La mitad del mundo.

The middle of our world is defined by a very precise line called the equator; and of course it goes straight through Ecuador! But, just north of Quito there are two lines about 300m apart from each other that claim to be the equatorial line! The first one is marked with a huge monument and easy to find by heaps of advertisements and big posters.  The line underneath the monument was calculated by a French guy in the 18^th century, and considering the huge touristy complex they built around it with museums and souvenir markets you would believe that this is the correct line. Well, be surprised when I tell you that this line is 300m off the real equatorial line, because the French guy miscalculated a little. He should have asked the indigenous people, who knew the exact position of the equatorial line hundreds of years before and built temples all along it. Funny enough, the real line also has a museum around it, but the advertisement is tiny and you rather stumble across it by accident. The museum is a lovely garden with hummingbirds and beautiful plants and you get a fun guide that tells you and demonstrates everything about coriolis forces. I was immensely surprised to see that the water falls straight through the drain directly on the line but turns counterclockwise one meter off into the northern hemisphere and opposite one meter off into the southern hemisphere! Also, have you every tried to walk the line with your eyes closed and your arms out? I did and it is a funny feeling how unbalanced you are being pushed by both opposite magnetic forces from both sides. Of course, being a proper scientist I made sure I also enrolled the negative control, trying the same thing again one meter off the line, and indeed I was very stable there!

I also had the chance to learn about indigenous Ecuadorian people of the jungle and their habits of “head shrinking” and was even able to enjoy the view of a couple of them. So what is it with the guinipigs and South America? People here keep guinipigs at home as pets as an indicator of good spirits and indicator. Coming to a home with squeaking guinipigs is usually not a good sign. Also, entering a house as a visitor and making the guinipigs squeaking usually doesn’t make a good entrance!