the city of gold and "Panama" hats

The girls resting up before the big climb!

My most recent posts have been a bit self-indulgent with personal info (birthdays, new homes) so it's time to show off our new city a little more.  The city of Cuenca was built on the ruins of the Incan city of Pumapungo ("the door of the puma").  When the Incans defeated the previous inhabitants of this part of the Andes, the Canari, in the late 15th century, they decided to build a grand city.  When the first Spaniards began arriving in the 16th century, they were told of a great city of gold, El Dorado, built by the Incans.  By the time they reached present-day Cuenca, Pumapungo was only ruins, destroyed by its own people.  It is thought that Pumapungo, and thus Cuenca, may have been this fabled City of Gold.  The day we went to the Pumapungo Ruins with our friends Rich and Clara, it pretty much just looked like a bunch of perfectly aligned rocks on a very tall, steep hill.  But they have also added an aviary at the bottom to showcase some of Ecuador's numerous bird species and it affords some fantastic views from the top.  And all of this is a 10 minute walk from our house… gosh I love living here!

Gracie inspects the 500 year-old irrigation ditch

 

As some of you may have heard, one of Ecuador's active volcanos, Tungurahua, erupted several times over the weekend, sending pyroclastic flows (a fancy term for lava flows and my new favorite word) and huge plumes of ash several miles into the sky.  We are over 100 miles away from this volcano, so we did not see it, but we did get a little present the next day in the form of a thin layer of volcanic ash over the entire city of Cuenca.  Because of this, we decided to concentrate on indoor activities today to minimize particulate inhalation.  So we paid a visit to the Museo del Sombrero de Paja Toquilla.  Literally translated, the Museum of the Hat of Toquilla Straw.  Better known as, the Panama Hat.  That's right… the Panama hat is actually from Ecuador.  These tightly-woven straw hats were made in Ecuador (many from right here in Cuenca) but carried to Panama for distribution in the 1800s due that country's superior shipping routes and trade possibilities.  Unfortunately for Ecuador, as the hat traveled around the world, its origin was mistakenly attributed to Panama.  The nail in the coffin for the Toquilla straw hat came when a photo was taken of Theodore Roosevelt wearing one of the hats while surveying the building of the Panama Canal.

Craig is a sucker for a good hat so, after touring the very small museum, we went into the store/factory where they still make and sell these hats.

the toquilla straw

hat in mid-weave

 



 After inspecting several and speaking with the owners, Craig discovered that they will custom make a hat right there in the store and give a 40% discount on your birthday!!  And guess who's birthday is in 2 weeks?????? Happy Birthday, Craig!!

--  Ileana