The Bowen Knot ⌘: Tour: 4 City Bus Tour of San Bartolome, Sigsig, Chordeleg, and Gualaceo *Picture Heavy Post*

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Tour: 4 City Bus Tour of San Bartolome, Sigsig, Chordeleg, and Gualaceo Picture Heavy Post

Tour Date: May 29, 2015
Tour Departure Time: 9:00am
Tour Return Time: 5:00pm
Tour Host: Donna McNicol
Tour Guide: Emilio Morocho
Locations Visited (in Ecuador): San Bartolome, Sigsig, Chordeleg, and Gualaceo
Cost Per Person: $24US plus Lunch and Shopping

We learned about this bus tour on an Ecuador Expats post that Donna posted. There were 4 seats remaining on the bus. I instantly private messaged her and told her we really wanted all four spots for Dan, Mama, Myself, and Robbin upstairs from our apartment. He is visiting Cuenca for a few weeks.

Our Tour Bus

Since this was our first bus tour we really were not sure what type of bus we would be taking the tour in and we were pleasantly surprised to find a nice, big, and comfortable bus.

Heather and Mama

On Our Way Out of Cuenca, Ecuador

Our Tour Guide Emilio Morocho

We left Cuenca at about 9:00am, our first stop on the tour was the town of San Bartolome.

Roadwork after a landslide

Driving to San Bartolome

Guitar Making Lesson and Shopping

Guitar Making

Guitar Design

Guitar Lesson

Newspaper Articles Related to this Shop and Making

San Bartolome Sign and Our Bus

More Guitar Designs

Finished Guitars

Window to the Shop

View from the Guitar Shop

Local Little Doll
Photo Credit: http://ecuador-bound.blogspot.com/

Another Little Local Doll
Photo Credit: http://ecuador-bound.blogspot.com/

Handmade Items for Sale
Photo Credit: http://ecuador-bound.blogspot.com/

Hand Weaving Baskets and Such
Photo Credit: http://ecuador-bound.blogspot.com/

View from the Guitar Shop
Photo Credit: http://ecuador-bound.blogspot.com/

Hand Weaving Items for the Table
Photo Credit: http://ecuador-bound.blogspot.com/

Cuties Eating a Snack
Photo Credit: http://ecuador-bound.blogspot.com/

More Handmade Crafting
Photo Credit: http://ecuador-bound.blogspot.com/

Another View from the Shop
Photo Credit: http://ecuador-bound.blogspot.com/

Once everyone was done shopping we all boarded the bus to head to our next stop on the tour.

Welcome to Sigsig

The Original Panama Hat Factory in Sigsig

Panama Hat Front Room Art Work #1

Panama Hat Front Room Art Work #2

Panama Hat Front Room Art Work #3

Panama Hat Front Room Art Work #4

Panama Hat Front Room Art Work #5

Panama Hat Front Room Art Work #6

Panama Hat Front Room Art Work #7

History Lesson:

First popularized by President Theadore Roosevelt and worn by countless travelers ever since, the Panama hat has become a symbol of coastal and tropical locales. Nothing screams I’m on vacation somewhere warm! quite like the straw hat, which is known for being breathable and able to return to its original shape after being folded in a suitcase. But what is not as well known is that Panama hats don’t actually come from their namesake country. The hats actually originated in Ecuador, but were mistakenly called Panama hats because they were shipped through the Isthmus of Panama before making it to locations across the rest of the Americas, Europe and Asia.

Panama hats are still made throughout Ecuador, where Ecuadorians call the hats sombreros de paja toquilla (or “hats of toquilla straw”). Anyone selling the hats at markets or in shopping malls, however, is well aware that tourists often ask for them by the name “Panama Hat.” Several towns are famous for the production of the hats, including the small town of Sigsig in the Andes Mountains near the colonial city of Cuenca. The Panama Hat Company is owned and operated by indigenous Ecuadorians who work directly with wholesalers. Here at this factory you will see women with amazingly nimble fingers as they weave the hats. Remarkably, each and every hat takes a single weaver several days to make. While there, you can get a good deal on a hat of your own or purchase other items made out of straw. There is also a nice photo op in front of a giant Panama Hat in the courtyard of the warehouse.

