What an experience our first three days have been! We started our journal by arriving at Pearson for our 8:45am flight at 5:30am. Apart from a delay of an hour an a half in Miami due to lighting, our journey was smooth.
We started out first full day in Quito by getting to know each other. There are a total of 20 of us, all with a passion for teaching and the environment. At 2pm we boarded our tour bus to explore Quito's old town. We visited all three of Quito's main squares: Plaza de la Independencia, Plaza Santo Domingo, and Plaza San Fransisco, as well as La Compania church.
Plaza de la Independencia boasts the city's most important civic and religious buildings - the cathedral, Government Palace (where the president lives and works), Archbishop's Palace and City Hall.
Our visit to La Compania church was breathtaking. It was built between 1605 and 1765 by Jesuits in the Baroque style. It had incredible carved volcanic stone and boasts an amazing amount of gold leaf. Amazing!
Plaza San Francisco was our last stop of the day and many of us went shopping at a fair trade market. It was also a perfect spot to relax and take in all the beautiful scenery while having a drink.
On Day 2 we were very fortunate to visit Ecuador's United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to learn about the initiatives and programs put in place to help improve sustainable education and sustainable development in the Andean region (Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador and Venezuela). It was a huge honor to be invited into the UN offices to discuss such important issues.
In the afternoon we made our way to Jardin Botanico de Quito to take a look at the many native plants in the Andean region. Everything from orchids to a tomato tree made the visit a wonderful place to take some beautiful pictures.
On Day 3 our group travelled to Museo Nacional del Banco Central del Ecuador. This museum houses an incomparable collection of pre-Columbian ceramics and gold artifacts. It was so amazing to be able to see the history of the pre-Incan and Incan community.
After lunch we made the half hour drive to the Middle of the World! La Mitad del Mundo straddles the line that divides the earth's northern and southern hemispheres. We all had a ton of fun taking pictures of ourselves standing in both hemispheres. Next we went to the Mitad del Mundo concrete monument with a metal globe on top to take even more pictures. I think all of us would agree that it was an amazing experience!!
Tomorrow morning we leave for Banos, stopping at a national park on the way. Tomorrow is going to be our first opportunity to try the delicacy of cuy. I hear guinea pig is delicious!!
Carolyn Robbins
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