This is the third largest city in Ecuador and seems to mix the modern with the very old. Very smart office girls in their mini skirted suits mingled with the indigenous ladies wearing six layers of their super bright skirts and panama hats.
Now, a great one for pub quizzes, Panama hats come from Ecuador, not Panama, with Cuenca being the centre of the industry. It certainly is an industry with the locals spending weeks weaving a hat from leaves out of the jungle and then bringing them to the factories ( I guess they are given a pittance) where they are shaped and trimmed ready for shipping to Harrod´s and the like.
They have never been made in Panama at all - they got their name when people building the canal used to buy them from Ecuador. So Doug, I will be inspecting your hat to see if it was the $10 or the $500 model.
From Cuenca we had a spectacular drive over the Andes to the coast. As we approached the Pacific it was impossible to see it because we were still miles (literally) above the clouds.
There were once parts of this port where even Ecuadorians would not have dared visit. As our guide said "they would robber your car while you were still in it by killing you ". However a good mayor seems to have changed all this and we strolled round the recently revamped river front feeling the safest we had at any time in Ecuador. Not too difficult when every other person on the street was an armed security guard. We even ventured into a casino which turned interesting when there was a power cut and all the torches had to come out pronto pronto to stop the chips disappearing.
We relaxed in a swanky hotel WITH CHOCOLATES ON THE PILLOW (Hillary - we thought of you) to end a very enjoyable section of our trip.
Next stop Lima in darkest Peru according to Paddington Bear.
You sound to have had a great time in Ecuador, can't say it will be on our list to visit though!! Hope that you find Paddington alive and well in Peru and continue to have the best time exporing before your trip. Is this right?! News on other website. Take care love Gill and Moe xx
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