Late-afternoon Marbles (Jama, Ecuador)
(Manabi, Ecuador) While dodging traffic pollution in Manta a few weeks ago, I ducked into a petite frame shop along a high-traffic street. While waiting my turn, I inspected their modest selection of frames before noticing a big glass jar filled with wooden orbs. I leaned forward and smiled, then twisted the lid and retrieved one of the objects.
I’ll bet most of you know what this is!
When is the last time you saw an old fashioned wooden top?
Remember when?
Topsy Turvy!
I purchased several, asked for instructions (which she gladly gave) and tucked the little treasures into my shoulder bag. Later at Museo Cancebi, I retrieved one, smirked and asked if there were any “top” masters in the room!
Gaby and Angel at Museo Cancebi
Huge grins appeared on my friends’ faces, and Angel stepped forward to teach us the art of properly wrapping the string, placement of our fingers, and launching the top for the best results! He then switched to a more-professional presentation of what a top master could do with a top!
For the next half hour we took turns laughing while reverting to child’s play as the out-of-control top careened across the floor! Jacqueline Simon, the director of the museum and partner in our mischief, proclaimed the wooden top worthy of its final resting place upstairs in the ethnographic museum!
Ah, remember when children were happy with little? A top or a set of marbles or pick-up sticks entertained young and old alike for hours!
In some cultures, that attitude remains, and that’s why I love it here!
Remember When?
We can thank Jake and his Sunday Post Challenge for bringing us this week’s theme of “Toys.” Visit his site for more posts about toys!
Excuse me while I go spin a top!
Z
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
Love it.
🙂
How fun! We were able to find some cool ones in Vietnam.
Hugs,
Kathy
that’s great that you found some great ones over there! it’s so wonderful when we don’t realize we’ve missed something until we are reunited with it again!
z
I use to love wooden tops (in Mexico where I am from they have this wooden tops and all kinds of hand made toys the good old days), thank you for remind us is the small and simple things in life that make us happy.
Doris! You have such an interesting life! I am glad that the post reminded you of those good old days! Thanks, Lisa
I remember…”sigh”
your personality always come through your comments and posts! thanks! z
The all time kids favorite toys here in Manila our very own ,
Thanks for posting this 🙂
thanks, jake! i am travelling in the andes right now, and just bought two more in the town of Guaranda! yes, we attempted to spin the top and did not do a very good job. we laughed a lot, however!
lisa
I love this post!!! What wonderful toys. I always found it funny how simple things like a cardboard box could entertain my kids for hours and still does! Great post and wonderful photos!
hey! sorry i have not replied to your query about volunteering; i’m travelling with friends in the andes, and last night w/o internet. i have a few ideas and will be getting back to you asap!
yes, you are so right about cardboard-box fun! i am glad that your children still have fun with simple toys, even if they use the side of your home for a canvas.
z
Ahhh….just saw that on your posts!!! How fun! If I can find a college girl to babysit, my hubbie said I could try to do something for a week in January. I’ve had a really hard time finding anything good on the internet. I know there must be places but can’t seem to find much, especially for short term volunteers. I really want central america but am also interested in quito, equador as I’ve never been there and it is easy to get to. Hopefully I can find something! 🙂 Any help would be great but no rush! I still need to secure a sitter. Have fun!!!! 🙂 Take lots of pics too!
This reminds me of the Appalachian folk art toys which are still being hand crafted in western North Carolina…spinning tops, jacob’s ladders, whimmy diddles, yoyos, etc My purchases always ended up in our kid’s stockings at Christmas and they remember playing with them…simple pleasures. I love the afternoon shadows photos. These kids look happy. Are they spinning a top?
hey amiga! i’ll bet those carolina artisans make some great toys, and yes, they would make great stocking stuffers for any age!
the children in the afternoon sun were playing with marbles!
z
Lisa, you should come to San Clemente to see the spinning top champions here. The young boys love to show me how they can spin the tops and then loop the string back around the top and make it skip, but Javier – a maestro level workman at our complex – outperforms the young kids with his ability to spin the top, loop the string and skip the top back up onto his palm, drop the spinning top back onto the ground and then loop the string onto the top again to flip it up onto a short wall. He is amazing and the kids all try to duplicate his moves. I never tire of watching them and they never tire of showing off! John
hmmmm. i think there’s a great post waiting for you to write!
i would love to see photos of all that you described! if you don’t get around to the post, we’ll have to arrange a top-spinning fiesta when i’m there next! we’re going to stay busy between that and having a botanical-painting session!
z
These are great. We tried them out at a festival a couple of weeks ago. There were none for sale however 😦
i was the lucky one and am tempted to go buy a jar full of those fun toys and present them to my adult friends then sit back and watch the fun!
Beautiful. I bought a hand painted one for the older grandson a few years ago. It is no doubt buried under his million electronic gizmos.Miss those simple days 😦
hey amiga! it would be nice to roll back the high-tech gadget toys for those from slower times. so many children grow up so fast, and it would be nice to prolong those years of innocence. unfortunately, the modern world often forgets that less is more.
your grandson surely treasures you!
z
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