Life in Loja Ecuador

North of the City of Loja in Southern Ecuador is the Parish of Taquil with an internationally renowned pottery making center known simply as "Barrio Cera."  You will be alerted that you have reached this craft mecca when you spot the giant ceramic cooking pot and lid at the entrance to the neighborhood. Getting to Barrio Cera is a rugged ride, but it offers spectacular views along the way.
Cera’s potters have been passing down their craft from generation to generation as a means of earning income in addition to the local agriculture and livestock raising that takes up most of the day.
Upwards of 80 percent of the barrio’s residents engage in the production of ceramic table and cooking utensils and decor pieces. Cera’s artisans are mostly adult women with men and children lending a hand when large orders come in. Not at all a parochial undertaking, resellers come to gather goods to retail in Quito and other northern Sierra craft markets. Cera’s masters have also studied advance…