We went on a trip to Otavalo three weekends ago.
On the way there, we stopped in a small town known for it's bread, and had the opportunity to watch people make it. A little ways down the road, we stopped to take a few pictures of Volcan Imbabura (not the one that had been erupting, if you happened to hear about that), one of many volcanoes in Ecuador. Unfortunately, the clouds covered its crest, but they didn't stop us from getting some beautiful pictures of this truly majestic work of nature.
Volcan Imbabura
The drive was scenic, to say the least. Mom and Dad, I know you always love to take the "scenic route" on vacations. You would've loved this one. Since I arrived, I've thought the views here remind me of Ireland's landscape. I thought I might just be comparing the two most beautiful places I've been because, well, they're both so beautiful. But an Ecuadorian actually told me once that the landscape is reminiscent of Ireland's. Recap: 1. I'm not crazy (at least not this time) 2. Beautiful Views (but driving here is synonomous with "suicide", so don't feel too bad Dad, pictures are safer anyway).
We eventually arrived in Otavalo, which has the largest indigenous market in Ecuador and is known for its hand-crafted goods, which include: blankets, scarfs, bowls, plates, incense burners, paintings and drawings, purses, hammocks, jewelry, socks, slippers, gloves (made of alpaca - super soft!), instruments, mini-guitars with absolutely AMAZING craftmanship and woodwork - many featuring expressive faces carved into the body, guitar straps, wallets, etc., etc., etc.The market occupies a very large area of streets and stretches thoughout the center of the city. We spent about two hours walking around.
Of course, the vendors assume that gringos have money and tried to charge me way too much for everything. Luckily, I'm not an idiot and I'm a good bargainer, so I got the right price for everything I bought (which I later confirmed with our Ecuadorian guide). If I got the vendors down to half or a third of the price they initially asked, I knew it was a fair one. I can't blame them for asking more, and they didn't mind that I was freindly and knew what I was talking about. I bought un MONTON de cosas (a TON of stuff). Mostly gifts. Get excited, friends and family...there is much to be given to you. However, I'm a little afraid about getting it all back to the states. I'll find a way - it's worth it. My favorite purchase is a replica of Guayasamin's "Los Amantes". Oswaldo Guayasamin (1919-1999) was an Ecuadorian artist who you can learn more about here: http://www.guayasamine.com/. I unfortunately cannot find an image of the work I bought anywhere online, but it's of two lovers embracing eachother with exaggurated hands. It's important to me because my host family has a replica as well hanging in their family room and I will always remember that. Thus, although I really like it anyway, it'll be a little piece of the memories with my family that I can bring back with me and hang on my wall as well.That night, we had the rare opportunity of being invited to an indigenous wedding. One of the boys in my program, Justin, has some friends from the university who are Otavalan and were in town for a family wedding. They invited all of us to accompany them - what are the chances! Of course I wanted to go - and I did. It wasn't the actual wedding ceremony we attended, but the first day of the celebration. Yes, that's right - the first of three days of family parties to celebrate the wedding. The first is to celebrate the bride, the second, the groom, and the third, the couple and the joining of the families, if I remember correctly. There were at least 100 people in the basement area of the house, where the live band was playing traditional indigenous music and everyone was dancing.
The family offered us food (the soup had a straight-up chicken's foot in it) and the "most prominent woman of the family", as I was told (an elderly woman, I'm assuming the grandmother or great-grandmother of the bride) was floating around the dance floor, drunk, and continuously demanding that my friends and I take a shot of the MOST DISGUSTING alcohol I have ever had. It was in a green, glass bottle and was warm (yuck!) and tasted like the Pajaro Azul we had in Guaranda for Carnaval, but warm. Eww. But Justin's friends informed me that I'd be insulting her and the family if I didn't take it, even though I tried to refuse it after the initial taste. This crazy old man danced with me for quite a while and I had to stop him because he tired me out! He had sooo much energy and I have no idea what rhythm we were dancing to, but he "really knew what he was doing" so I followed his lead and laughed all the while.
When we left the wedding, all ages of people were stumbling home and into taxis. It was hilarious, especially because we knew they were all family and the majority of them were well over 60 years old. We took off to the center of Otavalo for some food and dancing. It was only 8:30pm.
While eating some dinner in town, our conversation was interrupted by music and shouting in the street. We ran outside to see what was going on, and there was a huge wedding procession marching down the street - at least 200 people, pick-up trucks full of fruit and food blasting music, everybody dancing and singing and shouting, people carrying things to the wedding celebration, etc. But MOST ridiculous was the LIVE GUINEA PIGS HANGING, SQUIRMING from their FEET THAT WERE TIED TO STICKS that the people were carrying them around on. Hahahahahahaha. You can see them in the picture above. They're gonna cook those guys later and eat them. I still have yet to try cui, but trust me, it's going to happen.After we went back and finished dinner, we went to a discoteca, where there was a live band playing yet more traditional indigenous music. We were exhausted around 12:30 and went home to rest up before another big day.
Sunday was a hands-on, educational day. We first went to a small house where a couple demonstrated for us how they make the bags they sell at the market.
Next, we drove to a music shop - where they make the musical instruments which are also sold at the market. A man showed us how he makes some of the instruments, what they are called, and how to play them. Notable are the armadillos they use to make guitar bodies and the sheep toenails that they tie together and shake as a percussion instrument.Just a few bunches of sheep toenails....
Before we headed home, we went to an absolutely beautiful natural lake called "Laguna de Cuicocha". We hiked around it for about an hour, and then the clouds started pouring over the mountains and fogging up the beautiful view (literally the clouds were just sitting on the lake), so we headed home.
A few more notable pictures from the trip:
An illustration on the wall in the hostel we stayed. It makes me smile.
Amy Gurka? or an Otavalan heartbreaker?
My best friend on the trip, Christine, and an alpaca. You never know what kinds of animals you're going to find here, or where, or why...or who they belong to........
Damn, Dad! Look at that woodgrain! I thought this looked like Brazilian Rosewood and I asked them if it was, but they said no. So I asked them what it was, but I don't know what they said. I think it's Brazilian Rosewood and they just didn't understand what I was asking.
Colorful instruments hang on the wall of the music shop we visited. I figured out how to play Darth Vader march theme from Star Wars on the blowpipe-type thing. Haha.
After we took pictures of Volcan Imbabura, these young ladies accompanied us on our bus and sang songs in Quichua (Ecuador's second language after Spanish and most populous indigenous tribe). We tipped them for their performance, and then had the chance to purchase some goods they had made and were selling. I bought a really pretty scarf for SOMEONE (it's a secret!).
We visited this waterfall...one of many we've visited. Couldn't exactly swim in this one...haha. We also hiked around it.
Que bonita es esta vida!
Futbol is a pretty big deal here. I tried to play with him but I think he needs to get a smaller soccer ball for his height...hehe.
If you can make out "LA NATURALEZA ES VIDA!!!!!!!" That was painted on the curb as we drove into the park to see the georgous Laguna de Cuicocha. Nature IS life! It's true! Haha.
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