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Published: January 29th 2010
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Manta, Ecuador
Our tour in Ecuador took us to Monte Cristi, a small town near the port. We learned that Panama hats are not made in Panama, but in Monte Cristi, and some other towns in Ecuador. It is here that agave is used for hats, sacks, and other woven items, not tequila. The plant is stripped of the outer covering, dried, and processed into fine threads for weaving. We entered a rather smallish building where the strings are beaten and made thinner before weaving. All of the machines used are run on gasoline motors, so the fumes permeate the place. One light bulb, held by a worker, was the only artificial light in the place. Workers, mostly women, earn about $200 a month working six days a week. The twine, or thread, is then taken to another place where they make hats and other things including a kind of “burlap” bag for coffee beans, etc.
Outside, vendors sold their wares and children dressed in colorful skirts posed for pictures if we gave them money. We were going to another market place where they make hats, so we didn’t buy any there. In fact, neither of us bought a
Panama hat. The prices run from about $15 to thousands. We didn’t see the expensive kind in the market, but some hats were $100. We learned to tell the better ones from the cheaper ones by feel and putting them up to the light to see the holes. The very expensive ones take over a year to make, and they are all made by hand in this area.
Next, we visited an ivory nut plant. The ivory nut is the nut from a tree grown in this area. It is about the size of an egg. They dry the nuts on the ground for several months until they are very hard before peeling them and carving them. The results are amazingly like ivory. We saw them using what looked like a buzz saw to carve these nuts into the most intricate designs - many animals. I think many a finger got caught in the machines as most of the workers wore bandages. What isn’t used for carving is ground for animal feed or used for making bricks for building so every part of the nut is used.
From there we went to a large market where they sold
all of the things we had seen being made. Many people bought hats. We bought some ivory nut carvings (3 for $5), an agave duster for $2, and some nice earrings before leaving to return to the ship. Our last stop was at their museum. They are a proud people, but very poor. The main source of income other than agave products is tuna fishing. Ecuador has a beautiful coast line, and tourism is a growing source of income as more guides learn English and their buses are becoming air conditioned.
We returned to the ship in time for the first playoff game. The Java Café has the large screen, but only holds about twenty people. Those of us who got there early got seats and the group had a good time cheering, mostly for the Jets. We ate between games at the Lido so we could finish in time for the second game. Some new people came to this one. Two people from North Dakota wearing Vikings shirts, another from South Dakota rooting for the Vikings.. Then, our friends from our world cruise who used their computer so we could “see” the Packer game in 2008 joined us. They live in Cincinnati but go to at least one Packer game a year. They were hoping the Saints won, but were really wanting a good game, and wanting the best team to go to the Super Bowl. It was a good game, probably better than the Super Bowl, but so many fumbles! We had a good day, and Bruce got his football fix. Rumor has it we will have a Super Bowl party aboard ship. Don’t know what he’s going to do after the next game ends. Maybe he’ll get into learning cricket since they show that on international ESPN from time to time.
We are into our second day at sea before we arrive in Calleo (Lima), Peru. You won’t believe what is on TV now on TCM. “De plane! De plane!”. Yep, Fantasy Island! It is kind of fun to see the old cast and know everyone will go home better than when they came. We have a chance to do laundry and try more bridge before the port lecture Tonight three of the entertainers will all perform as they get off in Lima and new talent comes on. Some of the passengers are also leaving tomorrow. Don’t know if new ones are coming aboard or not. Probably so.
I’ll try to publish pictures this time, but couldn’t last time. I’ll go to the internet café to get help. If you don’t see any, that means I couldn’t upload them from here. Just so you know.
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