Where We Be
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| View of Otavalo from our rooftop terrace, with Volcano Imbabura behind |
| Otavalo, Ecuador |
| We met a friendly English couple at Condor Park and ended up sharing a taxi ride and lunch with them at their Hacienda Cusin near Laguna de San Pablo |
Otavalo is home to the most famous indigenous
crafts market in Ecuador. Saturday is the big
day, when nearly one third of the town is filled
to overflowing with stalls selling textiles,
jewelry, wood carvings, leather goods, and all
manner of trinkets and handicrafts. Frankly it
can be a bit overwhelming! Still, we got out and
did our consumer duty, wandering up and down
endless rows of stalls selling pencil cases,
sweaters, rugs, wall hangings, fake shrunken
heads, and who knows what else. Personally, I
enjoyed meeting the people behind the stalls
more than the shopping itself. They were
invariably friendly, not pushy, and had a smile
for you whether you bought something or not.
Otavalo itself was larger and a bit more citified
than we had expected, but we liked the view
from the rooftop terrace of Hostal Chasqui,
where we could see the surrounding peaks of
Imbabura, Cotacachi, and Mojanda volcanoes.
crafts market in Ecuador. Saturday is the big
day, when nearly one third of the town is filled
to overflowing with stalls selling textiles,
jewelry, wood carvings, leather goods, and all
manner of trinkets and handicrafts. Frankly it
can be a bit overwhelming! Still, we got out and
did our consumer duty, wandering up and down
endless rows of stalls selling pencil cases,
sweaters, rugs, wall hangings, fake shrunken
heads, and who knows what else. Personally, I
enjoyed meeting the people behind the stalls
more than the shopping itself. They were
invariably friendly, not pushy, and had a smile
for you whether you bought something or not.
Otavalo itself was larger and a bit more citified
than we had expected, but we liked the view
from the rooftop terrace of Hostal Chasqui,
where we could see the surrounding peaks of
Imbabura, Cotacachi, and Mojanda volcanoes.
| And this American Kestrel is similar to ones we've seen out west hovering in the air while searching for prey |
| This Aplomado Falcon shows off his gorgeous plumage |
| We enjoyed watching the free flight demo with hawks, falcons, and eagles. Once this bald eagle was let loose, he kept flying free for a good hour! |
| Like many Ecuadorian cities, Otavalo has spread out to fill its valley |
| This photo gives you a good feel for many of the simpler restaurants in Ecuador offering "platos tipicos" (typical plates) |
| View of the central plaza looking away from the church |
| The street outside Hostal Chasqui sweeps upwards towards the surrounding hills and volcanoes |
| Our room at Hostal Chasqui offered a balcony, rooftop terrace, wifi, and hot showers for $20 per night |
| During our second day in Otavalo, we took a cab up a steep cobbled road 4 km to Condor Park, a rehabilitation center for Andean condors and other raptors |
| The central plaza is open and inviting |
| This stall is representative of hundreds more like it, with friendly owners selling colorful woven goods, often handmade, at reasonable prices. We bought two hammocks here. |
| Otavalo is known for its textiles. Nearby villages are known for other specialties like wood carving or leather goods. |
