In past posts we have made reference to the Manabi province all-purpose do-everything tool – the machete. Well, if there is a corresponding all-purpose use-for-everything building material here in Manabi it would have to be Bamboo.
Bamboo (referred to as, “caña” when used in construction) grows all over this province and is used for all types of construction. The wood is remarkably strong and resistant to corrosion. The trees are actually a type of grass and grow unbelievably fast.
Our friend Heinz has a stand of bamboo in his yard which he regularly trims right down to the ground. He recently had the bamboo cut down to the ground and this stalk has grown to about four feet tall in little more than a week.
Living It Up in Ecuador 