This weekend was wonderful. Chelsea came up from Loja, and we had a really fun weekend hanging around Quito and veging and watching girly movies on Netflix just like in our roomie days.
Now that my bank account isn't as sad, I decided it was time for me to do my holiday shopping. Last weekend when having a day of adventure with my friend Anna (a fellow EIL survivor), we discussed going to the nearby town of Otavalo on a day trip to the world famous market there. Otavalo is said to be one of the biggest and best markets in all of South America. The indigenous groups are famous for their leather and woven crafts. The biggest day is Saturday when the market takes up a large part of the city, but Chelsea, Anna and I decided the trip would be more calm (and work out better with our schedules) to go on Sunday.
We got to one of the bus stations in the north of Quito, Carcelen, around 8:15 on Sunday morning (I think I have been to the majority of big stations by now), and were able to quickly hop on a bus that left quite promptly after that!
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| The buses (especially for tourists) often play movies (dubbed in Spanish of course). Unfortunately the movies we were subjected to were especially violent, which was a strange change from most of the other movies shown are full of sex instead. |
It was a beautiful ride through the sierras. Once out of Quito, the landscape in Ecuador really is beautiful and lush.
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| here is a view of (what I believe is) Cuyambe, another of Ecuador's volcanoes |
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| and another view out the bus window |
Right before the town of Otavalo there is a small town San Pablo del Lago with a huge lake (Lago San Pablo). On this absolutely beautiful day all I wanted to do was go jump into the clear blue water, but alas, that will need to be saved for another adventure!
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| Lago San Pablo with Imbabura Volcano behind it |
We arrived to the bus station in Otavalo after a two hour ride (that means $2!!!). We hopped into a cab to take us to the market, since we were weren't sure how far it would be. Turns out it was only a few blocks away! The market was in a main square that took up about a block. Since it was Sunday and not Saturday it was substantially smaller, but still filled to the brim with cool things! We set off weaving our way between the stalls.
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| some adorable overalls for kids...I did ask if they came in my size, and a guy laughed at me. Joke is on him though because when I did find a pair...I spent some money (see below). |
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| overview of the market |
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| and again |
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| inside the market it is so colorful! |
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| they sell everything from art to clothing and jewelry to furniture and kitchy trinkets and honestly pretty much anything and everything you could think of! |
We spent the day looking for various items for our friends and families. The trick is to really bargain, which can be fun and exhausting all at the same time. I think we really walked away with quite the bounty! You will just all have to wait until I am home to see what I picked up :P
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| (but if no one gets a gift, it's because it was super important for me to buy these and rock this fashion statement) |
It was nice to get out of Quito for the day and see more of Ecuador. However, if I go back to Otavalo, I will make sure to do it on a Saturday because I was not completely WOWED with the market on Sunday. About 6 blocks away from me in the Mariscal is the Artisan market in Quito (smartly placed in the tourist center!) I honestly did not find Otavalo to be much more thrilling, though there were a few things that were definitely better quality there, but as I said it was not Saturday.
Only a few more days of classes left, and then finals next Monday and Tuesday! This weekend we (from Fulbright) will be going to Papallactas, natural hot springs and hiking adventures, and next week will be Thanksgiving! More blogs to come soon!
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