ECUADOR day 3-4-5
One more day in our first apartment condo and then we move to a more permanent one for January and then again another one for February and March. Conveniently, they are all in the same building so we will just load up the porters wagon and move !
We met some fellow Canadians (from Toronto) today. Had a wonderful afternoon of conversation with them and will plan some activities once we are more settled. We learned a lot of local information from Greg and Lisa which is all part of our learning curve. They have been here 3 months already and are living here full time in a rented, ocean front condo until their house is built at Las Olas (where we are building).
An interesting fact is, to have a drivers license in this country, you must show proof of a high school diploma or university education ! I guess they want educated people on the roads... although after our first day of driving into the city, there just has to be some very uneducated drivers !!!
We finished today with a lovely meal here at the hotel. I must say, when eating at a fine restaurant here in Manta, the artistry that is in the presentation is amazing... so I am sharing photos of our 3 dishes tonight. I had a bowl of roasted tomato and pepper soup with a caprese salad. Joe had a seafood dish that had a little bit of everything in it... On his dish you will see a smear of squid ink on the rim with 3 red drops of a berry jelly.
We have moved into our new condo here at the Poseidon.
A little bit about Manta ... Manta was always know for its important tuna fishing fleet. One day we will drive down and walk through the huge fish market here. It is also known for its production of vegetable oil and the famous “Panama Hat” which is actually made in Montecristi, Ecuador - a small city south of us. We will drive down there one day. The name “Panama Hat’ came about because the hats were sent north to the workers of the Panama Canal and so they mistakenly were named Panama hats !
They are currently the most representative product of all Ecuadorian handicrafts. The raw material for making “Toquilla’ hats comes from a native Ecuadorian plant which is similar to the Palm. Its stems are short fibres which, following a long preparatory process, are suitable for weaving hats. The quality of each hat is measured in degrees: the finer the calibre, the higher the grade and the better its commercial value. We see many people walking around with a Panama hat on. Hopefully, we will be one of those people !
There are so many Canadians and Americans living here it is unbelievable. We will be going to some ex-pat lunches on the beach and weekend breakfast mornings soon hopefully. Still trying to get up more courage to explore further in the rental car.
Many of the foreigners have chosen Manta and the nearby Crucita to retire. The pleasant weather, easy lifestyle and affordable prices make Ecuador an ideal place for retirement.
Because seafood is so amazing here, Ceviche or ‘Vichy de pescado’ is incredible. This week we will go see the Manta Cultural Center and see what it has to offer us !
Meanwhile, it’s time for a walk on the beach. Joe is busy becoming familiar with this area which is called the province of Manabí.
He is busy figuring out where we explore next !
Until next time...
A little bit about Manta ... Manta was always know for its important tuna fishing fleet. One day we will drive down and walk through the huge fish market here. It is also known for its production of vegetable oil and the famous “Panama Hat” which is actually made in Montecristi, Ecuador - a small city south of us. We will drive down there one day. The name “Panama Hat’ came about because the hats were sent north to the workers of the Panama Canal and so they mistakenly were named Panama hats !
They are currently the most representative product of all Ecuadorian handicrafts. The raw material for making “Toquilla’ hats comes from a native Ecuadorian plant which is similar to the Palm. Its stems are short fibres which, following a long preparatory process, are suitable for weaving hats. The quality of each hat is measured in degrees: the finer the calibre, the higher the grade and the better its commercial value. We see many people walking around with a Panama hat on. Hopefully, we will be one of those people !
There are so many Canadians and Americans living here it is unbelievable. We will be going to some ex-pat lunches on the beach and weekend breakfast mornings soon hopefully. Still trying to get up more courage to explore further in the rental car.
Many of the foreigners have chosen Manta and the nearby Crucita to retire. The pleasant weather, easy lifestyle and affordable prices make Ecuador an ideal place for retirement.
Because seafood is so amazing here, Ceviche or ‘Vichy de pescado’ is incredible. This week we will go see the Manta Cultural Center and see what it has to offer us !
Meanwhile, it’s time for a walk on the beach. Joe is busy becoming familiar with this area which is called the province of Manabí.
He is busy figuring out where we explore next !
Until next time...
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