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Manta Ecuador 2012
Today, (December 14, 2012), I visited Ecuador for the first time, in Manta, a picturesque fishing town, and 2nd largest port in the country. Manta is known for its booming tuna fishing, lively beaches, and colorful arts and handicrafts markets. Most notably is its proximity to the town of Monticristi, the epicenter of (erroneously named) “Panama Hat” manufacturing. Yes, the off-white, hand-woven hats with the black ribbon around the brim hail from Ecuador---not Panama. This misnomer resulted from a famous and widely circulated photograph of President Theodore Roosevelt, posing in a steam shovel in Panama (during the canal construction), sporting a Monticristi hat. The photo carried such significance because it is the first time a sitting US President travelled outside the US. He set a fashion trend and the hat gained recognition as a Panama, rather than Ecuador creation.
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| Hat Making Craft |
I took the ship’s shuttle bus (10 min/$5.50) to the town center to visit the local handicraft market. I was overwhelmed by the abundant and bright colors, textures, and shapes, on display with such a wide diversity of goods from alpaca wool clothing and blankets, to pre-Columbian artifact replicas, to dazzling silver jewelry, to Tagua carvings, and of course, to the famous, hand-woven Monticristi hats.
Bargains are terrific here and I found the people to be sweet and gentle.
After strolling the market, I took a seat at a busy café and decided to savor traditional Ecuadorian ceviche pescado (with plantain chips). It was delectable and cost only $2.75. (Ecuador’s currency is the $US). I stayed a while absorbing the sights, sounds, and smells while a lively Ecuadorian musical trio serenaded us.
It was a really pleasant day.
