Things to see in the Middle of the World and surroundings


Today despite seeing an egg on the cover, we do not talk about cooking!


Those who know me know that I like the world of cooking and always try to make my first steps as they say.


So, using the culinary simile, I am going to present you the menu of the dishes (tourist places) that we are going to taste (to visit), in the Middle of the World.


I would like to start by saying that this place is almost unique in the world, for two reasons:

First; because it divides the hemisphere into two parts, North and South.

Second; because it is at an altitude of about 3000 meters above sea level. This causes us to be in the nearest inhabited point of the earth to the sun, remember that the poles are flattened.

Having this clear. Let's get into the matter, take the ingredients and prepare the menu (route) that we are going to enjoy today. And above all do not miss the videos of the post.

Things to see in the Middle of the World.


This place is very touristy because it is one of the best known worldwide. The truth is that the equatorial line runs the entire circumference of the earth. As I mentioned earlier, altitude is what makes it unique in the world.


But let's see the things to see in the Middle of the World and its surroundings. If you are driving you can visit four places on the same day as they are relatively close and I will mention them one by one but:


Continuing with the culinary simile, I will introduce you as a five-fork restaurant. These four (meals) activities have to be done.


Beginning with the starter (Pucará de Rumicucho), First course (Ciudad Mitad del Mundo), Main dish (Intiñan Museum) and Dessert (Reserva del Pululahua)

Things to see in the Middle of the World, Incoming - Visit Pucará de Rumicucho.


The Pucará de Rumicucho is an archaeological site located in the parish of San Antonio, in Ecuador. It has an area of ​​three hectares, and was built by the Incas between 1480 and 1500 for military purposes and is that there is nothing better than a hill to control the enemy.


Its name comes from Quechua, formed by "Rumi" (Stone) and "Cucho" (Corner) so Rumicucho means "Ricón de Piedra".

It is also thought that because of its architectural layout it could have been a place to deal with religious matters. It is about 45 minutes in public transport from the Middle of the World.


From the Middle of the World roundabout you have to take a bus towards the Tanlagua and Rumihurco routes. Then walk a kilometer until you reach the top of the hill. As you can see, it is very close, in a private car it would take about 15 minutes from the Ciudad Mitad del Mundo.


In my opinion it is the least spectacular of the four locations I'm going to talk about. So I start with it and I present it to you as you enter, the main courses and desserts will come.

Traveler tip


Normally you are not asked to enter to visit the place, since it is located in an open field. Although I was lucky to be surprised by a local who sold me the ticket for a dollar.


That's right! with your respective ticket.


No more resign me and pay him, I did not see him again at the exit. Hahaha

Things to see in the Middle of the World, First Course - Mital City of the World

This place in my opinion is too touristy and prepared for it. But even so, I'll tell you that you can see.


Although I will not talk much about him. Entrance 7 dollars if you do not go to the museum that is in the monument that at the same time acts as a tower. If you choose the complete package, you have to pay 15 dollars.


You can also buy souvenirs or depending on the time enjoy a typical dish. In its more than 100 locations that make up the Middle City of the World.


But if you want to buy ponchos, hammocks, llama wool jersey, other garments and things typical of the equator, I particularly recommend you go shopping in Otavalo.

How to get here?

There is a daily tour that leaves at 12:00 and they take you by bus from the boulevard of the United Nations for 30 dollars. This is the easiest and most comfortable option. The good thing about this is that you usually go in a group and depending on the group that touches you that day, you can have a better or worse time.


If you are one of those who likes to explore and do everything on their own. Use public transportation which is much cheaper. You have to take a bus to Pomasqui and get off at San Antonino. I do not tell you anything else so that your only one can get it.


Traveler tip


The truth is that I do not deserve to enter the museum, but it is beautiful and you will also learn things you did not know.


In a matter of demonstrations of the effects produced by gravity and magnetic forces, the Intiñan museum is much better than the one I will talk about next.


