Journey to the Centre of the Earth

In 1864 Jules Verne said the centre of the Earth contained dinosaurs. JRR Tolkein claimed Middle Earth was full of hobbits. Mariners of centuries past derided the equatorial regions with their lack of prevailing winds as the doldrums. Science claims that the centre of the earth contains a solid ball of spinning iron, which creates the planet. But they are all wrong... except maybe the scientists.

And how do I know this? Today I went to the middle of the earth (Mitad del Mundos) and discovered that it actually contains a theme park with blaring music, tacky gift shops and overpriced exhibits. Obviously Ecuador lies across the Equator, and they set up a park on 0°, 0', 0" featuring a planetarium, exhibits on French and Spanish research trips to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, and a big monument with a line down the middle, so people can stand with one foot in each hemisphere and take silly photos.

The only problem is that the actual Equator is not under that line. It is about 250m up the road in a much less visited location, the Museo De Sitio Intinan at the end of a dirt road. There you can balance an egg on the head of a nail (I did and received a certificate for my efforts), look at the Coriolis effect in action (where water drains from a sink clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere and anti-clockwise in the Northern), and view a shrunken human head, plus receive instructions in Engish on how to shrink your own human heads at home. No, really.

One reader of this blog who shall remain nameless (Adam Philippe), noted a lack of photos with me in them in previous blog postings, and suggested that I might actually be sitting at home looking up web photos and writing interesting stories. Well, I'd like to report that I am not hiding in my own house and Adam, this photo is especially for you. It might not be the Equator, but it definitely isn't Woolloomooloo!

And here's me with my balancing egg.