Otavalo

With a not so quick trip to the border and farewells to Colombia, we were off to start our Ecuadoran adventure. Our first stop would be the highland market town of Otavalo.  After many changes of collectivos (shared taxis that leave when they´re full) and a long-distance bus ride, we arrived in Otavalo after the sunset.  While most buses we´ve rode have dropped us off at a bus station, this one dropped us off on the side of the Pan-Americana. Walking through a strange town with a rough map and a compass had served us well in the past, but since we had no point of reference and it was dark, panic was just around the corner. Luckily, a friendly indigenous Otavalan named Patricio showed up instead. He offered to show us to our hostel, chatting away about the native people of the region as we zigzagged through the city. Since we had been walking in the opposite direction that he led us, we were quite glad to have his assistance and to know that the hospitality we had been shown on our trip was not specific to Colombia. The next day was Saturday, and in Otavalo that means market day.  While the main square of town has an everyday market where the indigenous people sell their hand-crafted goods, on Saturday they come from all over the region to sell their wares, socialize, and fill the city with a wide variety of crafts, textiles, and food.  The result is a colorful spectacle where there is always something to see, smell, or haggle over.  After the craziness of the market, we were happy to relax on the rooftop terrace of our hostel which, in addition to great views, also had two hammocks and a pool table.  We spent the rest of the day reading/napping in hammocks and teaching Laura how to play pool. Otavalo was a great introduction to Ecuador.