Ecuator

Right now we are on ecuator. More exactly, the point where they for the first time registered it scientificly. Later they also named the country Ecuador. Partly in honour of this event, partly because they couldn't agree of an other name.

And this monument, in the middel of the world -"mitad del  mundo"- is the simbol, two or three hours drive from the capital Quito.They got a couple of other atractions there too, so it's worth a trip.

Looking at Quito

This video  from youtube is taken on the roof of the british embassy. It's very nice, You see modern Quito, avenida de Naciones Unidas, the Carolina parque and the mountains surrounding Quito, including the volcan Cotopaxi.

Yeah. I know the old town is even more beautiful. I promise to get back to it.

The River

Yes. It begins here. If you follow the water falls of Ecuador you will sooner or later meet the Atlantic sea. This river is part of the biggest rain forest in the world, Amazonas. Later it will meet the great river in Peru.

Why Amazonas? Because the ancient conquistador Orellanas, the first one to follow the river to it's other end, claimed he met some female warriors on his way.

It could be he mistook some of the caimans for women. It was a very large trip...