the street, there was a small grotto, which gives patrons a chance to give thanks and praise to the most important Virgin, the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Although, it would have been easy to spend the greater part of a day here at Ciudad Mitad del Mundo, our itinerary was packed with many of Quito’s attractions and it was time to move on.
Petting the llamas would have to wait until next time!
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Mitad Del Mundo
- http://www.mitaddelmundo.com/en-us/
- Address: Manuel Cordova Galarza Km. 13, 5 SN, Quito, Ecuador
- Hours: 0900-1800, daily
- Admission: Adults, $5.00, Children (ages 5-12), $2.50, Seniors and Disabled, $2.50, Children under 5, free
- Getting There: Uber, from the Hilton, about $13.00 US. Quito Tour Bus, $30.00 per Adult, $20.00, reduced fare, departing from the Boulevard of the United Nations. The Mitad del Mundo bus ($.40 per person, adult, $.20 reduced) which runs along the Occidental Avenue (North-South). Buses run approximately every 5 minutes. Taxi rates vary from various parts of the city and arrangements can be made from most hotels for driver to wait for return or transport to other locations throughout the city.
The Assembly Hall, located on the southwest corner, seats approximately 2,000 people and sometimes acts as an overflow area for the church’s twice-a-year general conferences. Free music concerts are held here and as I admired the impressive organ used for these recitals, a young lady struck up a conversation with me. Hailing from France, I found out that she is one of the full-time sister missionaries from around the globe, who serve on Temple Square. Giving me some history of the Assembly Hall, she told me about the concerts held in the building, the impressive organ and suggested that my next stop be the Tabernacle. She informed me that if I was impressed by the organ in the Assembly Hall, I would probably be blown away by what I would find in the Tabernacle.
Once my walk-around was complete, I made my way across the well-manicured lawn to the Tabernacle to see this incredible organ. Although I had heard about the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, my only knowledge of them was that they are associated with the LDS Church. Speaking with another sister missionary, I learned that the choir, founded in 1847, consists of 360 members and has performed in the Tabernacle for over a hundred years. Members must be part of the church, between the ages of 25 and 55 and live within 100 miles of Temple Square. And the organ? Wow, what can I say? Containing 11,623 pipes, it is one of the largest organs in the world. It was originally built in 1867 and was rebuilt and enlarged several times with the current version having been completed in 1948. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs with the accompaniment of the organ for daily recitals, which are open to the public. Another organ, consisting of 7,708 pipes is housed across the street in the Conference Center and is used for performances during the church’s semiannual general conferences.
Continuing on, my next stop was at the North Visitors Center. Most important to note in this building is the beautiful replica of the Christus, a statue of Jesus by Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen, located on the upper floor. The ramped walkway’s walls and the domed ceiling above the statue are painted with clouds, stars, planets and other heavenly bodies. Make sure not to miss the beautiful paintings depicting biblical stories on the upper floor and on the lower, dioramas of some biblical scenes. There is also an area dedicated to the good works of the LDS Church.
The Church History Museum across the street from the North Visitor’s Center is worth spending some time in and houses collections of Latter-day Saint art and artifacts. There are both permanent exhibits and temporary ones offered throughout the year. I enjoyed the film which showed how Joseph Smith was directed to the golden tablets, from which he translated the Book of Mormon, by the angel Moroni. You can also see a replica of the golden tablets which give you an idea of their size and weight.
If you are interested in the historical records of the LDS Church, the Church History Library is located near the museum. Admission to the library is complimentary and patrons can access a large collection of books, manuscripts and photographs. Though I did not take the time to enter, it was explained that tours are given by senior missionaries and visitors can view a video which explains the mission and purpose of the Library. Next door to the museum is the Family History Library which is where many come to find information about their ancestors. Founded in 1894, records and genealogical data for over three billion deceased ancestors from around the globe are available with assistance from research specialists and trained volunteers.
Next on my agenda was the Conference Center, a relatively new structure, completed in 2000. The center has a capacity of over 21,000 and is used for the LDS Church’s general conferences, concerts and other cultural events. What I had come to see, however, was the rooftop garden that I had heard about from other visitors. Escorted by a sister missionary, I was overwhelmed by what we found!
You can also grab a bite to eat next door at the Lion House, if you’ve arranged a catered event. The house, built in in 1856, was the former home of Brigham Young, the second president of The LDS Church and the first governor of the state of Utah. Named for the lion statue located over the front entryway, the Lion House is decorated with beautiful antique furniture and has the capacity to host a variety of events.
As the day was drawing to a close, I noticed that long lines had formed in the middle of the square. Apparently, on Thursday nights, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir holds practice sessions. As tempting as that was, it was the end of a long day, I was in need of nourishment and the lines seemed endless!