One of the main reasons that Lewis the Lion wanted to visit Ecuador’s capital city, Quito, was because he knew that not far away was the line of the Equator. He loved the thought of being able to have one paw in each hemisphere at the same time and so he set off to see if he could reach zero degrees latitude!
Lewis the Lion shows where he is in the world
So after two bus rides (one called a Metrobus which ran along fast bus lanes into the city centre) which took about an hour an a half,
Lewis waits on the platform of the metrobus
he first ended up in a place that people used to think was the line of the Equator. He kind of ended up there by accident if the truth be told because the bus conductor forgot to tell him when his stop was! However, Lewis the Lion didn’t mind as it meant that he got to see something extra to boot. He also enjoyed the journey: he thought it was really interesting that the bus conductors still had to clock-on and clock-off as they passed different points along the way. The bus ride also included an interesting sales pitch made for 20 minutes about a special tablet and there were people selling ice-cream, sweets and snacks jumping on and off the bus trying to sell their wares to the passengers.
The bus conductors have to clock on!
Lewis stands beside the original monument marking the Equator
The bus terminal arrived at a monument that marked the original spot where people had thought the equator was but that was in the days before they could use precise scientific equipment. It wasn’t so far away from the actual point, perhaps a mile or so away. Lewis the Lion was happy to see that reference had been made to Greenwich, his home in England which has a special line of longtitude running through it.
Can you research to find out why Greenwich in London is important on a global level?
He then caught another bus to a place called la Mitad del Mundo – the Middle of the World. ‘This had to be the line of the Equator now,’ Lewis thought to himself.
Lewis in the middle of the Earth
He paid the entrance fee to the park where a clear yellow line ran right through it marking the Equator. People were posing having their photos taken with a foot on either side of the Equator: one in the Northern hemisphere and one in the Southern Hemisphere.
Lewis sees people having their photos taken on the line of the Equator
Lewis couldn’t wait to do the same!
At first he perched on top of the sign as you can see in this photo:
Lewis the Lion has a paw in each hemisphere!
It wasn’t long before he was straddling the line with his tail flicking slowly and deliberately from one side to the other.
Lewis has fun lying on the line of the Equator!
This was so cool to think that his body was split between two hemispheres simultaneously!
Lewis can see both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres simultaneously
He then ventured to a special museum where he learnt a lot about the different ethnic communities that make up Ecuador. What a fascinating and culturally rich country it was, from indigenous tribes living in the forest to fisherman communities on the coast. Lewis the Lion paid special attention to an exhibition about the Galapagos Islands which belong to Ecuador, even though they are located more than 200 miles away in the Pacific Ocean. It made him even more excited about his impending visit there!
Lewis visits the cool Solar Inti-Nan Museum
Next Lewis the Lion decided to visit another special museum dedicated to this unique line of latitude on the planet. Here Lewis had great fun learning about a jungle tribe who used to shrink heads to wear as a good luck charm in battle!
Lewis sees a traditional Amazonian native along with some giant spiders
But he had even more fun still when he carried out some scientific experiments to prove he really was on the Equator. It transpired that the last place he had had his photo taken wasn’t the line of the Equator either but this time, he really was on it and he could prove it scientifically!
Lewis the Lion rests on zero latitude!
Do you want to know how?
First of all his guide told him that they knew because nowadays, they used satellite navigation systems (GPS) to tell them. But even with these there was a margin of 25 miles of error to either side. So, how could he really be sure?
Well here are 5 different experiments that he saw:
1. Balancing an egg on a nail
Lewis watches as somebody tries to balance an egg on a nail
He saw many people try but without much luck. You needed to be very patient indeed but eventually somebody cracked it! No. They didn’t break it but they did manage to balance it on a nail!
An egg is balanced on a nail on the Equator!
The reason this can be done only on the Equator is because the earth exerts equal pressures on the liquid inside the egg at the Earth’s mid-point.
2. A sundial
- Lewis sees a sun dial on the true line of the Equator
This special sundial proved that they were on the equator because of the way the shadows fell with the sun directly above the equator.
3. Walking along a straight line
- People walk along the line as if they were drunk!
People were told to close their eyes, throw their heads back and then to try to walk along a straight line. This proved nearly impossible and Lewis laughed his hearty laugh as people drifted quickly off the line, thinking that they were walking straight. They also appeared very unbalanced as if they were drunk. Lewis the Lion thought that this was really funny! The reason is because the pressure and balance in our ears is also affected on the equator.
4. Which way does the water flow?
“Which way will the water swirl down the plughole?” Lewis wonders.
The tour guide then conducted some fascinating experiments with a tub of water and some leaves. At first he let the water drain down the plughole as the tub of water sat on the precise line of the Equator – zero latitude.
Look what happens in this video clip on You tube. Experiment One.
Next the guide moved the tub of water into the Southern Hemisphere, just a couple of metres from the line of the Equator. Watch what happens now. Experiment Two.
The guide then moved the tub of water, a couple of metres into the Northern Hemisphere. Look at what happens to the leaves this time. Experiment Three.
Lewis the Lion was amazed! He’d never really noticed the way the water swirled down a plughole or the toilet before but from now on, he’d watch out!
From watching these experiments, can you work out in which hemisphere cyclones, typhoons and hurricanes happen in?
5. How strong do you feel on the Equator?
People seem to lose their strength on the Equator
People were told to make an ‘O’ sign with their thumbs and index fingers off the line of the equator, whilst their friends tried to pull their fingers apart. Normally the person making the ‘O’ won. However, when they then went to stand on the equator, suddenly their friends were able to pull their fingers apart. Very strange!
Another experiment was that one person had to hold their hands up high in the air and their friend had to try to pull them down like a lever. Again, away from the line of the equator (even just a few metres away), they couldn’t pull their arms down but suddenly on the equator itself, it became easy. Lewis the Lion wondered how this was possible? He discovered that on the equator we weigh lighter because gravity is not as strong. (Helen thought that there should perhaps be some weighing scales there too with a print-out!). That means that our muscles don’t work as well, i.e. we lose some of our strength or your power just seems to disappear on the equator!
What a fascinating set of experiments!
After this science fun, what was interesting for Lewis the Lion was that the tribe that lived on the equator hundreds of years ago knew they were on the line which is why they were called Quitos which means in the middle of the earth. They revered nature and in particular the sun, which is reflected in many other cultures, as seen in these totems or statues from around the world.
Lewis sees some replicas of some of the great sun monuments from around the world
Before Lewis the Lion left the museum, he understood a little bit more about Ecuadorian culture too as he saw a traditional 18th Century Ecuadorian house
A traditional 18th century Ecuadorian house
and a woman spinning threads. He found this very interesting especially as everywhere he went in Ecuador he saw beautifully crafted mats and rugs and now he knew how they were made.
Lewis sees a traditional Ecuadorian woman spinning threads
At the end of their visit, they could get their passports stamped but because Helen had been über-cautious whilst in Quito she’d left hers back at the hostel. Never mind.
Lewis poses on a carriage near the Equator
It just meant that Lewis the Lion had time for a couple more photos before he left this fun and educational museum.
Lewis is happy to have visited the Equator
Lewis the Lion loved the experiments. Why don’t you check to see which hemisphere you are in by looking at which way the water drains down the plug hole?
