Unique Things in Ecuador

I cannot explain this but wanted to share this unusual sight we saw walking home from work one day. My guess is that it is a giant sloth. It wasn't there last week. I wonder why they made this...

This is the sign in front of the building. I guess I should go in and ask, "Why do you have a giant sloth on the front of your building?" but I probably wouldn't understand their answer.

Here is a close up. Does he look friendly or menacing?

This little guy below was in the Historical Park we visited in Guayaquil last month. Sloths do live in Ecuador. He wasn't doing much...which I understand is their usual level of activity.



In that same park I saw a Horned Screamer. I'll bet you have never seen a Horned Screamer. At least the bird version. Look closely, he really does have a horn. It is very thin and sort of long, coming right out of his forehead.






This palm tree I think is quite beautiful. I have seen lots of palm trees in the Canary Islands and in the Dominican Republic but this kind looks both pleated and ruffled. It reminds me of the waves of the sea. This is from Guayaquil also. Not very many palms in Quito at 10,000 feet, but there are a few.



The flowers here are amazing. The cost is so low and the quality and beauty are incredible. I was impressed with these colorful lilies.



This is a weird fruit in my opinion. In Otavalo, I watched a little boy eating them. He bit into it (Yuck. I don't want to bite into anything that looks hairy). Then he tore off the red part and there is a much smaller white ball that he popped into his mouth. Maybe it is delicious. I wasn't brave enough to buy some and try his method. I have not seen them since.



Also in Otavalo I saw hairy balls growing on the electrical wires in the middle of the city.



This is in Quito. I have often seen little old women carrying a great deal of weight. This basket looked like it was full of vegetables. I don't think I could do it.



These are called tree tomatoes. Not at all a tomato. It is often served as a juice.



This looks vaguely familiar but I'll bet the hamburgers do not match their inspiration.



Lots of interesting things here. We are grateful for our opportunity to see new things and mostly to realize once again that the people of the world have so much more in common than they have differences.