The Panama Hat

Did you think the panama hat is made in Panama?Wrong and 0 points for you.

All the panama hats in the world are of course made here in Ecuador. The exclusive raw material is the straws of a plant which is growing in the coastal parts of this country.

This picture is taken outside a combined museum and hat shop in Cuenca. Here will you find hats in all sizes, different qualities and a wide specter of prices. You could also get a demonstracion of the complicated process of making them.

But why do they call them "pananahats" then? Well, you se, for export to Europe they had to send them trough the panama canal. And so the europeans thought it was a panamanian product. The hat were also frequently used by the workers during the construction of the canal.

Olafos

Discretly located, nearby the central streets of Quito, we find an little restaurant named Olafo's. This brave viking must have travelled a long way for founding the place and serving his excelent pizza. Actually he is colombian according to the sign.

But maybe they have the opinion that vikings are nice guys? Olafo is also the spanish name for the comic viking Hagar the Horrible.

And no, they don't serve spam.

Christmas Coke

A certain sign that it's only three months left to christmas is the appearance of the coke tree besides the comercial centre El Jardin in Quito.

And it's not an simple organic tree. It's the real thing made with natural synthetic ingredients. Coke has already trademarked santa claus, so why not the christmas tree?

There are also rumours about negotiations with the pope about using the christmas gospel for marketing. The cruzificition scene is of big interest for the Coca Cola company.

Than Good we live in a country where christmas isn't comerzialiced yet.

The Main Course

Today we proudly present the main course and national dish of Ecuador. It is very popular in the highlands.

If you don't see what it is, we will releave the secret right now: It is Guinea pig (called "cuy" by locals). These little animals are bred with the only purpose ending on the dish at your table. In the restaurants you will find then in the more expensive parts of the menu.

We refuse to reveal the receit in case that someones is tempted to serve the pet of their evil step-daughter for dinner.

A head shorter

Today we have received an instruction from our friends in the rain forests. It's, as always, an example of excelent brain works.

As obvious for everyone, you start to cut off the head. But the art of drying and prepare it as a colectors item requires skills and experience. This poster will result necessary for beginners.

You only do what is shown here. When the head is cooked, we will present the nextposter.

The day of the dead

Congratulations livings and deads.

This day, the second of november, is the day we meet, talk a little gossip and shear a meal consisting of pan de guagua and cola morada.

And tomorrow, everybody has returned to their own side.

Hopefully.......

The nude man

Would you hand me my pants, p l e a s e !

This horny fella' is looking at you trough his glass monter.

Should you believe that he is more than 2000 years old? Made by one of the so-called pre-colombian tribes long time before Christopher Colombus and his spanish gang got the idea of crossing the ocean for finding India .

In Ecuador there are a lot of treasures like this. The nude man lives in a museum in Cuenca, in the south of Ecuador.

Todays starter

Yummi!

Before the main course we're serving a delicious combination of fried banana and cheese.

In Ecuador there are a number of varieties of the banana fruit, and probably a thousand ways of preparing it.

This, as you can see, is one of the easiest plates. For the beginners :-). Neverless, it tastes good.

Chevere!

Like a virgin

The virgin of Quito stands at the hights of El Panecillo. She protects the city.

But what kind of protection could you expect from a virgin? Is it not enough for her trying to protect herself and her virginity?

Well, as a saint she does have the direct line to the highest autority, so she do have some influence.

But the virgin of Quito is also a good hostess. She gladly invites you for a visit at her home on El Panecillo. Besides her you do get a really good sight of the old town.

The caiman

In one of the many rivers of the amazonian rainforests is the ecuadorian caiman waiting for her dinner. Only a meter away, she shows a disapointingly lack of interest for human flesh.

In the darkness you can only see her bright radiant eyes. It is still a while until dawn and brushing teeth.

Good hunting and bless your food, caiman.

The House of Good

 There plenty of churces in Ecuador. This one lies in Cuenca, the third largest city of Ecuador, 2500 meters above sea level.

Lightened up all night, as a reminder for the passing sinners.

Finding medical plants in the rain forest

This video fram the norwegian television shows the shaman Antonio  looking for medical plants. We are sorry for the use of norwegian language, but recomend learning some languages :-)

Good luck!

Ecuator

Right now we are on ecuator. More exactly, the point where they for the first time registered it scientificly. Later they also named the country Ecuador. Partly in honour of this event, partly because they couldn't agree of an other name.

And this monument, in the middel of the world -"mitad del  mundo"- is the simbol, two or three hours drive from the capital Quito.They got a couple of other atractions there too, so it's worth a trip.

Looking at Quito

This video  from youtube is taken on the roof of the british embassy. It's very nice, You see modern Quito, avenida de Naciones Unidas, the Carolina parque and the mountains surrounding Quito, including the volcan Cotopaxi.

Yeah. I know the old town is even more beautiful. I promise to get back to it.

The River

Yes. It begins here. If you follow the water falls of Ecuador you will sooner or later meet the Atlantic sea. This river is part of the biggest rain forest in the world, Amazonas. Later it will meet the great river in Peru.

Why Amazonas? Because the ancient conquistador Orellanas, the first one to follow the river to it's other end, claimed he met some female warriors on his way.

It could be he mistook some of the caimans for women. It was a very large trip...

President Correa

Why so sad mister president? Ok, you have lost a little popularity. It's not easy to keep promises in poor countries.

But from now on, we the people of the rich countries are going to help. We will cancel your debts and we are going to pay the exact prices of your products. Then you can pay your workers decent salaries.

And of course we will pay you a compensation for not explote the rain forest for economic purposes. After centuries of explotation from the rich world it's the least we can do.

So please stop worrying, mr president!

:-)

A city in the mountains

If you cross this gate, you will be entering the city of Loja, not far from the peruvian border. A little smaller than Quito and Cuenca, but still a vibrant place with 170.000 inhabitants.

Enjoy the fresh air and the colonial architecture. A little cloudy today, perhaps, but maybe the sun soon will brighten up the city and your mind :-).



Welcome to Ecuador

My friends.

We are in the center of Ecuador, in the capital Quito. You are here looking at the monastry of san Francisco.

Please show some respect. folks. They started the construction of this building few weeks after the foundation of Quito in 1534 and it was finished seventy years later. It's still standing.