History data is from: http://gadling.com/2012/03/20/tour-a-panama-hat-factory-in-sigsig-ecuador/

"Correa's" Panama Hat

Dropped off Hat's from the Local Women

Ecuador Map

Dyed Toquilla Straw

Dyes Toquilla Straw

Toquilla Straw Being Dyed

Heather Checking Out Panama Hats

Mama Checking Out Panama Hats

Bird Wallhanging

The Road that Leads to Chordeleg

With hats in hand it was time to again board the bus and head to Chordeleg for lunch and some more shopping. Chordeleg is a Famous location for purchasing and making filigree jewelry.

Chordeleg

Dan Being a Complete Gentleman During the Entire Trip

Chordeleg City Centre

Chordeleg City Centre Park

Location of Our Tours Lunch

Popcorn and Salsa

Potato Soup

Oatmeal Drink

Lunch

Dining Area Artwork

View from Chordeleg's Main Shopping Area

Some Sad Looking Corn

Filigree Earring Light Post Decoration

Shop Window

After lunch and shopping in Chordeleg we headed to Gualaceo to learn how they weave shawls, scarves, and blankets.

This was our last shop on the tour. We were planning to go to an orchid farm however, it was being sprayed and it wasn't safe for us to visit. In addition, we were planning to stop at a hand crafted leather making area and according to the guide we ran out of time. Now, when we arrived back in Cuenca it was only 4:12pm. Not really sure why it was skipped and the reason we were given honestly made no sense.

Here are our shopping purchases:

Mama's New Wrap for $45US

Handmade Trash Can and Cup

Handmade Display

Can, Cup, and Display $15US (we opted not to barter)

Panama Hat Box

Panama Hat Box

Mama's New Panama Hat $20US

Heather's New Panama Hat $20US

I Love My New Hat...It was the exact one I was looking for!

My Hubby surprised me today with Diamonds & Sapphires times 2 pairs. What a sweetheart! I Love You, Babe!

Mama's Silver Diamond and Emerald Earrings

My Hubby surprised me today with Diamonds & Sapphires times 2 pairs. What a sweetheart! I Love You, Babe!

All in all it was a fun shopping trip. We're looking forward to our next group expat bus tour.

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Our blog is about a lot of things. Our daily lives, our move to Ecuador, and the vacations we plan to have. Please read and follow our travels through life. We welcome comments! Making friends along the way would also be great. People have described us as being colorful and animated. Our family looks at a glass and always considers it to be half full. We have an easy going attitude. We think things should get accomplished and that in the process you can still have fun. Feel free to come along on our families journey.

The Bowen Knot - Shamrock Rating System

One Shamrock: This indicates the worst service possible. If awarded, it means we would never EVER use the service again. If it was a food establishment the food was barely editable. This means a complete fail with little to no redeeming features. We will never go there ever again.

Two Shamrocks: This is a service that we might consider using again to give it a second chance. But, the experience that we had would normally cause us to award one shamrock if not for some key redeeming features. If it was a food establishment the food was okay, but still sub-par. We didn't like the food. Serious room for improvement exists.

Three Shamrocks: Normal middle of the road service. We might have had some bad or some good but they were offset somewhat. This is service we would use again but we will look for a better provider. If it was a food establishment the food was good. We like it and will return. There might be room for things to get better but it is still a decent meal.

Four Shamrocks: Great service. This is a definitive repeat for us. We like a lot about the service and recommend it. If it was a food establishment the food was excellent. We liked it a lot. We like the place enough to return frequently. There are very few detractors.

Five Shamrocks: Outstanding service. This is service that treats us above and beyond what we think we deserve. We consider this what we would want to find all the time and what we hope all service providers would want to obtain. If it was a food establishment the food was perfect. No issues whatsoever. We loved it and would eat there everyday.