We left Quito for a full day adventure.
The country side goes from brown to green to brown to green. A slight higher altitude than
Cuenca (which is at 8050+ feet) or Quito (which is at 9000 ft.)
All along the way you can see small shrines to the Blessed Virgin - always with fresh flowers.
Every time I saw one we were past it before I could snap a picture.
It seems strange to see cactus and green trees together.
The middle of the equator
I'm north of the equator and Bob is south of it.
All throughout our ride we would see these white covered structures.
Turns out that's where they grow the roses that Ecuador is so famous for.
Roses everywhere!
A town along the way to Otavalo.
No roadside rest stops
More white structures for roses (in background).
Welcome to Imbabura
directions to so many different places
Did you know that Panama Hats are actually made in Ecuador?
This is the original place where they are made.
They are so beautifully designed and skillfully hand made.
Beautiful lake in the middle of nowhere.
This place was the best - it is known for making Biscotti and cheese.
The biscotti is warm and the cheese soft and yummy. Served wrapped in huge leaves.
This beautiful Indigenous girl bo arded our bus right before we got to Otavalo - she sang a song for us from her tribe and had scarves to sell.
Her blouse is hand-embroidered.
Then unto the market at Otavalo - huge outdoor market with hand made everything.
After spending a couple of hours going through the market we boarded the bus to go to Cotacachi which is know for it's leather goods.
Entertainment along the way - often times at stop lights, which are very long in Ecuador, performers will entertain.
I was too busy buying leather goods to take many pictures of Cotacachi itself.
Our tour included lunch (and musical entertainment) however, the electricity in the town was out so everything looks so dark. Right above our heads, was an opening in the roof so we had light!
Our travel companions - one couple was from Italy, another from AU, another person from Brazil. Fun group of people.
More entertainment......
More on the next segment of our return to Quito
From Wikipedia about Otavalo and Cotacacahi
The indigenous Otavaleños are famous for weaving textiles, usually made of wool (that is sometimes as black as a raven), which are sold at the famous Saturday market. Although the largest market is on Saturday, there is a very wide range of wares available throughout the week in the Plaza de los Ponchos, and the many local shops. The shops sell textiles such as handmade blankets, tablecloths, and much more.
The Otavalo market consists of ninety mushroom-shaped concrete umbrellas with benches. The market was designed and built in 1970 by Dutch architect Tonny Zwollo.[2]
During the market's peak, almost one third of the town becomes full of stalls selling textiles, tagua nut jewelry, musical instruments, dream catchers, leather goods, fake shrunken heads, indigenous costumes, hand-painted platters and trays, purses, clothing, spices, raw foods and spools of wool.
Otavalo was an area made up principally of farming communities due to the rich volcanic soils in this area, but with the growth of tourism, the town has begun to focus more on the making of handicrafts which have made the Saturday market a popular stop with visitors to Ecuador. Tourism has become the town's main industry and as a result there are many more hotels, hostels, and tour operators than other similarly sized Ecuadorian towns, such as nearby Cayambe. Further, Otavaleño (people from Otavalo) have had notable success selling their goods abroad.
As Otavalo is famous for its textiles, many of the nearby villages and towns are famous for their own particular crafts. Cotacachi, for example, is the center of Ecuador's leather industry. In San Antonio, where the local specialty is wood carving, the main street prominently displays carved statues, picture frames, and furniture.
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