On the way from Loja to Cuenca, Ecuador delighted us with its green mountain landscapes and clean air. The roads are generally in good condition, but a real symphony of serpentines. In some regions, landslides in the mountains really represent a real danger, increased attention is required. Arriving in Cuenca (2500 m above sea level) we found an excellent tiny campsite (thanks to "IOverlanders", in the courtyard of a villa, the owner is very nice and loves to discuss politics) very close to the city center. Cuenca has a lot to offer the visitor: interesting museums, imposing cathedrals, colorful squares but also a lively atmosphere of the city.
This city as well as the road that crosses the mountainous region from Cuenca to Quito, are considered safe. The presence of police forces or the army is obvious and gives a feeling of security. Unfortunately, the coastal area of the country is currently considered unsafe and not recommended for tourism/overlanding, due to the clashes between the different clans fighting for supremacy in drug trafficking. Of course, we will only cross Ecuador through areas considered safe.
Florin PaunShrunken heads (syn. tsantsas) were made by the Shuar and Achuar people who live in the Amazon rainforests of Ecuador and Peru. They were created by removing the skin and hair from a dead human skull of a male enemy (no heads of women, children, or Indo-Europeans were used), with other parts of the skull being discarded. The eye sockets and mouth were sewn shut to prevent the soul of the deceased from escaping. The resulting shrunken heads are about the size of an orange. These shrunken heads were worn as trophies, granting the wearer magical powers. While searching the internet for more information about these heads, I came across an article titled “Oxford Museum Removes ‘Racist’ Shrunken Heads from Display After 80 Years” (2020). In the most idiotic "woke" style, because we are not allowed to "criticize" the inhabitants of the tribes in question... These stupid woke-ists want to rewrite history, like in Orwell's "1984". I am convinced that the Papuan cannibals were actually vegans...
Florin PaunHere we visited, among other things, an impressive collection of photographs from the 50s-70s, as well as the cameras with which they were taken.
14. februar 2025, Ecuador ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Florin Paun
Shrunken heads (syn. tsantsas) were made by the Shuar and Achuar people who live in the Amazon rainforests of Ecuador and Peru. They were created by removing the skin and hair from a dead human skull of a male enemy (no heads of women, children, or Indo-Europeans were used), with other parts of the skull being discarded. The eye sockets and mouth were sewn shut to prevent the soul of the deceased from escaping. The resulting shrunken heads are about the size of an orange. These shrunken heads were worn as trophies, granting the wearer magical powers. While searching the internet for more information about these heads, I came across an article titled “Oxford Museum Removes ‘Racist’ Shrunken Heads from Display After 80 Years” (2020). In the most idiotic "woke" style, because we are not allowed to "criticize" the inhabitants of the tribes in question... These stupid woke-ists want to rewrite history, like in Orwell's "1984". I am convinced that the Papuan cannibals were actually vegans...
Florin Paun
In the Andes, masks have been used for many purposes, including to honor the dead, entertainment (carnival) and in religious dances.
Florin Paun
Here we visited, among other things, an impressive collection of photographs from the 50s-70s, as well as the cameras with which they were taken.