Allan wrote...

Here are a few videos from our trip to Gualaceo showing a form of weaving known as ¨"ikat," which dates to pre-Columbian times in South America.  The dye is applied prior to the threads being woven to create the final fabric pattern or design.

The third video shows the lady making the final knots on a scarf that Patti will soon get as a little gift from Ecuador.  

  During that same trip, our guide Diego pointed out some of the Andean countryside. Cuenca is in a valley between the eastern ridge and the western ridge of the Andes. Many people living in these vallleys outside the city consider these houses their "country homes."  

Diego also explained that many homes are sitting completely empty, and the reason is quite a surprise.  Men from a family go to the USA to work and send money home. The women here in Ecuador hire workers to build a new, far better home than they have ever had, using the money coming from the US.  But in many cases the men never return to Ecuador because they are in the US illegally, without papers.  And because Latin America is all about "machismo," the women (and their children) don´t believe they can move into the new homes until their husband returns. As if the women need permission from the men.  Who of course make a new life in the US and, for all intents and purposes, abandon their families.  Sad story, yes?

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Today we walked about town and visited the Nueva Catedral (New Cathedral) -- also known as Catedral de la Immaculada. It was built beginning in 1880 by a bishop who intended to build the biggest church in South America, seating up to 10,000 people. Work stopped in 1908 because of architectural "mistakes" leaving part of the church unfinished. Beautiful pink, carved marble, along with tiles imported from Czechoslovakia, make this an architectural wonder -- finished or not. Inside you see stained glass brought in from Belgium and Germany. It occupies an entire city block. Here are a few pictures, and a couple minutes of video.  It´s a church not to be missed for elegance and beauty.

 This is the principal focus of the church, the "nave" where services are conducted.

A lesser nave, one of several.

 

And finally, just a couple minutes of video as we walked around town, watching school kids get back to school after lunch, workers getting back to their places of business and various and sundry people just hanging out.