If you do not have time, I recommend you to take a photo with the monument and take a tour around it.


Every weekend there is a party, with presentations by national artists

Things to see in the Middle of the World, Main Course - Intiñan Museum

An impressive place and where impressive phenomena occur that I will tell you next: But before you enjoy this video presentation of the place, so you know where we are going on the trip today. Entry 5 dollars.


Continuing with the strange phenomena of this place, I will tell you my experience and things that I felt:

In the Middle of the World You weigh less!

You will be asking yourself, how is this possible?


For simply thanks to the rotation of the earth, this being round presents a greater centrifugal force in the middle of its wait.


So actually, even if we do not notice it if we place ourselves in the circumference that divides the two hemispheres, we move more quickly outward, which would propel us into space, if gravity did not hold us back.


So we do not fly out thanks to gravity, but the effect that occurs in us is that our body weight is reduced by 0.5%


For example: if you are a boy who weighs 80 Kilos, your weight in the Middle of the World will be 76 Kilos, if you are a girl who weighs 50 Kilos weights 47.5 Kilos


Great news for those people who are always trying to lose weight.

In the Middle of the World you can check the Coriolis Effect !!!

What is the Coriolis effect?


I will try to explain it to you in the simplest and easiest way to understand. This effect is that all fluids due to the effect of the earth's rotation move to the right (same direction as the hands of a clock) in the northern hemisphere and to the left (counterclockwise) in the southern hemisphere.


This effect also affects air masses, but the movement of air is more difficult to explain. Since it divides the hemisphere into 3 parts, from 0 to 30 degrees, from 30 to 60 degrees and from 60 to 90 degrees.


For this reason tornadoes and cyclones are always produced in the same geographical areas, as in the Caribbean and tropical areas of Asia. But since I'm not an expert in the field, I'll leave you with this in case you want to know everything about the Coriolis effect.


As you can see it's very easy to understand, but I'm sure it was quite difficult to prove it.


This effect is named after its discoverer the French scientist Gaspard-Gustave Coriolis in 1836.

Traveler tip, do not believe everything that your eyes see.


The truth is that it is impressive when one sees this effect live. I kept my mouth open.


As everything so that this effect that is real occurs in the Middle of the World, since we are very close to this line that separates the hemisphere in two there is a little trick that I will reveal and that not everyone knows.


The Coriolis effect occurs mainly away from the equatorial line, so its effects close to this line are almost nil, but they increase as we move north or south.

Therefore according to this, the video that you will see next would be impossible, but why happens what happens? And we were all speechless.

The secret:


When the liquid is poured into the sink, the guide does it on the side causing a small whirlpool. So for the whole world to see that the water is still, she usually puts her hand on the water, stopping the movement on the surface and placing leaves on a tree to demonstrate the stillness of the water.

The trick; The water below the surface still maintains a small circular movement that is not perceived by the naked eye.


So when you remove the stopper, the water generates a whirlpool and the leaves move in a circle, respectively, to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere, according to the video you just saw.


From all of this; I found out after a few days of having seen the phenomenon. I do not know if my guess is really true, I'll have to come back to do the test again. I do not know when I can do it?


If you have read this and visit Intiñan, watch out for the phenomenon and ask for me to get rid of doubts and check if the Coriolis effect works correctly just a few meters from the Equatorial Line. Yes, whatever happens, I hope you tell me in comments.

In the Middle of the World you can put a vertical egg !!!


Surely one day you've heard the famous story of Columbus' egg. Well, this story does not come from what I will explain but can be applied very well to what I will tell you next.


The expression "The Egg of Columbus", is collected in the RAE as: "Something that seems to have a lot of difficulty but it turns out to be easy to know its artifice"

Origin of the expression. "The egg of Columbus"


While Christopher Columbus was sharing a table with Spanish nobles, one of them told him:


"Mr. Columbus, even if your worship had not found the Indies, we would not have lacked a person who had embarked on an adventure similar to his, here in Spain, which is a prodigal land in great men who are well versed in cosmography and literature. "


Columbus did not respond to these words but, having requested that they bring him an egg, he placed it on the table and said:


"Gentlemen, I bet with any of you that you will not be able to put this egg standing like I will, naked and without any help."


