Amelia And JP VLOG 259: A short drive past the eastern side of Manta, Ecuador is a small town with a big mountain and a long history called Montecristi.

This little town is famous for being the birthplace of the Sombrero de Paja Toquilla, more commonly known as the Panama Hat.

In the 1850's, several Ecuadorians went to Panama to sell their straw hats at the busy trade centers.

As people from Panama travelled to California for the gold rush sporting their straw hats, they were often asked where they got their cool, breathable, shady sombreros.

Since the hats were purchased in Panama, people started calling them Panama Hats even though they originated in Montecristi, Ecuador in the early 1600's.

Montecristi is a popular tourist attraction for Ecuadorians and foreign travelers alike. The civic center has a wonderful museum and a train that was made in Philadelphia and brought to Ecuador in 1907.

We had a great day learning about this historic area, walking around the colorful town, and seeing how the iconic Paja Toquilla Hats are made. Look for our new hats in our upcoming videos!

Here are the links we mentioned in the video:
Our Driver - Juan Zambrano: https://tour-ecuador.com/
Modesto Hats - https://modestohats.com/

You're not alone! We've assembled a supportive community with HUNDREDS of current and future expats who are eager to share their experiences, answer questions and provide guidance to help take the mystery out of your move. Join Us Today!   / ameliaandjp  

Our Unconventional Supporters:
Janet & Paul Stonestreet
Maité Duran
Paul Wilches
Gary Peet
Joe Stratton
Jose and Alexandra Rivera
Audrey and Damaro Lewis
Leif Brogren
Bruce Leslie
Maureen Kelly
Jennifer Hughes
Deborah Linton
Susan & Rick Joyce

DISCLAIMER: We are not responsible for your use of the information contained in our videos, articles or linked from our web pages. We do our best to provide timely and accurate information. However, news, laws, guidelines, rules, regulations, etc. are often open to interpretation, change frequently and sometimes we make mistakes, so please check the links we reference before making decisions or travel plans. If you spot a mistake, please let us know so we can attempt to correct it.

#ameliaandjp #ecuador #expats