Sunday, after church, Eduardo, Marjorie, Pablo, Erica, Camila, Amelia, and I squeezed in the car and went to the middle of the world. Bishop Ruiz joked that US Americans think New York City is the middle of the world, but really, it is Ecuador.
They have built a town, celebrating the division of the hemispheres. There are gift shops galore, a stage where a brass band was playing, a museum, and the most US Americans I've seen since I got here. (I even saw one wearing a Seahawks tee shirt).
We did some of the tourist things...standing in both hemispheres and I almost bought some knick-knacks at the shop on the way out.
Following that, we went to El Panecillo (translated "the little bread"). This is a volcanically created hill that houses a statue of the Virgin Mary. (I bought a handmade replica). This is also supposed to be the Woman of the Apocalypse described in the Book of Revelation. It's a large, beautiful aluminum statue that you can see wherever you go in historic Quito.