As Columbus expected; Everyone tried without success.


When the egg returned to Colon. It hit him subtly against the table, crushing the curvature of his base, which allowed him to stand up.


All present were confused and understood what he wanted to say: After the feat is done and seen, anyone knows how to do it.


As well; I wanted to explain this because, the fact of putting an egg in vertical is possible in the Middle of the World.


I tell you; not because I've seen it but because I've done it! Look look.

Traveler Tip How to get a vertical egg?


Just like Columbus did on the table with all those Spanish nobles, I'm going to explain the secret to getting a vertical egg on the head of a nail.


As you know in the Middle of the World, the magnetic forces cancel out and the gravitational forces diminish. And that is exactly what we are going to take into account to achieve our feat.


First; You do not have to be nervous, but very calm and focused trying to sharpen all your senses towards the egg. If you want to get it.



Second; Use both hands. Do not do like my brother.


Third; Try to find the balance of the egg to leave it vertical, this is not an instant thing you have to have a little patience.


Fourth; If you have not succeeded, remove the egg and start again this time more calmly.


Feel as the egg yolk moves inside (which is the heaviest thing inside) and try to place yourself in the proper place to find the balance, help with small rocking of the egg from one side to the other until you get your verticality. Be very patient.



In the Middle of the World at noon your shadow disappears.


This effect only occurs twice a year.


In the solar equinoxes of March 21 and September 23, where the earth and the sun are aligned vertically, which causes that having the sun perpendicularly over our heads, makes our shadow disappear completely. Thing impossible to happen if you are not in the Middle of the World.


Here if there is no trap or cardboard, no trick that is worth. No one can change the movement of the sun or the earth at will.

How to get here?

If you visited the Middle of the World City, then you have it very easy since you can walk, simply by leaving it turns left and in less than 10 minutes you will have arrived.


Look at the map that I have shared with you so you do not get lost.


Even a 5 year old could arrive without a problem hahaha.


But let it be clear that I am not doubting your guiding capabilities.

Things to see in the Middle of the World, Dessert - Visit to the Pululahua Reserve

"Pululahua" Quechua word meaning "cloud of water" or fog. It is a good description of this natural crater since almost every day in the afternoon, the volcano is covered with haze.


It is an isolated and very quiet space. The only protected area in the country that has the category of "Geobotanical Reserve".


This says a lot about its reason for being since its geology and its Volcano-logical history are very particular. In addition to its vegetative richness, the reserve protects something unique in the world:


A volcanic caldera inhabited near the middle of the world. A fascinating and magical place where the energy of the earth is felt in every rock and in every cloud of the Pululahua.


The boiler measures about 4 kilometres in diameter at the top and 3 kilometres at the base. It has the shape of a horseshoe that opens. A good view of the whole set is from the Ventanillas viewpoint and the Moraspungo recreation area.

How to get here?


The truth is that they took me by car so in this section I can not help you firsthand. But I can share information that I found.


From Ciudad Mitad del Mundo you have to take a bus, on the Manuel Cordova Galarza Y N2 road, in the direction of Miraflores Pululahua. Ask the driver where to get off so you do not miss the stop.


Anyway you have to get off at Eduardo Kingman Y Oe11. And from there walk about 25 minutes until you reach the reserve.

Traveler tip


If you have time and you are an adventurer, I recommend you go down to the base of the crater and visit the Community of Pululahua, try to mix with its inhabitants, there are few families so; Contrary to what you think you will be the attraction of the community.


If you're lucky and smile a lot, I'm sure that some of the families that inhabit the crater can accommodate you.


But before going down enjoy the view of the Ventanillas lookout.
