 Mitad del Mundo How did Ecuador get it's name? Well it has something to do with the Equator! In 1736 Charles-Marie de La Condamine made the measurements showing that La Mitad del Mundo is the equatorial line. Not only that, his expeditions measurements gave rise to the metric system and proved that the world is not perfectly round, but that it bulges at the equator. (www.lonelyplanet.com) Monuments were built on the Mitad Del Mundo but unfortunately about 20 years ago with GPS, they found that the 1736 calculations were 240m off! There are now two places to visit: The Museo Inti Nan and the Mitad Del Mundo. The Mitad Del Mundo is still the best photo opportunity. It's fun to step over and back over the painted equator line! |
The Museo Inti Nan claims to be on the exact equator line. In the museum I tried cool experiments. I watched leaves go clockwise down a plughole in the southern hemisphere and anti-clockwise in the northern hemisphere!
I was able to balance an egg on a nail and received the above certificate!
I was able to balance an egg on a nail and received the above certificate!
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