Before the arrival of the Spaniards, settled cultures in what is now known as Ecuador were guided by deities. The Incas believed condors were the messengers of the gods. Sociologist Dimitri Peñasco says the condor is believed to lead the dead
Ecuador really does boast the highest peak in the world, when measured as it should be — from the Earth's core. Those who wish to stand on the planet's closest point to outer space must come to the Andes in South America, close to the Equator line.