Today started off really early, I had to be at a friend’s house by 8:30AM so that we could leave for Otavalo. On my walk over around 8, I was minding my own business, walking down the sidewalk, when this motorcycle drove onto the sidewalk and almost hit me! The road was right there, but no, this guy had to try and hit the poor, innocent gringa just trying to walk down the sidewalk!
Anyways, Otavalo has been a crossroads for trade in the Andes since before the Incans. To get there from Quito, you must take the Panamerican highway for about two hours, also you must descend about 2000m or so. The Panamericana is interesting and unlike any other autopista (highway) that I’ve been on. It is two lanes the whole time, curving around the Andes . Most of the time there is the double yellow line, but even with that and curves that you can’t see around there is a lot of passing that goes on. While on the Panamericana you get some really beautiful views of the Andes mountains, and since it was so early in the morning there were a lot of clouds, and it was so beautiful!
Our first stop north on the way to Otavalo was the Equator! It was neat, there was a line going through the ground, a globe with the line going through it and a museum. This is the actual place where the equator passes through Ecuador. There is another place that has a huge 30m high monument, this is where Charles-Marie de La Condamine made his measurements to prove that this was where the equator was.
…and did you know that you weigh less at the equator? This is because there is a greater centrifugal force here than there is at the poles, the difference is only 0.03% but yeah, you still weigh less.
After taking advantage of this photo op, we got back into the van and continued to Otavalo. On the way there we picked up this indigenous girl who was selling scareves, she sang some songs for us in Spanish and quechua, which is commonly spoken in the Andes.
Once we got into Otavalo, there was so much to buy! In the market we were surrounded by bright colors, handmade crafts, and new/different foods and smells. There were so many in the market, paintings, clothes, hats, bags, chess sets, scarves, handmade crafts, food, basically anything that you would want to buy as a souvenir or just to have you could find in this market. Oh and if you arrive early enough on Saturday morning you can buy a llama or a horse! Otavalo is also a good place to buy a Panama hat, or sombrero de paja toquilla. These hats were originally made in Montecristi, Ecuador but the credit for the hat is always given to Panama. This is because workers on the Panama Canal wore this hat, because of its durability and to protect themselves from the sun, that is how these Ecuadorian hats made from toquilla palms became known as Panama hats.
OMG, I almost forgot! So a very common food in Otavalo is cuy, which is roasted guinea pig on a spit! I didn’t get to try it today, but I am definitely going to try it before I leave!
After Otavalo we went to Laguna de San Pablo in Cotacachi. This is a lake that was formed when the now extinct, Volcan Imbabura erupted, melting the snow, which formed the laguna. The laguna is so pretty! The water was this beautiful blue, almost clear water. Also, since the laguna is sitting on top of a volcano, sulfur gas rises from the laguna floor in little bubbles to the top, which was real cool to see. This laguna has no fish or anything living in it, but there are some pretty weird looking ducks and deer living in the area. The laguna also has islands in the middle of it, which resemble a woman lying down and her head and bosom. (We took a boat rode around the laguna and saw all that stuff).
After that we had some aguardiente, which is sugarcane alcohol and is very popular in Ecuador. I’m not sure yet if it’s just an acquired taste, but I really didn’t like it too much.
Oh and next week, I’m going to the beach! I’m excited! It will be a 6 hour drive in a bus, but I’m sure it will be worth it!
