We were off on a tour to see how Panama Hats are made and to learn about the tauga nut and it's attributes.
A somewhat long day but relaxing. First stop was a Resort out of Manta a bit, in the bush, where we learned how to take a plantain, which is a banana like thing that is not at all a banana and make it into a Ecuadorean breakfast. Interesting.
Next was remote beach where green sea turtles eggs are laid. The eggs are covered in sand of course but marked with stakes and a cordon and the expected date of hatching is posted as well.
We stopped next at a co-op that makes Panama Hats. There is an elaborate and time consuming process to take the stems of a cane and make it into threads, some almost hair-like in thickness and the elaborate process that follows where they are treated and then woven into the basic form of a hat.
The women doing the weaving are standing, but bending over and pressing down on a mold and speedily but in a complicated way interweaving the strands. The hat then goes through several more stages before it is finally fit to sell, or wear.
Next was the tuaga nut place where we saw the 'vegetable ivory' nut transformed into delicate carvings and buttons. Interesting again.
Back to the ship at two, a 10 minute bite to eat and then the free shuttle to town to the free internet and send some pics to Craig.
We cleaned up, went to the buffet for dinner and called it a day.
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Ecuador is a democracy and doing quite well, they have oil that accounts for 40% of its economy. Gas is $2.00 per gallon, the currency is the US dollar.
Its biggest environmental problem is El Niño: too much water that creates havoc. The people are very, very friendly, almost naive it seems. Nice to see.
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