Quito, Ecuador
Quito, Ecuador is located on the equator, but at 9400’ above sea level the climate isn’t tropical. Average afternoon temperature is just 20 degrees. At night it can drop down to 10 degrees or lower.
The guidebook says, “long pants, long sleeves, and a sweater or poncho are recommended”.
A poncho! There’s a wardrobe choice I haven’t considered for a long time. I have great memories of Clint Eastwood wearing one in The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
In 1966, The Man with No Name was the coolest hombre on earth. As a kid, I dreamt of wearing a flat-top cowboy hat while chewing a stubby cigar. I would throw back my imaginary poncho to reveal a six-shooter strapped to my hip.
The Theme Song (you know the one) still rings in my ears.
It is not clear if Clint Eastwood is reaching for his pistol in this picture or scratching his belly. Alpaca wool ponchos tend to be a bit itchy.
I decided to indulge my childhood fantasy and ordered a poncho from Amazon. I don’t know if I will wear it in public, even in Ecuador, but it will be nice on the deck for early morning coffee (or if a gunfight breaks out at the ranch).
… “Make that four”.
While I waited for delivery, I did a little research on the history and utility of ponchos.
Ponchos were standard issue for foot soldiers during the American Civil War. The rubber-coated, canvas cloth garment was warm, rainproof, and left soldiers with two hands free to fulfill their battle duties.
Ponchos were still being used by the US army in WWII, and during the Korean War.
This photo was taken at the Korean War Memorial in Washington, DC when we visited there in 2018.
Prime Minister Paul Martin (far right), President George W. Bush (centre), and other APEC leaders wore ponchos while attending a 2004 summit in Santiago, Chile.
The wool poncho has connotations of power among South American indigenous people. The diamond pattern is considered a sign of authority and was often worn only by older men and chiefs.
An older man wearing a diamond-pattern poncho …
… Good, Bad, or Ugly?
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