You Say Spondylus

July 30, 2010


Courtesy Danny Radd

We woke up to an insanely beautiful, sunny day and headed straight for the beach.  The beach next to our house is about 8 miles long, with silken sand and has a wealth of beach combing treasures to find.  Seashells are plentiful, sand dollars are a dime a dozen at times, starfish and seahorses can be found, and occasionally a dead Galapagos turtle washes in (their shells are highly prized by some around here as decorative items after the vultures have done their bit with the carcass).  Cows and burros graze on the beach vegetation, and sometimes wild horses gallop through the surf (see the spectacular picture a talented guest of ours captured on the Olon beach last summer).

One of the seashells most sought after is the “Spondylus” shell. In a National Geographic article (March 2010) about researching the Nasca lines in Peru, this was written:

“The archaeologists had frequently noticed large, man-made mounds of stone…which they suspected were ceremonial altars.  As one of the experts excavated his way through one mound…. he came upon fragments of a large seashell of the genus Spondylus, distinctive for its creamy, coral-like hues and spiky outer surface. It appears in the coastal waters off northern Peru only during El Nino events and is thus associated with the arrival of rainfall and agricultural fertility.    

Spondylus shell in the foreground

 "The Spondylus shell is one of the few items of Andean archaeology that has been well studied,’ one expert noted.  ‘It’s a very important religious symbol for water and fertility.  Like incense in the Old World, it was brought from far away and is found in specific contexts, such as funerary objects and on these platforms. It was connected in certain activities to praying for water.”

I haven’t found a Spondylus shell yet, but always keep a sharp eye out for them, because they’re more common here along our Ecuadorian coast. Skilled artisans create lovely jewelry with these beautiful shells. Several years ago (2?) the Ministerio de Turismo renamed the “Ruta del Sol” (Route of the Sun) highway the “Ruta del Spondylus” and have made considerable effort to rebrand it. Despite that, most people around here still call it the “Ruta del Sol”.

We look forward to every day we wake up here, but it is especially glorious when the sun beams this brightly during the middle of winter here. It’s been overcast, for the most part, since we arrived.

We are back home after a week out of house, spending part of the time at the N&J Hosteria, and three nights at brother Jack/friends’ house.

Our guests (mother & teenage daughter exploring Ecuador for a month) were here a week, but left our house three days early because they were “bored” and dismayed at the cloudy weather.  Ironically, not two hours after they left town, the weather turned sunny and warm – the weather they had been waiting for.  They decided to spend the rest of their trip in Guayaquil (Ecuador’s largest city; industrial) for more “action”.  In our opinion, it’s as if travelers finishing a visit to the United States were to declare “hey, let’s wrap up this up in Detroit”, but to each his own, I suppose. 



Waiting for returning fishing
boats to bring us our dinner.

We also have three Australian guys (Matt, Mike, and Shane) visiting for several weeks. We were unable to accommodate them at our house, but Todd was able to locate another beach house for them to rent during their stay. They are a fun and adventurous bunch, and Todd and I are grateful to be here and able to meet the many interesting folks who visit Ecuador (in December, we have a family from Latvia coming).

 We met our neighbors Randy and Fonda this morning, and can’t wait to get to know them better! They are from Texas, and just got back late last night.  They live here full time.

Todd and I are utterly besotted with our adopted beach dog Daisy. She is just such a dog: she chases cats, buries bones, and her whole body wags when she greets us in the morning. Daisy’s funny ears don’t so much hang down as stick out like propellers, her tail is permanently curled up like a comma over her back and the shading of her coat gives her a distinct “ring around the collar” look.

Daisy and our neighbor Franklin
playing on the beach

She trots in front of us around town and the beach with her tail held high, and a grin on her face…Funny thing is, it’s not like we’re walking her…..it’s more like she’s showing off to the other dogs that “these are my people”.  She also likes to grab flip flops left by doors (ours and neighbors) and leaves them nearby.  We had to laugh when our guest Brian left heavy hiking shoes by the door, remarking “let’s see her drag those anywhere”.  The next morning, both shoes were sitting in the middle of the street.  The odd thing is, she doesn’t chew on them much, thankfully….just likes to move them around.