Aloe and Eggshells - Folklore in Ecuador

In large cities and small towns throughout Ecuador aloe plants are frequently adorned with egg shells. After seeing this phenomenon several times my curiosity got the best of me and I began asking questions. Not easy since most people in Ecuador do not speak English and I do not speak Spanish. I finally found an English speaker who had some knowledge of the custom. It turns out that egg shells are placed on the tips of aloe as a charm to ward off evil spirits. So now we all know.

I have also seen Aloe plants uprooted and hanging over doorways. I am told that this wards off evil. It looks like aloe is pretty much the "go to" plant to keep evil from your home.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Healing-in-Ecuador to see the lovely town of Baños

http://hubpages.com/hub/Ecotour-Otavalo-and-Cotacachi for a look at Cotacachi.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Vilcabamba gives you a look at the Valley of Longevity

http://hubpages.com/hub/Bahia-de-Caraquez for a look at Bahia de Caráquez, a beautiful and peaceful (except for the parades) beach city.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Otavalo-Shopping-Therapy-for-the-Craft-Obsessed for a comprehensive view of Otavalo’s famous indigenous market

http://hubpages.com/hub/Zaruma for a look at this famous gold mining city. This one is a work in progress as we will be returning to Zaruma to explore the possibilities of using it as a permanent base.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Ecuador-Favorites to see many of my favorite photos taken in Ecuador with commentary.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Ecuador-Favorite-Photos for pictures of some of my favorite places in Ecuador with commentary.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Ecuador-Folklore to see some interesting talismans I have come across in Ecuador.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Bahia-de-Caraquez-the-Malecon to take a closer look at the Malecon during a holiday.

http://hubpages.com/hub/San-Clemente-to-Bahia to discover the beach that becomes a road at low tide.