The word hostel often conveys a picture of dark moldy rooms with 40 squeaky bunk beds where sordid activities sometimes occur. While these places can be exciting for young travelers (wink, wink), you don’t want to spend two months in them while studying intensely. The word hostel does not do justice to the amenities, beauty, and service of “The Owls Inn” in Quito. Even if you are not an animal lover, it is amazing to wake up in the morning and see two kittens sleeping on top of the dog-named Kenya in the beautiful patio of our new home.
On Friday, Don Julio Rivas guided us around charming old town Quito. As we walked around the Spanish colonial architecture, Don Julio entertained the group with infinite historical anecdotes. It was interesting to learn that Panamanian hats actually originated in Ecuador. When the liberal president Eloy Alfaro was exiled to Panama, he brought the stitched hats from his hometown of Montecristo, Ecuador. The Panamanian canal workers wore these Ecuadorian hats to protect themselves from the severe tropical sun. The hats known as Panamanians thus should actually be called Ecuadorians.
Don Julio also told us that the Incas conquered the Ecuadorian tribes in the 1460’s and built paved roads to connect their empire. Messengers or chasquis ran for miles to deliver news throughout the Inca territory. Don Julio gave us a heart-felt speech about how we are now chasquis and it is our duty to tell the world about Quito. This blog will transport our messages like the paved Inca roads of yore, but with a wireless connection. Our blog posts will allow us to serve as messengers or chasquis of Ecuador to the U.S.
Philip Chamberlain
Photos coming soon!
What a neat story, thanks for this evocative inaugural post! Coincidentally, I recently bought a "Panamanian" hat and learned from the shop staff that they originated in Ecuador, but didn't know the actual history till now.
ReplyDeleteJeannie