Quito and the Equator - Day 1 Recap
We started out the day well rested and fed. Then we hopped on our bus and headed up to the Basílica del Voto Nacional. Among other things the views and stained glass were incredible. 
From there we headed up to the Virgen del Panecillo, which stands on a hill in the center of Quito and is visible from almost everywhere in the city. You can see it in the photo above from the basílica and below. We climbed to the top of it for more spectacular views.
From there our guide, Raul, took us on a long walk through old-town Quito and since it was Good Friday we were able to see one of the most significant cultural events of the year, the procession of Jesus del Gran Poder of Quito.
With so many streets closed due to the procession, we were able to walk down the center of so many streets. We ended up at the Plaza de Armas before hiking out of the colonial city center and back to our bus.
After meeting back up with our driver, Omero, he took us north of the city toward the equator. We stopped for lunch, and then at a supermarket to stock up on drinks and snacks for our big road trip tomorrow. Finally, we visited La Mitad del Mundo, the equator. We did and learned so much! Among other things, we stood with one foot in each hemisphere and learned about the Coriolis effect in great detail. The students became masters at balancing a raw egg on the head of a nail, and so much more.
Tomorrow we awake early to head out for a full day trip north to the famous market town of Otavalo. Time for a little shopping, okay a lot of shopping. We plan to go on a hike to a crater lake, too, weather permitting. Stay tuned.
