Mitad del Mundo is the name of the monument and area that the monument for the equator is located. It is a 40-45 minute bus ride-about $.45 (or you can take a taxi-at least $10) from the Ofelia station in northern Quito. (All taxi drivers also know both where the monument is and the bus station-so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find.)

Once at the middle of the world, you must pay an entrance fee for foreigners, nationals, or students-so if you have a just a passport or a student I.D. make sure to bring it. After you enter, there is a maze of shops and restaurants to walk through. These are generally fairly expensive and touristy, but tasty. The food is typical ecuadorian, including empanadas, cuy (guinea pig), ice creams, churrasco (thin steak with fried eggs on top), and fish prepared in all different ways.

The monument itself is a gigantic concrete tribute to the team of scientists who found the middle of the world using astronomical methods in the 1700s. The team was comprised of scientists from all over the world-including Spain, France, Germany and Ecuador. The monument has a letter on each of its’ 4 sides describing the direction in which that side is pointing as well as an entrance. Here, you can climb to the top of the monument and look down upon the little town around the middle of the world.

Actually, the monument to the middle of the world is not on the equator. Oops, but it was the 1700s. The real monument is in the planetarium about 100 meters or so away-so really they got very close. To the left of the monument (as you are facing it while you walk in) there is a host of buildings. These are different small museums depicting the methods used to find the equator, the different countries involved and the planetarium.

The cost to get into the planetarium is minimal (around $5) if there are 14 people all together who want to see the show. If there are less than 14 people, it is much more expensive (around $30-$40 for the group smaller than 14). This way each time they run the show they are doing it for more than just a few people. The show that they put on is also all in Spanish without an English version. The planetarium does show some neat things though, such as how an egg can balance on its’ end-so it is definitely worth the extra money if you have a large enough group.

The shops at Mitad del Mundo offer similar, but sometimes different goods. There are a bunch of shops when you first enter the monument area and then also behind the monument. They offer lots of t-shirts in both Spanish and English, sweaters, jewelry, hammocks, soccer jerseys, backpacks, monument trinkets and lots of other goods. Most shops have fairly similar goods with some variation as to say, the colors in the sweater, but the pricing varies greatly. Also make sure to bargain with the seller!

The best day to go visit Mitad del Mundo is on Sunday. Sundays there is generally some performer such as a singer or folk dancers and most people that go to visit go on Sundays. There are more crowds, but also better options as the performance is good and free, the shops and restaurants are all open and many Ecuadorian families go to spend the day there together.

Mitad del Mundo is one of the tourist places that all tourists to Ecuador must go. It has the feel of indigenous Ecuador between the fold dancers on Sundays and the little shops where bartering is essential. Mitad del Mundo is a fantastic and enjoyable day trip to the center of the world!

The world cup is a grand stage where an upset can occur at any moment whether because of under rated talent, superior conditioning, gracious officiating, or simple luck. Here are my thoughts leading in to this years cup.

Group A: South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France

Despite qualifying for this years cup on the coat tails of a clear handball in their heartbreaking win over Ireland this past year, France is considered a favorite to make it out of this group. I can’t disagree with this. France has a rich history and a talented young squad leading in to the tournament and I expect them to do well.

In my mind the competition for spot number two from this group is up in the air. I give Mexico a slight edge, but either Uruguay or the home town side could stake it for their own.

Having spent considerable time in Uruguay and maintaining many relationships with friends from the tiny S. American nation, I would really like to see them do well. They have a rich World Cup history as every real Uruguayan will quickly inform you. They are after all the original World Cup champs.

South Africa is the home town side and the atmosphere and national support could carry them beyond most expectations. Every host nation in the history of the World Cup has made it out of the group stage and most have pushed deeper in to the tournament. There is a history of nations having their best performance during tournaments which they host. The question is not can but will South Africa continue this trend?

Group B: Argentina, Nigeria, Korea Republic, Greece

Argentina is in my mind as close to a “shoo-in”  as you can get. That said Argentina was expected to do well in during the 2002 tournament in Korea/Japan. That years disappointment shocked  soccer fans all across the world.

Once again I think the second advancing position could be up for grabs. African teams such as Nigera; while lacking headline athletes, usually perform well on the world stage. My mind lingers back to that exciting run Senegal put together in 2002 by making it to the quarterfinals.

Korea may be the weakest in this group. They enter the stage without having been a certain qualifier in a less than powerful region. Greece on the other hand is coming off a recent (2004) European Cup title. Their World Cup performance has been lack luster as of late. It will be interesting to see if the nations economic and political upheaval will turn out motivating, distracting, or irrelevant.

