Do you know what the California Gold Rush, the Building of the Panama Canal and the beautiful hats of Montecristi, Ecuador have in common? Not many know the answer, unless you've traveled to this city tucked into the coastal hills of my new country and purchased one (or more) of their world-famous hats.


Ecuadorean craftsmen have been making hats since the middle of the seventeenth century. It is an art form passed on through the generations, that continues today in several locations in Ecuador. Montecristi is the center of the hat making industry, though, and its products rank among the finest hats available anywhere in the world. 

These hats began showing up in the Isthmus of Panama long before the Canal was built. Panama was the drop off point for people going to the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic side. Passengers would disembark on the eastern shore, travel across the short distance and get on another ship heading west. Along the way, entrepreneurs began taking the hats of Ecuador to Panama, and selling them to the travelers to help keep the intense sun off their heads.

During the Gold Rush of 1849 thousands of people

heading to San Francisco bought these hats in Panama. Later, when construction began on the Panama Canal, the hats became a very popular accessory. President Teddy Roosevelt purchased one when he went to inspect the progress of the Canal. The beautiful straw hats of Ecuador became known as the Panama Hat, and they still carry that name to this day.

Ecuador is the primary producer of quality straw hats in the world. There are imitations made in other countries, like China, of course, but none can compete with the hand-made hats of Ecuador. Politicians, movie stars, vacationing millionaires and so many others have all worn the hats of Montecristi, but here you can go to several shops specializing in the sale of hats, and you can even go to a museum to learn their history. The hats are woven from the fibers of a coastal plant the locals call la paja toquilla, a palm-like tree native to the area. The price of each hat is determined by the weave; the finer the weave, the more expensive the hat.

I went to Montecristi with two friends last week to see what the town and its shops had to offer. It was a long three-hour bus ride each way, but we had a great time finding hats, spending a good deal on them as we shopped. I had a recommendation from a friend to check out a restaurant in Montecristi, so we went there for an early dinner before heading south on the bus. La Trattoria de Gabriele was tucked into a tall hillside, where you could see the ocean fifteen miles away. The food was homemade like you'd expect in the finest Italian restaurants in your favorite city. It was incredible! 

If you're fortunate enough to visit coastal Ecuador, find your way to Montecristi. Buy a hat, and enjoy a wonderful Italian meal. And if you already live here in Ecuador - what are you waiting for?

Hasta luego! See you next time! 


Mark 

  
For information on my books, please go to: Mark T. Bradbury, Author, on Amazon.com.