The Equator
Our first full day in Ecuador included a trip to the Equator. They aren't kidding when they say that the sun is hot there! What was interesting to see was the building that the President of Ecuador built specially for the presidents of other South American countries to meet whenever they need to.
Waterfall
On the way to the mountain camp we stopped at a waterfall. We were able to hike down to it, walk right beside it, and even go all the way behind it. The waterfall was so awesome to see up close! It was definitely something that was once in a lifetime to experience.
Crossing the Ravine
One of the most exhilarating, but sketchiest things I have ever done is climb into a metal basket that goes really high over a ravine. I cannot describe how scared I was. I can almost guarantee that my knuckles were white from holding on for dear life. What a story to tell about something I have done though!
Catholic Churches
While in Ecuador we also had the chance to visit two Catholic churches. They were both beautiful churches! I will say that it was eerie in both of them. In the first set of pictures you see is of the church in Baños. This was where we stopped before continuing on to the waterfall. Of the two Catholic churches that we stopped at this one was my favorite in the way it was decorated.
The second church is the San Francisco Church in Quito, Ecuador. A fun fact about this church is that Pope Francis visited there the week before we got there. This church is much more elaborate than the other church we visited. In the picture you will see a lot of gold, and all of it used to be real gold. The only place in the church that real gold exists now is the front altar, everything else you see is painted. This church is heavily guarded, and is part of the Ecuadorian treasury. In one of the pictures you will see a trapdoor in the floor that leads to catacombs underneath the city.
President's Palace
While in Quito we also viewed the President's palace. This elaborate palace is very beautiful on the outside, hopefully on the next trip we can tour the inside. Outside the front doors are guards, and every Monday they have the changing of the guard. Everyone gathers in Independence Square for this event. Local schools are invited to be in attendance, and the honor students of the schools are rewarded for their grades by having the opportunity to have coffee and discussion time with the President. Beside the President's palace is the building that the Archbishop of the Catholic church owns. He rents out the shops to vendors, and because of that he is very wealthy.
Saint House
We also visited the Saint House on our way back to Quito. This house was built by Nate Saint who was killed along with four of his fellow missionaries by a local tribe in 1956. They thought they had made friendly contact with the tribe so they landed their plane, and went to meet them. Unfortunately the contact that they thought was friendly turned out to be the complete opposite. They lost their lives for Christ that day on the beach. We stood in the very room that their wives stood in while they waited for the radio call from their husbands that they never received. We all got chill bumps when they told us that! What was most humbling and inspiring about the story is the fact that a few years after the terrible tragedy, their wives actually went into the very tribe that killed their husbands to teach the children and share the word of God with them. Talk about the ultimate story of forgiveness and obedience! Another cool thing about the house was that they have handmade items available for sale from the local tribes that are only accessible by plane. When the visitors buy the items, the missionaries bring the money back directly to the tribe. This is a very big source of income for the tribe.