Hats and a Journey

Dear Hat Lovers,

In my mind, I am taking a self-designed trip, off the beaten track, to visit the lands where hats are sourced. Three continents, several oceans, flying business- what a dream! Taking camera, notebook and pen, mosquito repellent and great hats, for sure. I share my itinerary in case of an emergency or if you desire, one day, to follow my footsteps. 

From Miami, I’m flying to Guayaquil. How can I not make Ecuador my first stop? …home of the Panama hat. Toquilla, the Rolls Royce of straw, makes a very light hat and are made by hand. This palm-like tree grows near the Andes. Indigenous women from the hills braid and twist the straw into shape.  I am hiring a car and driver to take me to Cuenca, further south. It is a four-hour ride, up a plateau, surrounded by mountainous scenery and with spring-like weather year-round. So exciting. The city is the third largest in the Highlands of Ecuador and it maintained its colonial style probably because it wasn’t easy to get to for a long time. Cobblestone streets, plazas, churches, balconies with flowers; the Spanish colonization remnants. I plan to visit the Homero Ortega hat factory and museum. As a city, it is one of the fastest growing in Ecuador and has become an artist mecca. Progress always brings destruction; my hope is for the survival of the toquilla and the craft.

Next stop is Madagascar, with a few stopovers.

Stay tuned for another piece of itinerary for a continued learning experience.

The Hat Professor

Home of Hats