Ecuador-Chapter 3-Otavalo

Following our time in Quito, Aurelia and I headed north to the town of Otavalo. Known from pre-Inca times as center for fine textiles, Otavalo is now world renown for its textile market. It is also significant as the place where the Hidalgo family (Torco, Fidel, Sarah and Fausto) lived for many years and where Miguel Hidalgo got his start in jewelry making (yes, it's my blog and I'll crow if I want to). After an exciting bus trip, where the driver played chicken with another drive- clashing mirrors and some fine vistas (see below), we arrived in Otavalo.

Having spent about a year in Otavalo over seven visits I feel that this is one of my homes. Even after ten years away much seems the same. The central plaza is still full of teenagers smooching and old guys chtating to each other below whitewashed palms. The shoeshine army was in full force but business much have improved over the last decade as many sported cell phones.
Otavalo actually has two markets, the vegtable market and the more famous poncho market. Aurelia and I visited the food market on Friday and we walked among the stalls where I learned a lot of my spanish as I did the family shopping.


(Piggy having a bad day)

Saturday, poncho market day, was a typical andean day, the sun shining bright and hot. You can feel little atmosphere is between you and the sun. Hats and sunscreen are a must. We spent the morning moving among the many stalls that fill the large plaza and run down most of the streets nearby. Everyone should expect indigenous cotton garb as holiday gifts for year to come.


(Gold filled glass beads worn by the Otavalenas)

(Shaved ice-dulce!)

Next time...The festival of San Pedro or Aurelia and Miguel stumble upon a very cool event.

Backyard Break

Here's a little pause from the Ecuador pictures. The summer has been slow in arriving this year and may not arrive at all. Despite that Aurelia and I have been spending more time in the backyard. We did some work on the deck last year, removing the broken hot tub (actually given away free on Craigslist) and putting in a small bench at the back.

We're also growing three varieties of tomatoes which have been moving slowly due to the cool weather. Just a bit of basil and some fresh mozzarella...heaven.


Finally, in the local cat makes good category, is Blanca. The aptly if not-all-that-creatively named calico stray started coming around our house about three months ago. She was extremely skinny and hand that haunted look of the nearly starved. Needless to say I was cold of heart, not wanting to become another cat adopting sucker. But Aurelia's daily requests and Blanca's good looks quickly broke me. So we took her to the vet (after spending a week getting her to eat inside a kitty carrier) and had the works done. She is now de-wormed, de-flead and innoculated. Turns out she is two years old and is already spayed. The vet believes that Blanca was abandoned by her owners, a not uncommon occurrence. She is skittish because of her time on the street but you can see she wants to be petted. So we'll keep working with her as we fatten her up.


Next time...Back to Ecuador