What a lovely time we had in this country! We arrived to clear skies and warm, mellow sunshine. Our wonderful tour guide met us at the ship and whisked us off to the countryside. She told us there are only two seasons in Ecuador, wet and dry. We are now at the transition between these two seasons, heading into the dry season. Manta is Ecuador's major port along the central coast. As we drove, we passed colorful fishing villages, unspoiled beaches and unusual tropical dry forests. The nearby town of Montecristi was actually the birthplace of the Panama hat.
Our all day tour started with a drive along the coast where we witnessed beautiful, pristine beaches. Along the way we drove through tiny fishing villages, where tuna and shrimp provide the major source of income for these communities. As we rose in elevation and moved away from the coast the surroundings changed immediately from green and lush to an absolutely dry land covered in brown, dead grass and small lifeless trees. Our guide told us that wildlife in Ecuador includes monkeys, deer, sloths, armadillos, pelicans, frigates, mockingbirds, owls, jaguar, macaws and parrots. Orchids grow abundantly here in the tropical climate. There are 4,100 types of orchids, with 2,500 of them native to Ecuador. As we continued to meander through the dry tropical forest we saw increased numbers of cactus and tropical plants one might expect to see in Hawaii or the Caribbean.
One spectacular site was the Tagua tree, which is a type of palm. The landscape was composed entirely of dead, brown grass and trees and yet, once in a while, this bright green tree stood alone as if to announce "don't give up - there is still life here." The Tagua tree yields seeds which, when carved, look like ivory. Consequently, the product is known as vegetal ivory. Jewelry made from these seeds is quite popular in this area.
As we continued to drive inland the tropical forest gave way to flat, dry valleys where cowboys still ride. cactus and scrub brush are the dominant features of the landscape. We were told that on a clear day you can see the Andes Mountains. However, today there was a haze which impeded a clear view of the towering mountain range. I noticed the houses along the road had very small windows. Our guide explained that in years past children did not have good relationships with their parents and they climbed out of the bedroom windows frequently at night. As a solution, houses were built with very small windows, making it impossible for children to escape without their parents' knowledge!
Religion plays a key role in Ecuadorean culture. The country is considered Catholic, however, Shamen continue to play a key role in everyday life. Local residents continue to be tied to a strong belief in spirits and multiple gods. Instead of having a community cemetery, each family has its own land next to their home in which family members are buried so their spirits can remain and protect the remaining family members.
We visited the historic, rural village of Mantena. The humble houses had grass or tin roofs and dirt floors. However, they all had flush toilets! Quite amazing out there in the bush. The people in the village were extremely open and gracious and welcomed us into their homes. I was struck by the cleanliness of the village. Even though these people have very few materials good they take meticulous care of their possessions and appears to be extremely happy. They have an uncomplicated and joyful spirit.
We returned to our van and got back on the road. We passed mango, papaya and lemon trees. We spotted owls and many brilliantly colored birds. We passed lots of 3-wheeled vehicles known as tuk-tuks similar to the ones we saw in Asia last year. Local people often use these carts as transportation instead of having their own cars. Otherwise, they use the public buses called Chivas which are colorful, open-air buses.
We made a lengthy stop at the lovely, calm Frailes beach. We didn't realize we were going to have a beach stop so we weren't prepared with swimsuits. Soooo, Bob and I just pulled up our pant legs and hopped in the water to get a sense of the temperature. It was like bath water. I never expected it to be so warm. We had a chance to relax on the beach but then had to hip hop back to the sidewalk over the extremely hot sand - not the most fun part of the stop. We cleaned and dried ourselves off and then boarded the van for a ride along the coast as we returned to the ship.
There was lots of activity along the coast as we drove. Many people were out of their houses enjoying the beautiful weather. Some were selling homemade goods, including jewelry, clothing and tortillas. Some of the people in our van wanted to try a tortilla so we made a stop at one of the street vendors. They didn't look like the tortillas we have at home. The ones made here are corn and yucca and look more like thick biscuits. They are not the flat tortillas we see in our U.S. markets.
I noticed a couple of interesting sites as we made our way back to the ship. We passed lots of large trees that looked absolutely dead but their trunks were covered with a beautiful, thin, and delicate layer of moss. It was a unique contrast.
As we neared our destination I spotted a large public bus with the back window completely covered with a picture of Jesus. It was quite refreshing to be in a culture where it's not politically incorrect to talk about or have public displays of Jesus.
Finally, just before we entered the port there was a very large statue of an elderly woman with a stooped back that serves as a monument to the many women who have spent their lives making Panama hats. As we learned previously, these hats are actually made in Ecuador but still called Panama hats!
We reached our port after a long, but very rewarding day of sightseeing. Feeling very blessed to have this opportunity. Next, we will be traveling to Peru for a week or so.
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