While visiting the MAHA Show recently, at one of the main exhibition halls, we were drawn to the booth of the Embassy of Ecuador. First by the very colourful posters (of roses, tagua beads, mangoes, chocolate, quinoa) and products exhibited; then by the smiling personality manning the booth. Surprisingly she is not from Ecuador but a Malaysian!Marion is a physiotherapist married to an Ecuadorian attached to the Embassy of the Republic of Ecuador here in Kuala Lumpur, hence her presence at the booth. A and I had a lot of questions about Ecuador and she kindly showed us videos of this rather fascinating South American country. I found out that this country's main exports are petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp, cacao, coffee, wood and (canned) fish.
Among other products, there is the rather fascinating tagua (beads, jewelry and carvings made from palm nuts). The tagua nuts are from the Phytelepus, commonly known as ivory palms, ivory-nut palms or tagua palms. The tagua nut are also known as vegetable ivory. A very kind alternative to elephant tusk products.
Then there are some surprising food products, including quinoa which are grains 'from the Andes (Mountains) to the World' and award winning chocolate made of Ecuadorian cacao. We also had a taste of their banana crisps which was quite delicious.
We liked the Panama hat (of Ecuadorian origin, hand made from toquilla straw) that Marion had on and so we posed for pictures wearing similar ones - A in yellow and moi in pink. Oh, of course I had to buy a set of tagua necklace and earrings. So even if I have not been to Ecuador, I have a beautiful reminder of this faraway country, that straddles the earth's equator and owns the wonderful Galapagos Islands.
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