We went on our second CLO trip a few weekends ago to 2 small towns about 2 hours north of Quito- Otavalo & Cotacachi. If you read travel books about Ecuador, they will tell you all about Otavalo. This little town is known all over for their market square. The indigenous people from various parts of the country, come here to sell things that they make by hand. It is truly a feast for the eyes and somewhat overstimulating due to all the sites, smells, and sounds. For those of you who visited us in Hawaii, the market is a little bit like the Swapmeet. But the goods being sold are more unique and the vendors are closer together. You can find all sorts of things at this market, beautiful hand embroidered clothing and table linens, blankets, sweaters, scarves etc. made with alpaca wool, jewelry made from seeds, nuts, wood, and of course silver, Panama Hats...the list goes on. On the outskirts of the square, vendors selling food items have their little stands selling things like fritada and mote (fried pork with corn), lots of baked goods, coconuts and fresh juices. Unfortunately, the market is so crowded and a common stop for tourists, that it is also a good place for pick-pockets to visit. For that reason, I didn't want to bring out the camera to take photos...maybe next time!
Cotocachi is another small town not too far away from Otavalo. They are known for making all-things leather. There is one main street that goes through the town that is lined with stores selling bags, purses, jackets and coats, belts, wallets, shoes and boots, etc. We didn't have too much time in Cotocachi due to a long leisurely lunch (the idea of stop and go, or grabbing a quick anything doesn't exist here- this is very nice because people enjoy life at a slower pace, but not always easy for American kiddos to understand:)
**A bunch of the first pictures are taken looking through the tinted windows of the bus, but you get the general idea of the beauty here...
View of the countryside taken from the bus.
Cayambe Volcano
Imbambura Volcano overlooking Lago San Paolo
The pink hat and purse were Malia's purchase in Otavalo. She was insisting that I try it on...
The boys sporting their new Panama Hats- a bit of history...the hats have always been made here in Ecuador out of a fiber called paja toquilla. It's a straw-like material that they weave. The high quality finely-woven ones can cost up to a few thousand dollars. In the local markets you can expect to pay $10-20. The story goes that when they were celebrating the opening of the Panama Canal, President Roosevelt was given one as a gift. Thinking it was locally made, he termed it his Panama Hat and the name stuck. The Ecuadorians are proud of their hats and will make sure you know that they are made here, NOT Panama.
In Cotocachi, Shay saw a leather horse that he really wanted...his name is "Michael".
After we visited Cotocachi, the bus took us to the home and studio of local artist Whitman Gualsaqui. He was so nice and his family welcomed us with open arms. He took us around his home to show his work and tell us the stories about each painting. When he first started out, he was painting abstracts. When his daughter was born, his style changed and now her childhood face is the subject of most of his work.
I loved his blue door!!
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