Pululahua Crater and True Equator

Yesterday we went with our friend Michelle to do some sight seeing. She took us to the Pululahua Volcano. The volcano blew over two thousand years ago leaving a massive crater. There is a village in it now. It is the only inhabited crater in the world. I can't even describe how incredible it was. We stood at the top and looked down into the crater at this beautiful, quiet village. There was a path that went down to the village. It went straight down the side of the mountain. The people ride horses or donkeys to get back and fourth. Within the last few years the first and only road into the village was built. The crater has its own weather system. It was breathtaking to watch the clouds come over the side of the mountain, sweep over the village and then come back up the side we were on and sweep over our heads. I felt honored to be able to see this unique part of God's creation.

Our driver suggested we visit a museum and the sight of the true equator. We had visited the equator monument a few weeks earlier. We learned that the equator site that we had visited was determined in 1738. It is located 200 meters from the actual equator. I think that is amazingly accurate for 1738 technology! The site we visited was determined in 1995 using GPS technology and is the true equator. We took a tour and our guide showed us some unbelievable experiments.

She took a wash tub about three feet into the southern hemisphere and put water and a few leaves into it. She then pulled the plug. We watched the water drain in a clockwise motion. She then set it on the equator and did the same thing . The water and leaves drained straight down. She then moved it about three feet into the northern hemisphere. We watched in awe as the water drained in a counter clockwise motion.

Next she showed us how you can balance an egg on a nail head. Steve, Matthew and Michelle were able to do it. It really can be done but only on the equator!

We then stood on the equator, held our arms out with thumbs up and eyes closed and tried to walk a straight line. Some did better than others. As I lifted each leg to move I could actually feel the centrifugal force pulling me to each side.

It was astonishing to learn about and see the effects of the earth's rotation and gravity at the equator. We ended the day with dinner at a restaurant. They had delicious empanadas. Another incredible day in Ecuador!
Michelle