Manta - Ecuador

 This is the guy that Ed aspires to be - hammocks are the best - so comfortable.

Manta is a great place to visit, very interesting, friendly and lots to see. We were told that over 150 tons of tuna fish are landed every day and this does not include all of the other kinds of fish brought ashore.
This is also the home of the Panama hat would you believe. They are hand woven and the best quality take several weeks to make. We saw large wooded fishing boats being built by hand on the beach - labour is very plentiful and very cheap. We visited a factory where buttons are made from nuts . very noisy and very labour intensive.

 Christine is wandering around the market looking for Ed while he is taking her photo from the steps of the church on the hill.

 Local lady hand weaving a Panama hat.

Tuna fish being offloaded from fishing boat - they are flash frozen on board - hence the steam-

We are now in Mexico and the blog is up to date as of this morning - it has been hard to keep on top of it with very limited internet acces but no worries we are on holiday.
We have taken our trips given as gifts from the kids - thanks a bunch Roxcie, Scott, Katie and Adam we have had great fun.
Ed still has his white water rafting day to come and he will report on that as soon as he is able to.
Take care all and have as much as we are having.