Group C: United States of America, England, Slovenia, Algeria

This is the group my eyes are on. I believe England and the United States will both advance. I don’t want to dismiss the Slovenian or Algerian sides, but I believe they are outmatched in this group. I am glad we are in Group C.

To quote FIFA’s analysis:

USA: The United States contest their sixth successive finals and will fancy their chances of advancing from the group stage for the first time since their quarter-final run in 2002. Bob Bradley’s team can also take heart from their efforts at the FIFA Confederations Cup on South African soil in 2009 – they stunned Spain in the semi-finals and led Brazil 2-0 in the final before succumbing 3-2. They will hope centre-back Oguchi Onyewu will have recovered from his knee injury in time to join a squad that will again look to Landon Donovan for attacking inspiration in his third FIFA World Cup.

While Bocanegra is the team’s captain, I think a lot will depend on the leadership of  Landon Donovan who leads the team in both international appearances and goals by huge margin. I am also excited to see how the youngest players on the team, Jozy Altidore and Jose Torres handle the challenge of the biggest stage on earth. I expect great things from our side, and for the first time in history so does most of the world.

Group D: Germany, Ghana, Serbia, Australia

Some have dubbed this the “Group of Death” for this years tournament. There are no weak teams in this section. Any of the four could reasonably make it out of group play.

I will give Germany the slight favor do to a rich history of success, but it is really anyone’s group.

Yes, I know! Short winded, but this really will be an exciting group and I have no idea which way the chips will fall.

Group E: Denmark, Netherlands, Cameroon, Japan

I give Netherlands the top spot. I think they are going to rally after their disappointing showing in 2006. I believe the Dutch are motivated to prove themselves and they have the talent on both offense and defense to do it. Not only do I believe they will make it out of group play, I believe they will be a contender for the title.

I like Denmark for the second passport out of group play. They have a history of stingy defense and have been beating some of Europe’s biggest names over the past few years. John Dahl Tomasson is one of my all time favorites and the Danes have a patient disciplined style of play that gives them a good chance against any team in the world.

Group F: Italy, Paraguay, Slovakia, New Zealand

Italy is coming off a title in 2006 and is hoping to capture back to back World Cup crowns for the second time in history. I’m not sure if they will pull off this feat, but I do expect them to do well. I expect they will hang around in to the late stages of this years contest.

I think Slovakia will edge out Paraguay for the second slot. Although this is their first final appearance as an independent nation, as a part of Czechoslovakia they have a positive track record with two second place finishes as well as two additional ventures in to the quarter final round. I expect them to play very well, although I admit their team is a bit of a mystery to me.

Group G: Brazil, Portugal, Côte d’Ivoire, Korea DPR

One……..Brazil

Two…….Portugal

This is about as sure of a thing as there is in World Cup soccer. Their strengths have been beaten to death in the sports media. I don’t think you need my paltry additions to the analysis.

Group H: Spain, Switzerland, Chile, Honduras

La Roja qualified with a flawless 10-0 record in qualifying play. They are young, talented, and have never lost to Chile, Honduras, or Switzerland. Spain does how ever have an embarrassingly undecorated history in major international play. They are out to prove that their 2008 European Cup win was not a one time event. They are on my short list of favorites to win it all this time around.

Chile is my number two pick from Group H. They qualified in an extremely difficult group with ease falling short of number one qualifier Brazil by just one point. Chile may not be as well heard of as many of the other sides, but the teams of S. America must fight through the toughest qualifying region to make it to this stage. Chile could feasibly make it as far as they did in 1962 when they finished 2nd as the World Cup’s host nation

Picks for the Title

1. Spain
2. Brazil
3. United States ( Yes, that’s right I think we are a contender)
4. Italy

Tell me what you all think? What are your predictions?

USA!USA!USA!

Most travelers start their journey to Machu Picchu in Cuzco, Peru. Cuzco is a charming, rustic-feeling town and offers many options for travelers. There is an immense number of tour agencies that off everything from Inca trail treks, alternative treks, and treks or tours of Machu Picchu. The only thing negative about this abundance of services is that it’s really quite hard to determine which tour company is reputable.

The Peruvian government has recently made it mandatory for people that want to go hiking on the Inca trail to go with a guide. This is the government’s way of restricting the amount of travelers and what they do there in an effort to keep the Inca trail pristine.

