This past December I travelled to Ecuador. I spent four and half weeks traveling the country visiting small towns, hiking mountains and volcanoes and enjoying the many wonderful aspects of Ecuador and its indigenous cultures.

Beginning in the north I visited towns throughout the countryside of the Imbabura province (named after a large volcano that can be seen on clear days in the area). Once meeting Hector and Estella, the indigenous couple whose extended family produce all of the Ecuadorian textiles found at the Third World Bazaar, I visited more surrounding towns seeing all the different products and production areas in the different villages.

A highlight of the trip was spending most of a week at an eco-village called The Black Sheep Inn. Located in the small village of Chugchilan 4,000m high in the Andean mountains it was a truly beautiful setting. There I hiked and rode horses exploring the nearby volcanic lake, cloud forests and local markets. I also played a few games of frisbee golf on the world’s highest frisbee course teeming with grazing llamas at the Black Sheep.

Another remarkable experience was spending Christmas in a beautiful colonial city called Cuenca. There I witnessed a Christmas day children’s parade replete with thousands of children. I also visited surrounding towns and villages, tasting local cuisines such as roasted guinea pig and meeting many colourful characters eager to converse and show me a good time.

It was a wonderful travel experience and good buying trip. The Bazaar this year will have many new Ecuadorian clothing products; sharp cardigans and beautiful hand-knit sweaters, wood carpets and fine ceramics. Please come and see the new products and support the great people who made them.

This past spring, I spent six weeks in Morocco. I lived with a wonderful Berber family in Marrakech, worked the days as an intern in a children’s emergency shelter, and the spent most evenings sourcing product from local souks (market stalls).

The Moroccan culture is unlike anything I’ve experienced. It is a feast for the senses. The food is exquisite, the smells and sights are endless and the people diverse. The historic cities are centered around their ‘medinas’- a walled centretown which is next to impossible to navigate by yourself.

The highlight of my trip was a weekend in the Sahara desert, camel trekking, sleeping under the stars and listening for the friendly snakes whisking by. Through the day, we set out on the camels and waddled through the sand dunes, experiencing a million shades of brown.

My work experience was interesting. It took awhile to get accustomed to the cadence of the organization but soon I was tutoring the children in English and French, translating documents and kick starting a healthy eating program. It was challenging working with children from such troubled backgrounds but it is rewarding to see them cooperate with, and learn from the other children at the shelter.

Come see the eclectic product coming from the Marrakech souks this coming fall at the Third World Bazaar

In February of 2010 we visited the incredible country of India. Eighteen days does not give the country justice, but it did give us a good feel for Delhi and the province of Rajastan. The product variety is immense, the workmanship amazing and the quality strong. In Delhi we were able to source some wonderful glass products, silk scarves and ceramic products. Jodphur is a fantastic source of furniture, and those hand-painted Rajastani cabinets that so many of you have asked us for. Jaiselmeer, the sandcastle city in the middle of the Dhar Desert was a great source of linens, wool pashminas, musical instruments and jeweled tapestries. In Jaipur we were able to find more linens, ceramics and fantastic camel hair carpets. We are confident you will be impressed with our Indian purchases.

Trains are the way to experience India. While on one of our rides Peggy and Dick wrote the two short observations below.

India, the destination that has drawn explorers, traders, mystics and empires for centuries!

But it is not to be seen, rather, it is to be experienced, in one view – splendor, squalor, smell, taste; while overhead a supersonic fighter jet.

India, home of friendly people, efficient but dirty trains, fantastic architecture, crumbling neighbourhoods, confident cows!

India, the Experience!

Dick

Constant contrasts,

Senses are alive;

Land needing water,

Animals needing a home;

Eye contact and wonderment,

Both sides trying to imagine the other;

Gracious, Kindness and Enthusiasm

That is what I felt in . Incredible India.

Peggy

In Vietnam, we once again visited our key suppliers in HoChiMinh City (HCMC) and Hanoi; wonderful cities, each with their own vibe. HCMC (old Siagon) appears more modern and organized; Hanoi on the other hand, has an earthy, pedestrian feel to it, sort of like Paris as an Asian street market. Dick is especially fond of the cheap beer and fascinating people at Beer Corner. It is truly a wonderful place to visit and buy product.

Vietnamese lacquer is an amazing art. Depending on the product, there are 15 to 20 coats of sealants, colouring and lacquer. This traditional, labour intensive, production technique has been integrated with modern styles and colouring to produce the brilliantly attractive plate, bowls and paintings that you will see at the barn. Few things will brighten up a room like Vietnamese lacquer.

Thailand is a regular destination for us because it has such a wide variety of good crafts. This year we selected a new product category, Hemp. This incredible plant is used in the production of textiles, bio-degradeable plastics, food, concrete and fuel. It is easily grown and has no need for pesticides or herbicides. A miracle product if there ever was one! And it makes wonderful handbags. We have found a new producer that mixes Hmong Hill tribe Hemp with Indonesian Batik, Thai silk and other exotic fabrics to make wonderfully strong and stylish handbags and purses. We are sure you will be impressed when you see them.