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We thank you for providing us the opportunity to assist you; and we promise to make your travel experience a satisfying and enriching one in the coming days!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

 

Did you know that the "Panama hat" does not come from Panama?

Did you know that the "Panama hat" does not come from Panama? How the origin of this beautiful hat was confused?

 

Most people don’t know that the Panama hat is actually originated in Ecuador not Panama; as the name suggests.

The toquilla straw hat is a traditional brimmed straw hat of Ecuadorian origin. This plant, which is native from Ecuador belongs to the family of cyclanthaceae (similar to the palm). The most important plantations are found in Manabi and Guayas provinces, as well as some areas of the Amazon basin. The plant was named “Carludovica palmata”.

It was during the construction of the Panama Canal when Ecuadorian artisans sold their hats to the businessmen and constructors that were involved in the building of the canal. Photos of workers together with the photographs of Theodore Roosevelt brought the hat into the spotlight.

Hat making is completely manual, with all its forms simplified by custom and skill of the craft workers. The first part to be woven is the pattern. Few straw fibers are employed in its initial creation, to which fibers are progressively added until a width is attained that varies between five and 10 centimeters. To weave the hat body, a mold (a block of wood) is used to gradually produce the shape to where the brim begins, which is the final element of a hat of seven to 15 centimeters. After that comes the “remate” (tying off), which consists of doing a special interweaving to finish the weaving process.

The next stage in the creation of a hat is performed by women and is known as the “azocada” (tightening), which consists of tightening the tied-off fibers to keep the weave from coming undone, followed by clipping the excess fibers. Then the hat is washed, “whitened” or dyed, and dried in the sun. When it has lost its shape and looks like a bell, with precision and strength the craftsman’s hands return it to its original shape; this stage is the “compostura” (reshaping). The persons who perform this activity are usually urban dwellers and work in the warm atmosphere of their home.

 

The traditional art of hand-weaving toquilla hats has been passed down for generations and continues to receive world attention. UNESCO  recently recognized the Ecuadorian art of weaving a genuine toquilla hat as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Sources: Homero Ortega and Montecristi Panama Hats

Photographs:  Homero Ortega and Reinhard Hasheider

 

A very interesting place you should not miss while travelling in Quito

Feline pot from "La Tolita" Culture.  Photo credit: Gustavo Cabezas. 

You could spend hours trying to discover the history of the Colonial Centre of Quito through its walls and the interior of its houses.

But there is a house with a very special feature inside. I'm talking about "La Casa del Alabado" - it is a Pre-Columbian Art Museum that stands very close to San Francisco Church, on the Cuenca N1-41 street, between Bolivar and Rocafuerte streets.   

The museum is hosted in a Colonial house from 1671, on the doorway it is possible to read the inscription: "Praised be the holy soul, the façade of this house was finished in the year of the Lord 1671". Praised in spanish means "Alabado" and House: "Casa", where it comes the name: Casa del Alabado.

Monolith from Valdivia Culture. Photo credit: Gustavo Cabezas. 

The museum displays one of the best collections of Pre-Columbian artwork, more than 500 pieces are exhibited permanently. Some pottery from Ecuadorian cultures like Valdivia, Machalilla, Chorrera, Tolita, Jama- Coaque are possible to see along the visit.

Shaman ceramic. Photo credit: Gustavo Cabezas. 

Recommendations during your visit:

You can follow some of our recommendations to make much better your visit while there.

1. Inside of the museum is allow to take pictures with out flash. The first rooms are dark but gradually become clear. You can adjust the settings if Your camera has Manual Mode (M): ISO 2500 to 1600. Aperture 3.5 to 7.1 and speed 10 to 20.
2. There are not local guides available at the museum. So you could ask to your favorite travel agency to include this museum in your city tour and a guide with knowledge about archeology and history of Pre-Columbian cultures.
3. Also you could buy a guide book of the museum that comes in English and Spanish.

Shaman's table from Jama Coaque Culture. Photo credit Gustavo Cabezas

Ecuador and Galapagos Bird Watching

Ecuador is definitely a bird watching paradise; with over than 1600 species and home for hummingbirds, colorful tanagers, rare and endemic birds. 

Ecuadorian Hillstar (Oreotrochilus chimborazo). Ecuadorian Andes. Chimborazo - Ecuador.

Because of its amazing wildlife; thousands of people who love nature and wildlife photography come to Ecuador to get the best picture!

Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata), also known as Galapagos Albatross. Galapagos - Ecuador

Ecuador is one of the top four richest countries worldwide in terms of bird life, making an excellent location for bird watching. 

Masked Trogon (Trogon personatus) - Ecuadorian cloud forest.

 

Ecuador has more bird species than the United States, Canada and Europe put together, It also has slightly less than twice as many bird species in Costa Rica (877 species.). 

 

Golden Crowned Flycatcher (Myiodynastes chrysocephalus) - Ecuadorian cloud forest.

Almost half of all the hummingbird species in the world can be found in Ecuador.

White Necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora)

Galapagos Islands

 The Galapagos archipelago has been described as one of the most unique, scientifically important, and biologically outstanding areas on earth. 

The Galapagos Islands are home to some of the highest levels of endemism (species found nowhere else on earth) anywhere on the planet. About 80% of the land birds you will see, 97% of the reptiles and land mammals, and more than 30% of the plants are endemic. 

More than 20% of the marine species in Galapagos are found nowhere else on earth. Favorites include the giant Galapagos tortoise, marine iguana, flightless cormorant, and the Galapagos penguin—the only penguin species to be found in the Northern Hemisphere.