Where: Otavalo, Ecuador
When: June 1, 2008
With: Rachel
To say that Rachel and I were sad to be leaving the Galapagos is an understatement. We were actually really, really bummed / borderline depressed about it. As intrigued as we were by Quito when we'd first landed in Ecuador, by the end of our trip, we were just laying in bed, angry at the busy city around us while missing our boat and the islands and the sea lions.
We had one more day to go before flying back to the states and a few options for how to spend the time. Despite the fact that many of our trip-mates had chosen to go fishing, we were the only ones that had opted to head into the mountains to a town called Otavalo. When we woke up that morning, it was gloomy and rainy and we were barely speaking to each other out of the grumbly moods we were both in.
We met our guide and piled into his car to start the two hour drive. As we climbed through the Andes Mountains, we didn't speak much. It was beautiful watching the rolling green of forests and mountains, but the rain matched our moods.
When we finally got out to stretch our legs, the rain had stopped, and there was a refreshing, mountain breeze that wafted over us. I'd say it was cheesy to say that it felt like it was blowing the bad mood away, but it's true and Rachel agreed.
My initial impression of Otavalo was how clean and beautiful it was. It had a Disney World quality to it, almost too pristine to be real, and all with the backdrop of the Andes in the background.
When: June 1, 2008
With: Rachel
To say that Rachel and I were sad to be leaving the Galapagos is an understatement. We were actually really, really bummed / borderline depressed about it. As intrigued as we were by Quito when we'd first landed in Ecuador, by the end of our trip, we were just laying in bed, angry at the busy city around us while missing our boat and the islands and the sea lions.
We had one more day to go before flying back to the states and a few options for how to spend the time. Despite the fact that many of our trip-mates had chosen to go fishing, we were the only ones that had opted to head into the mountains to a town called Otavalo. When we woke up that morning, it was gloomy and rainy and we were barely speaking to each other out of the grumbly moods we were both in.
We met our guide and piled into his car to start the two hour drive. As we climbed through the Andes Mountains, we didn't speak much. It was beautiful watching the rolling green of forests and mountains, but the rain matched our moods.
When we finally got out to stretch our legs, the rain had stopped, and there was a refreshing, mountain breeze that wafted over us. I'd say it was cheesy to say that it felt like it was blowing the bad mood away, but it's true and Rachel agreed.
My initial impression of Otavalo was how clean and beautiful it was. It had a Disney World quality to it, almost too pristine to be real, and all with the backdrop of the Andes in the background.
The big draw of Otavalo is its Saturday market, the oldest Indian market in South America. While we missed the true high time before 8AM when the animals are being sold, we still got to experience the crux of the shops, selling all kinds of locally made specialties, including jewelry, artwork, and clothing. The stalls are positioned throughout the squares in the city and provide a colorful maze to explore.
We wandered. We explored. We bartered with locals. I even got to practice my Spanish, telling some shop owners about our trip to the Galapagos and how beautiful their country was.
As we wandered from stall to stall, something amazing happened: verification that retail therapy actually works. Now, I'm not a huge shopper, but even my spirit was lifted by the new painting and leather wrist bands that I purchased. By the time we went for lunch, Rachel and I were giggling and laughing about how magical this market was for bringing us out of that grouchy mood!
After the market, we hit one more stop before heading back to Quito. And it was the exact nature-fix we needed: a stop at this lake in the mountains for some stunning views and one last hike.
The way the lush, green mountains plunged right into the water was stunning, and there was no one else around but us. We felt one with nature.
And now that it was sunny, the views of the surrounding mountains and countryside were breathtaking. It felt like we could touch the clouds.
I loved how sharply the mountains sprung into the sky.
And the wildflowers were on point.
Mmm...I'm so happy we visited Otavalo to get some sunshine, nature and retail therapy. I'm also so happy that these were my last images of the country of Ecuador. It kept me smiling through the grueling return to work.
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