When Don returned from his mission to Uruguay fifty years ago next June, he was privileged to see such impressive sites and sights as Iguazu Falls, Lake Titicaca, Puno and Cusco (Peru), Machu Picchu, and Quito (Ecuador). He vowed that someday he would take Virginia back to see those same places. This year saw the fulfillment of that dream, as well as a fulfillment of the dream to go back with Virginia to see San Juan, Argentina, where she spent the first six months of her mission. We did the Peru part in July with Ricky's family and Susan, and in November and early December we were able to see Quito, San Juan, and Iguazu. Photos follow:
Here I am at the presumed equatorial line outside of Quito in 1963.
It turns out the real line, as measured with GPS, is actually a couple of hundred yards removed from where the long-standing official monument is located. We took pictures at both but think this one, inside a small outdoor museum known as Inti-ñan, is the more significant. In addition to having the line drawn which you can straddle (putting me in late spring and Virginia in late fall), they have a number of other interesting demonstrations, including one showing water draining clockwise in one hemisphere and counterclockwise in the other, and going straight down right on the equatorial line. See videos of the same below.
A pretty yellow bird also got his picture taken.
In this replica of an indigenous hut, Virginia almost lost her head by getting to close to the resident snake.
Head shrinking demonstration
Actual shrunken human head (over 100 years old) and shrunken sloth head
The Iglesia de la Compañia de Jesús in Quito is considered the most elegant in all the Americas.
The interior has a solid gold front altar and gold plating throughout. Some seven tons of gold were used in its adornment.
A vivid painting of the supposed pains of hell is designed to encourage believers to stay on the straight and narrow.
The San Francisco Church, built over an ancient Inca temple, takes up nearly two blocks and is the largest of Quito's many churches.
The Basilica del Voto Nacional, begun in 1892 and taking over 100 years to complete, may be the most architecturally impressive of Quito's churches.
The Basilica is adorned within by lots of lovely stained glass windows.
From the top of the Basilica, one has a great view of Quito.
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| The Metropolitan Cathedral is the oldest in town, if we understand correctly. |
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| An archaeological museum provided a couple of interesting hours and an escape from the rain. Here is an interesting thin gold sheet with fine engravings on it. |
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| Evidence that the ancients also chewed gum. |
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| Cloth armor such as Book of Mormon warriors may have worn |
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| The serpent seems to have been a symbol used throughout ancient America. |
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| After flying from Quito to Mendoza, Argentina, with layovers in Lima and Santiago, we took a bus from Mendoza to San Juan. |
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| Here is Virginia in 1961 with a local horse and buggy. |
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| Amazingly, we found the same horse still on duty! |
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| Here is Virginia with some members of the San Juan Branch in 1961 in front of the rented house which served as the chapel. The sister missionaries lived on the second level. |
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| Here is the same building 51 years later, with the current owner posing with Virginia. |
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| Here is Virginia with one of the San Juan Branch Primaries in 1961. |
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| Here is a Brother Chacon, who was one of those Primary children, as was his brother, who is currently bishop of the Santa Lucia Ward. |
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| The Santa Lucia Ward chapel in San Juan, which instead of a branch of 17 members now has two stakes. |
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| A highlight of our visit to San Juan was to be able to see an Elder Augusto Ortega, who was one of Virginia's piano students while we were in Panama. We had permission from the mission president to take Elder Ortega and his companion to lunch. |
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| Quinn Gardner and Don Cazier on their way home from Uruguay in 1963, at the Garganta del Diablo, or Devil's Throat, the biggest single fall in Iguazu Falls, which in total includes some 275 separate falls stretching across almost two miles. Compared to Iguazu Falls, Eleanor Roosevelt is reputed to have said that Niagra Falls was a "leaky faucet." |
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| Don at Iguazu Falls in 1963 |
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| Virginia at the Devil's Throat |
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| Devil's Throat |
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| Another view of Iguazu |
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| Pretty butterfly strikes up friendship. Butterflies of all colors abounded, though big yellow ones were the most profuse. |
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| Jungle flowers |
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| Tropical fruit growing wild at Iguazu |
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| Coatimundis hope someone will disregard instructions not to feed them. |
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| Colorful lizard |
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| More wild flowers |
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| Things don't get much prettier than this. |
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| For $30 you could take a ride under one of the falls. You could save $60 per couple and stay drier by deciding not to do it. |
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| Exotic birds at Iguazu |
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| The absolute and most unexpected highlight of the trip was getting a Skype call from Elder James B. Martino, Central America Area President, calling us on behalf of the First Presidency to serve as first counselor and assistant matron, respectively, in the new Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple (shown above). We will begin service on March 1. |
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| Here is the missionary photo that will accompany our formal application. |
