Panama Hats
On Saturday got an early breakfast and watched as we pulled into the port of Manta, Ecuador.
I boarded the tour bus on the pier just to the left of the disembarkation point. We were not allowed to walk from the pier to town. My day long tour began by going through the town of Manta and heading South. First we stopped at a ECO sanctuary and resort, Pacoche, were we were shown how to make a traditional Ecuadorian appetizer of the coastal cuisine. This is a meatball shaped mashed green banana mixed with diced onion and the center filed with shredded cheese. The balls are then fried for about 5 minutes and are ready to serve. We departed the resort and headed further South to San Lorenzo to see a small fishing town.
We then headed back north to Manta where we visited a tagua button factory. The seed of the tagua palm is a nut the size of a small egg. The tree is only found in Equador and Columbia. At the factory, we saw how the tagua nut (sometimes called vegetable ivory) is peeled, cut and made into ivory like buttons, sculptures and souvenirs.
We then proceeded to Montechisti where we visited a ranch which mantenos (the people of Manta) demonstrated the steps required to create a Panama hat. The fiber for the hat is obtained from a palm tree plant called Carludovica palmate found only in tropical regions. The fibers are woven into a hat. The finer the weave, the longer it takes to make and the more expensive it is. Once woven, the hat is shaped by beating and ironing it. Then the band is added and the hat is complete.
After the Panama hat demo we were taken back to the ship. From there, I took a shuttle into downtown Manta and walk around the area. I checked out the outdoor market and the supermarket( mall).
It was then time to head back to the ship and prepare for dinner and departing Manta.
Today, Sunday, was spend on background information on Lima and Peru. I took another Photography Tips and Tricks class, a Foxtrot dance class, got my deck laps in and am preparing for the formal dinner and dance tonight.
There will be less photos uploaded because the internet connection I do get is unreliable and VERY slow.