Around the world in 108 days

January 26, 2015 Post Panama Canal + Manta + Monticristi, Ecuador

Yesterday was another sea day, but it was also a Parisian Celebration on the ship. So for our Granddaughter, Emily I am including pictures from the decorations around the ship. We also crossed the equator at 2am this morning, so we celebrated with Neptune and a Mermaid.

Having crossed the equator, we are now in the Southern Hemisphere. An interesting “fact” is we were told that now the water in our toilet boil with swirl the other direction….who knew????? Today’s quiz for the grandkids is: Can you find on your globes how many countries have the equator passing thru them and how many countries in each continent? Let us know what your answers are.

Today we arrived in Manta, Ecuador, and visited the village of Monticristi which is the home of the Panama Hat. Surprise! The Panama Hat is actually made, by hand, in Ecuador. Woven from the straw “paja”and made by hand, these hats were introduced into the US just before the start of the 19^th century. Prospectors who either did or didn’t make their fortunes in the California gold mines often traveled via the Isthmus of Panama back to their home states of the eastern US. They saw the hats and took them home. Legions of other men followed to work on the Panama Canal, did the same, and the rest is history. Yet it was Teddy Roosevelt who sealed this hat’s fashion fate by sporting a “Panama” following his journey to oversee the building of the Panama Canal. ** This 1906 trip was the first time an American president traveled outside the US. My, how times have changed!

On our way back to the ship, we passed a boat yard that was right along the street, on the beach. There were boats being repaired and built. All wooden and constructed by hand labor. It was amazing.

When we tied up at the port in Manta, Rick noticed we were across from a large commercial fishing boat that was beginning to unload their holding tanks. As it turned out, they were unloading a large amount of tuna of all sizes! We wondered if we were eating what we saw being unloaded for dinner tonight!!

We leave for Machu Picchu tomorrow and will meet up with the ship in Lima on the 30^th. So…I will add to the blog after our return during our 4 sea days making our way to Easter Island. Rick and I will celebrate our 43^rd Anniversary on the 29^th in Machu Picchu…pretty cool!

Cheers!