Greetings from the Center of the World

I have just ventured into the northern hemisphere for the first time in nearly 2 weeks. Rachel and I set out for the center of the world i.e. the equator early this morning. Last night the two of us had trouble falling asleep because we were busy concocting ideas as to what the best possible way to photograph what may be our once in a lifetime opportunity to straddle the equator. I will post the results as soon as I am back in the states! There´s nothing like a little suspense once in awhile.

After visiting the equator monument, we went to a little museum funded by an organization dedicated to shifting the common astrological position on the earth´s center of rotation. The researcher gave a very compelling speech and spoke English phenomenally well, but I maintain some reservations as to his theory that the earth does not rotate at 23 degrees from the sun. I was, however, fascinated by the Incan and Saquichua...pardon the spelling...history and ties to the original discovery of the equator. The guy also explained the origins of the star-like symbol popular on 18th and 19th century American quilts and throughout South American art. Little did I know..I mean, I thought the symbol was just a pretty clump of triangles that loosely resembled a star.

Tomorrow Rachel and I depart the capital city and head north to the cloud forest of Santa Lucia. I regret to say this, but this cloud forest is only accessible by foot. I know, I know, I said I would never hike again and here I go setting out on a 2 hour hike to a rural ecolodge nestled deep in the mountains. The owners of the ecolodge are prepared to meet me and Rachel and a bus stop in the town of Nanengal with a 4wd vehicle. They will drive us to start of the foot trail where mules will transport our belongings and we will trek 1.5 to 2 hours up a steep, damp, trail. My legs have hardly recovered from last week´s monstrosity. I sure hope they hold up. If not, I´m hiring myself a mule...no, seriously.