Agato Village - known for their weaving of blankets, shawls, hammocks, and bags. My guide, Alfonso, his wife and daughter are in the background.
I decided to stay an extra day so I would have a chance to tour the local villages. Alfonso, my guide, showed up and he spoke even less English than my last guide. I also soon realized that this tour was going to be a walking one. Straight up the hill we went and I'll admit I was out of breath! All I kept thinking was that this was preparing me for Machu Picchu! We reached the Agato Community which has 2,000 people and they are known for their weaving. There were small plots of land with corn wherever they could fit it. They also grow potatoes, beans, and watermelon. Again, there were chickens and pigs alongside the dirt road and music seems to be coming from every house. We walked past a church and it was overflowing but you could hear the sermon outside since the priest was on a microphone. Besides futbol, they also had basketball court and a volleyball court but the net was so high. I have since learned that they have a sport called Eco Volley (?), it's 3 on 3 with a very high net and they play with a small soccer ball.
The first home we stopped at had the grandmother scrambling around to light a fire. She had us sit down on a log in an open room. She then proceeded to bring bricks, hot embers and then brush to start a fire. She then brings a large pot of water and starts putting leaves (nogal) in it to make a green dye. While that was boiling, we went into a lean to and she pulled out wool shorn from a sheep. She proceeded to clean it with a brush and then used a loom to make it into string. I got a chance to try it and then we left. I felt so bad, all that effort to get the water boiling and I never even saw the color in the pot but I did give her a tip for all her effort. I didn´t realize that my guide was from this village and we went to his house next. His wife and two young girls were there. He showed me two different looms, I tried one with four foot pedals but I think I messed up the pattern so I quickly got off. The large loom is used for their hammocks and a smaller one for scarves. The last place I visited was his neighbor´s house and they had an even larger loom for the large wool blankets. I was standing in the corner watching him use the loom and a chicken squawks in my ear. They had a cardboard box attached to the wall and the chicken was roosting above my head. It startled me and then I had to laugh, it looked so strange up there. The houses were quite small and maybe had two rooms with a covered porch on the outside. The first and last place we went to had dirt packed floors. They cover up the cinder block walls with posters, old calendars, etc. All the people we met and as we were walking along the dirt roads were very nice and greeted us as we walked by. Most people seem to walk in the community or take the local bus. I saw 5 cars the whole time I was there. The local buses are like our passenger buses back home complete with TV inside. They have the driver and the assistant that shouts at every corner where they are headed and then takes money after people have boarded. I don´t know how he keeps track of who has paid and who hasn´t. We took the local bus to the Peguche community which has a population of 6, 000. The bus was full and so I had to stand and hold on with both hands or I was going to end up in someone´s lap! My last stop was at a home where they demonstrated many of the instruments they play. He made a pan pipe and then showed me flutes from Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. They can make such a pretty sound but I need lots of practice. He also demonstrated a cluster of black things that made a nice rattling sound. I got closer to see what they were, they were sheep hooves-claws? I let go of those quickly. My tour was over and since my hotel was close to the Peguche community, we walked up the hill and he dropped me off. I quickly took a siesta. My 3 hour walking tour was tiring but informative. I´ve met a nice group that had been to the Galapagos and so have been having dinner with them the last few nights. One couple is from Oakland so that was nice to chat with them and they also gave me a couple of books to read.
