Weekend in Otavalo

This past weekend, my program went to Otavalo to an indigenous market! The market took place in the streets and a plaza with booths of all colors everywhere. As I started walking around, I had a few things in mind I wanted to buy, but then it became a test of my self-control to not buy everything I saw. My rule of thumb--if I didn't love it, then I wasn't going to buy it.


The sad part about the market was how cheap it all the items were. I would go up to a vendor, expecting to pay $5 for a bracelet, and it would already only be $2. From there I am supposed to bargain and it made me feel cheap. Sometimes I only took off .50 or so, but it was pretty surprising how cheap the handmade items were. Here's a picture of the stuff I got--all for only $24! Not too much (compared to some in the group), a few bracelets, earrings, headbands, a scarf, and a sweet, colorful pullover that would probably go for about $80 at urban outfitters in the states.

Otavalo was the main attraction this weekend but I also went to the Mitad del Mundo--the middle or half of the world--the Equator! I had flashbacks to when I was a kid I thought you would burn up in flames if you went to the Equator. It was hot, and informative as our guide told us that Ecuador is the special country on the Equator because the mountains made it easy for the indigenous tribes to see the path of the sun as it moved everyday.

We also went to Cochasqui to see ancient pre-hispanic Pyramides. They were overgrown and mostly just mounds in the landscape. However, they are important because they were right next to the equator and was one of the closest places that the ancient cultures got to the sun--which they worshiped. It was said to be one of the most, if not the most important archeological sites in the Andes and in Ecuador. Unfortunately, I did not learn too much about the site because out guide was speaking in Spanish. Even though his accent was clear, my vocabulary is still limited. I spent most of my time gazing out to the mountains surrounding us.

All of a sudden at the pyramids, out guide starts whistling and a herd of llamas and alpacas came running over and we fed them salt. Here's a picture of me feeding them!


We also climbed the Cascadas de Peguche--a waterfall near Otavalo. It was an early morning hike the next day and there were two waterfalls. We were able to wade and swim in the smaller one.



We also went to a bird sanctuary, the lake Cuicocha, and a lookout of some pretty mountains--which is by the way WHAT I SEE EVERYDAY around me all the time! It really is killing me not having a camera to capture the beautiful scenes! Which brings me to say that all of the pictures are from my friend Montana's facebook page.