Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the highlands for a few days beforehand. The TelefériQo complex contains an amusement
park and first-aid center equipped with oxygen for emergencies.
Mariano Calvache E18A and Lorenzo Chávez
The
Capilla del Hombre
, or 'Chapel of Man' was the final masterpiece Oswaldo Guay-
asamín, an Ecuadorian artist lauded as the best painter in South America, created, convert-
ing his home into a work of art in dedication to the struggle of poor Latin American
people with an emphasis on the indigenous. The complex features a beautiful building de-
signed by the artist with an accompanying café and gift shop enveloped by gardens where
the 'Tree of Life' is planted, and underneath, Guayasamín's body is buried. Inspired by
his native heritage, the death of his best friend in college during a political demonstration
and his subsequent travels around Latin America in the early 1940s, the paintings depict
the struggle and suffering of South American people from pre-Columbian times to the
contemporary. Works are colorful, stark, haunting and beautiful. Guided tours in English
are included in the price of admission.
8 miles on Manuel Córdova Galarza road from Quito
How could you visit the country named after the Equator and not want to stand on its line?
Just outside of Quito, the 'Middle of the World' is a tourist attraction built to celebrate its
position at 0 ° longitude and 0 ° latitude. A 100 foot (30 m) monument topped by a 5 ton
globe marks this point, where innumerable revelers come from around the world to have
their picture taken. Unfortunately, modern progress in technology proves the site to be 262
yards (240 m) away from the actual equatorial line. Two lesser-known sites accurately
mark the Equator, Catequilla hill and Quisanto Sundial, both of which were used by pre-
Incans as astronomical lookouts. But the Mitad del Mundo still has its charms, including a
saturation of museums, restaurants, souvenir shops, winsome cafés and a central plaza
where nightly performances take place. With a guide, it's possible to visit all three sites in
one day.
Perimetral and Guangüiltagua
