Visiting the Home of the Panama Hat.

---

We are here in CUENCA for a longer stay than usual and that's because we like it here, plus there's lots to see and do and the climate is right at just over 7,000 feet.

Cuenca is Ecuador's third largest City and has a gorgeous location in the mountains of the southern highlands. It's prosperous, historical and was named a UNESCO heritage city in 1999. Around every corner you are bound to stumble upon another stunning church, park or dramatic building loaded with character. There are lots of great shops, cafes, museums and an interesting mix of people. There are lots of students, slick businessmen and the ever colorful indigenous women with their babies wrapped to their backs tottering off to market--in short: something for everyone.

At the Museo Pumapungo they have a fabulous ethnographic exhibit which features every group indigenous to Ecuador in life-sized displays and the coolest part of all that would be the five shrunken heads called tsantsas from the Shuar culture. We learned they started the whole practice on sloths but eventually started doing it to their enemies until it became outlawed. To see a human head reduced to the size of a softball with all it's features perfectly intact is pretty fascinating. Of course there are stores here that sell realistic facsimiles for a reasonable price--any takers? Greg?

Cuenca is also the center for the panama hat industry. It's interesting to note that they call them "panama" hats simply because they were first exported to the men working on the Panama canal but their origin is Ecuador. We were shown one of the finest at a store in Quito. The hat was so finely woven it took 4 months to create, could be rolled up and slipped through a man's ring and was worth $600 US. It was a beauty but you can get nice ones for a lot less. This morning Fernando and I managed to hunt down the store/workshop of Alberto Pulla, Cuenca's oldest and most famous panama hat maker. When we first got to his shop he invited us up to his workshop which is chock-a-block full of hats and articles about Alberto. He has apparently been making these hats by hand since he was about 9 years old, so he really knows his stuff. Anyway, after trying a few on, Fernando decided on one and Alberto proceeded to roll it up, put it inside a special box and then wrote a little message on the outside and signed it. What a nice souvenir of Cuenca!

I have included a few shots of some of the sites near our hostal. We have plans to visit the National park Cajas tomorrow but I'll save that for another blog.

---

Comments

[Jenny]

Ya estuvo!
OK. That's it. Either you adopt me or something because I've had it!!! What a great trip, what a great blog and pics. It is truly one of the joys of my day to check this site. Luvya-Missya- Jenny

[Ruesgini]

Jenny!
I was under the impression we HAD adopted you. xo It's comments like yours that keep the blog wheels greased, baby. Went out clubbing last night and I'm a little worse for wear and tear but I also got some cool club shots for the next blog.

[Jenny]

Aha. So does that mean i can sue you for abandonment. i've had so much luck doing that, yaknow, haha. Just got offline with langette. going to the beach tomorrow. When do you come home??

[Ruesgini]

Jenny.
Ya, best to let sleeping dogs lie...What beach are you off to? Is Langetter featuring her new tanga laden work-out bod? We are back on Aug. 1 st. Big gab session in order!!!