Mitad Del Mundo - Saturday

Here we are 2850 m above sea level, it will take us a few days to acclimatise so we are doing things that are close by and not to high. The air is a lot thinner up here, thus we discovered today that we are about a million times more unfit than we normally are. lol

Saturday Morning breakfast, we had a visit from Estella, who is a dear friend of my mother in law, she brought these beautiful flowers.

We then sat down to another massive breakfast of guayava juice, Omelet, Banana fritters, Croissants, cheese and ham and guayava paste, followed by a hot chocolate with cheese ( weird I know, but it is really good).

After breakfast our cousin Janeth took us to Mitad del Mundo ( Middle of the earth). This is the first day of driving around in Ecuador during the day. The scenery is just spectacular, such huge high mountains and with houses built all the way to the tops. It is soo green here compared to Canberra. Some shots on the way:

Here KFC is still called Kentucky Fried Chicken and they sell ice cream. We will venture into a shop for a picture some time soon.

A white goods store that also sells motorbikes and has a security guard decked out with bullet proof vest, gun, capsicum spray etc.

Some things that take getting used to here are:

1. They drive on  the wrong side of the road and we keep going to the wrong side of the car
2. Road rules don't exist here, and a combination of honking the horn and flashing the headlights to tell people not to cut you off because you are coming through. Despite the no road rules, apparently there are not many accidents.
3. People walking in and out of the traffic selling thing from cut fruit, cooked pigs heads, news papers, toys and ice blocks.
4. No one uses seat belts, babies are carried on laps in the front seat and in the boots of utes.
5. Motorbikes packed with as many people as possible and then riding in the above conditions
6. Helmets are a fasion accessory and are usually found sitting on the top of the head on on their arms, cause one elbow requires that level of protection.

We got a little bit lost trying to find our way and had to ask directions a few times, but we eventually found our way.

It cost $2 to park the car, and then $2 per adult and $1.50 per child to enter. For the princely sum of $15 we got entry to Mitad del mundo and the planetarium for 3 adults and 3 children.

First things first Janeth was starving to death, so on the hunt for lunch we went.

We found cuy ( Guinea pig). But no one was game to try it. So we had a picture with it instead.

We wandered around looking for somewhere to eat and stumbled upon this little place.

We had some enpenadas, Frittada, churasco and a multitude of different flavoured juices.

They had some awesome items situated around the restaurant, but only managed to take a picture of the bird and a swing.

After lunch we went to the planetarium, which we were not allowed to take pictures, the show was in Spanish and really fast, so I only picked up things here and there, but the show was really good. The problem with being so tall and being in a country where everyone is short, is that the seats are worse than sitting in a plane.

After the planetarium, we made our way to the tower.

To get to the top of the tower, elevator up and stairs down. Here are some pics from the top and the view.

                                    

They had some wonderful exibits on each landing on the way down

The above are made from bread dough

                                     

Nando's ecuadorian wife



My Ecuadorian husband

                                    

 These trinkets and jewellery had such intricate detail, they were in a perspex box and these were the only pics to turn out properly.

I found some clothes for Nando, but he wasnt keen on them

 A map of the park

We did the obligatory  hold the ball pictures.

And stand across the line

And we got a photo with a Dr from Cotopaxi, who's native tounge is quichacha.

When the park was closing we made our way out and grabed an ice cream and got some little key rings, which I can't find the pictures of at the moment.

We left Mitad Del Mundo and went to a new shopping centre that had been built. There were some strange things in there

Like car dealerships

 A Yamaha bike dealership

 A White goods store selling motor bikes

 A Combie turned into multiple skill games

 A manequin that has had a major boob job.

 An this childs horse ride has a gun on top of it's head. The pic didnt turn out very well and we were chased off by the cranky lady.

We grabbed a present for Maria-Jose, as it was her birthday today as well, but in this culture they don't celebrate just say happy birthday.

we came home and had papaya and pineapple and some juice for dinner.