December 28, 2024
MANTA, EQUADOR
The port immigration officials in Manta, Ecuador take a rather long time to process us, as we have to pick up our passports and everyone on the Ship has to be seen and processed, regardless of their plans to get off the Ship. Therefore, we decide to just spend the afternoon, checking out the port shops, the Mall across the street and the Beach. The Little / Olson Family join Scott, Bob and Sarah, Sherry and I. The Mall del Pacifico is packed with Holiday shoppers as it is the last Saturday before Christmas 12/21/24. We quickly get our essentials and then seek the sunshine of the beach.
In the port shops, we discover a unique plant called TAGUA, it first produces a tasty fruit in the seed pods. These fruits if left alone turn into a hard ivory that they craft into a variety of statues and products.