Unfortunately, I do not have a list of reputable tour companies. When I asked at the hostel we stayed at, we were told that many companies earn a bad reputation through bad business practices and selling tourists an all-inclusive tour (as the price implies because many are quite high) but then they fail to follow through in providing everything. One girl we ran into was supposed to be on an all-inclusive 3 day tour if the Inca trail and Machu Picchu, but was instead given a tent to sleep in and only 1 meal a day.

One of the main issues with this is that tourists learn which tour companies are bad and quit using them. So the tour office closes down and reopens a few days later in a new location, under a new name. There are so good companies and guides, but do some research before going with one. Generally, the cheapest tour packages are not going to be good, many fail to provide equipment, lodging or meals, while the expensive agencies may not be all that much better.

Because of this, my friend and I decided to just do Machu Picchu on our own. To do this we first went to the train station on Chaparro and San Pedro (If you hop in a taxi and ask to be brought to the train station, they know exactly where to take you) to buy our tickets. We decided to go and come back within one day. There is a town that travelers can stay in at the foot of Machu Picchu, called Aguas Calientes, but it is not really a nice town at all, so many other travelers have suggested to stay away from it. (Aguas Calientes survives solely on tourism to Machu Picchu; therefore it is incredibly expensive, touristy, and I though really just ugly.)

Luckily we could buy the train tickets for the next day. We were told to go buy them as soon as we got into Cuzco because the train tickets sell out fast. As the train line was still somewhat destroyed from the recent mudslides, we had to take a bus to the train station.

The morning we went to Machu Picchu, we first took a taxi to the bus station (which is really just a street that multiple busses leave from-we asked at the train station where to go to get the busses.) Then we took a bus (really a van) from Cuzco to the train station in Piscacucho. There is more than one train station. From here it was a little over an hour into Aguas Calientes.

You can buy tickets to Machu Picchu either in Cuzco or Aguas Calientes. The prices are $126 soles (about US $45) for adults or $63 soles (US $23) with a student ID. The student discount is hard to get, though. You must have an ICIS card or a student ID card from your school to get this discount. Or maybe that was just what the men we talked to the day we went told us, as government officials have way too much discretion in South America. Students may be able to get in with other identification.

From Aguas Calientes, you can either hop onto a bus that will drive you to the top of Machu Picchu (maybe 10-15 minutes) or you can walk. The walk we were told is about 2 hours, but it is possible to do it in less. It is along the bus road for a little while and then up a ton of stone steps. If you are having any issues with altitude though, this will be much more difficult.

At the entrance of Machu Picchu there are two places where you can leave you bags, or you can take them into the site. I just suggest taking lots of water and photos! The park closes at 5p.m. so do try to get there fairly early in the afternoon for at least a few hours. If you get there early in the morning, you can walk up to another site on another part of the mountain, overlooking Machu Picchu. This site is closed to late-comers so if you want to get up to the highest point, you must go in the morning. Generally, this means you would have to stay in Aguas Calients the night before.

Machu Picchu is an incredibly beautiful and rich historical site. It is a must-see for many travelers to South America and can be done either through an organized tour or on your own.

Ecuadorian food markets are very different from the touristy artisan markets that many travelers will find.

The food markets are from a long Ecuadorian tradition of vendors gathering to sell their goods. They are generally open, but still in the same building each day. They have many entrances and stores all along the outside, but also a large open area with vendors inside.

In the food markets, obviously, generally food is found. There are many, many types of fruits, vegetables, cuts of meat, fish, cheese, milk, eggs, spices, and teas. There are generally more options of fruits and vegetables in the outdoor markets, as well as more cuts of meat available.

For example, I like to buy different kinds of nuts and bring them around with me so I have a snack or little lunch whenever I need it. I live by both a grocery store and outdoor market, so it’s pretty easy to compare the two. The grocery store has 3 types of nuts: peanuts, almonds and walnuts. As nuts are in the U.S., these are all fairly expensive. A really little bag of walnuts usually runs to about $4.00. In contrast, at the outdoor market there are many, many more choices of nuts, including peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hickory nuts and sunflower seeds, and these go for a lower price. The walnuts are around $2.80 or $3.00 at the most for a larger bag. Some Ecuadorians question the quality found in markets, but I have not gotten sick from them. Overall, the outdoor food markets generally have more variety for a lower price.

