Day 59 Manta, Ecuador….”Highlights of Montecristi and Manta

Monday 9th March: I am having to write this blog in retrospect. WordPress (or unreliable modern technology) somehow mixed up the paragraphs I had spent three hours putting together. As readers will already know, I am still unable to include pictures because they now take far too long to upload, thus consuming valuable on-board internet time. The following account of yesterday, therefore is in one paragraph. I had booked for the tour included in today’s title, and this was probably the best way of seeing as much as possible in the time allowed. I joined waiting members of our group in the Royal Court Theatre, passing several long queues along the way. The spread of Corona Virus is beginning to impact a little on our voyage, all passengers and crew being screened off the ship at the bottom of the gang-plank prior to being authorised to continue ashore. Needless to say, there was initial congestion as a result. Officials all had donned face masks, inland as well as in the port area.  I found myself a decent seat at the back of our coach, No. 9, and soon the incessant commentary was under way as we headed initially to Montecristi.  On the way, we were entertained by the sight of the huge statue of a lady Pamama hat maker in provocative pose! Yep! I managed one inappropriate photograph from the bus!  We continued towards Montecristi, where I learn is the home of the Panama Hat, hence the generously endowed statue we paused at on the way. We watched as the hat making process began with grass-like raw materials. Three or four stalls had numerous “ones we made earlier” for sale. We had been warned of prices in the hundreds of dollars, but I think the example I paid $40.00 for will do nicely. We continued to a viewing point, and were shown round a museum and mausoleum of some important leader. Information overload had kicked in almost at the beginning of the tour. We finished up at the museum in Manta city centre. What I did enjoy much more was a call at a place which made items from “vegetable ivory,” from a plant not unlike a coconut. When not yet ripe, the juice, rather like coconut milk makes a fine refreshing beverage. When the plant has ripened, this liquid becomes rock-hard and can be then be used e.g. for making buttons, or carved into any desired shape. This process I was intrigued with. Soon, I was back on the ship where I deposited my belongings. Jo called to tell me she was going walking on the beach; I offered to join her. She said nothing about going paddling; my footwear was thus inappropriate…trainers! She wished a photo of her to be taken in the water; the inevitable happened and said trainers are still drying on my balcony! Once soaked by a three inch high tsunami which stopped shortly after I got my feet wet, the “damage was done,” and I enjoyed the weird feeling of the sea’s balmy waters around my ankles! That trip to the beach was lovely, reminiscent of childhood day trips and family holidays to the seaside. Being a Sunday, the locals were out there, playing ball games, splashing about in the tide, having fun. Jo and I felt conspicuous, white skinned, silver (platinum in her case) hair and me in my silly Panama hat! Not one person bothered or took a double-take. I don’t know the implications, if any, of growing up, living and working in Ecuador. But there was a “feel good factor” much more evident here than other places we called at on the west coast. Eventually, and reluctantly, we made our way back to the ship. The few photographs we both took will help maintain this joyous memory. We decided against late sitting dinner in the Britannia Restaurant. Instead, we dined al fresco on Deck 9. The warm night air outside was gorgeous, as was the full moon which shone high above the ship’s mast like an off-centre halo. The seas were calm, and fine hot weather was forecast for today (as I write). We were joined by Richard and Barbara who had, previously, rescued me from a small number of organised shore excursions. I wish we had got to know each other before I had booked and had charged to my stateroom account a programme of shore excursions spanning the whole voyage. Eventually, they left us to walk decks 10 and 11, where an oversized draughts board is set up. Neither of us won at draughts that night! All in all, a rather nice and very unusual day at the unlikeliest of places, Manta, Ecuador. Thanks for reading, David 9/3/20.