Panama hats are made in Jipijapa, Ecuador in the Province of Manta.

Arrived today, July 23rd, in Guayaquil after an 18 month absence.  The last time we were here was to visit with my brother-in-law Roberto Sanchez who was gravely ill and hospitalized in downtown Guayaquil.  Today it is dry and cool for Guayaquil. Eighteen months ago it was raining, so much so that we had water coming in our bedroom window upstairs at my mother-in-laws home in Barrio Centenario.  Storms today in the USA changed our flights around.  Our flight out of Birmingham, AL to Atlanta was cancelled so we could not make the connection from Atlanta to Houston so the very nice fellow there got us a direct flight from Atlanta to Guayaquil.  We are staying until August 18, 2010.  This is the longest that I have spent in Ecuador since I left here after getting married in Guayaquil in 1979.  We plan to travel the southern coastal areas of Salinas, La Libertad and go northwards to Manta checking out the beach property.  Although I must say that I am a bit nervous with all the Colombian assassins who are killing people all over Ecuador, operating from motorcycles.  I have not been in Ecuador for quite awhile so no one should be mad at me!  The nightly news on satellite broadcast from Ecuador show bullet ridden autos all over Guayaquil after the assassins have done their deed.  Recently a bank was robbed and a shoot out took place in broad daylight.  Several people were injured.