Restaurants are also a part of most Ecuadorian food markets. Almuerzo (lunch) restaurants are especially popular as it is the largest meal of the day. Generally restaurants sell a set lunch for under $3.00, unless this is a touristy and upscale restaurant, where it will obviously be more. There is a wall of restaurants in the market I frequent and they have signs out describing what the set lunch is. This is not uncommon in outdoor markets, nor is it uncommon to find an ice cream place. Ecuadorians seem to love ice cream, so it is sold absolutely everywhere-including on the bus.

Haggling and talking with the vendors is the reason that many Americans and Ecuadorians do not enjoy going to the market. In many instances, the consumer can haggle with the vendor to lower the price while simultaneously adding some to the quantity of fruits or vegetables you are buying. Meats are generally non-negotiable, and as most vendors assume that you know this, they may be rude about not wavering from the price. There is an easy way to tell though, what can be negotiated and what cannot. The foods that are clearly marked with a price, is not negotiable, while the foods that are unmarked are up for negotiating. (This is generally true in artisan markets as well.) Some of the people I have met here love going to the market, and others despise it because of the personal interactions and pressure associated with negotiating.

Grocery stores are very similar in Ecuador to what you would find in the United States. Many sell other things, like creams and soap, as the ones in the US now do as well. The prices are generally higher in the grocery stores, but the quality of the food is thought to be higher as well. Also, there are not refrigerators in the outdoor markets, but are in the groceries, so the quality of refrigerated food could be affected in the markets. (Although Americans tend to refrigerate things that don’t really need it, like eggs.) This does mean that grocery stores tend to have a much larger selection of dairy. Usually these are more types of cheese, yogurt and milk, although the milk is not usually refrigerated.

A discussion on artisan markets will be coming soon as I am going to the largest outdoor markets in Latin America this weekend: Otovalo.

At first glance, the bus system of Quito may seem intimidating and confusing. Or at least, for someone who has never lived in a city nor taken a city bus, it was. As myself and a few of my friends took a lot of time to figure out the bus system, I would like to give some explanation.

There are three main bus lines that run from north to south through Quito. These busses run parallel each other through the city, but end up in different places. Then there are two main bus terminals at the north and south of the city, which have busses that go either north or south of Quito.

Ecovia: This bus line starts as station Rio Coca and goes to many of the main parts of Quito. It stops as La mariscal (has a great night life), Quicentro (a shopping mall) and Old Town Quito. The stations are green, and there is usually just one Ecovia station with one side of it for busses that run north and the other side for those that run south.

Trolebus: This line I frequently use as I live very close. It gets packed just like any other bus line and goes to many of the major stops as well, but the walk from the Trolebus stop is generally longer than from the Ecovia stops. The Trolebus line is in the middle of the Ecovia and Metrobus lines, the three are parallel. The stations are green, and there are generally two of them: one station for busses running north and the other running south.

There is a bus that connects the Trolebus line to the Ecovia line. This bus leaves from Estaci?n Norte o La Y (it goes by both names) and to use this bus, follow the signs that say Integracion Trole. They are red signs and the platform is a little bit removed in both the Estacion Norte and Rio Coca stations; also, the bus only goes 4 times an hour, so if you miss it you’re out of luck for the next 15 minutes.

Metrobus: This line I take the least often, but it runs to north to south as the other two do through Quito. The stations for the Metrobus are one long gray station with one side for busses running north and the other station (they are connected, but look like two stations) going south. They always say which way they are running on the doorway in.

Ofelia: Estacion Ofelia is in the north of Quito and all of the busses that go north of the city leave from here. There is no central station in Quito. So if you are going somewhere north of Quito, the bus leaves from Ofelia. You can get to this station by taking the Metrobus all the way north. It’s a fairly nice station; all of the platforms have roofs over them, but a majority of the station is outside.

Quitumbre: This is the main bus station in the south. As with Ofelia, all busses going south of Quito begin in Quitumbre. This station is very new. It’s got a ton of offices from different companies to buy tickets from and the windows are arranged according to the part of the country where the company runs. For example, all of the companies that go to the coast are situated together. There is also a large shopping and eating area in Quitumbre with ATMs; something that Ofelia does not have. To get to Quitumbre, take the Trolebus all the way south.

A note about using the bus: be protective of your things! Myself, and a few of my friends have been robbed on the bus. Don’t get on a crowded bus with things in your back pockets and keep your bags in front of you. Even Ecuadorians wear their backpacks on their front while on the bus. These robberies are never violent, just someone putting their hand in your bag or cutting the side; just keep an eye on your things whenever you’re on the bus.