Otovalo, Ecuador

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Now, I'm not normally much of a market guy.  I visit the local markets to find cheap food and weird fruit, and I'll generally give the local market a look wherever I'm at.  But they don't usually grab me the way Otovalo's did.  So much color!  Shawls, blankets, sweaters, caps, and rugs, of every color imaginable laid out on tables, hung from anything that could me made to stand upright, and worn by the Quechua woman that were selling them.  The rugs, caps, and many others were knitted or sewn from wool or cotton, but what really captured my attention were the shawls, blankets, and sweaters sewn from alpaca wool.  Of the two days I spent in the market most of the time was spent picking through two or three foot piles of shawls or blankets, just as an excuse to touch them.  The place was a treat for more than just the eyes.

The natural setting for all this color was spectacular as well.  Surrounded by several volcanos, at least one seemed to visible no matter which street I turned down.  Imbabura was the closest, and with the lower slopes a patchwork of fields and the 4,500m summit perpetually hidden in it's own personal cloud, it was the perfect background to the color and noise of the market plaza.  I spent the final day in town out of town, at the foot of this volcano enjoying a local waterfall, walking alongside sheep, cows, and pigs on the side of a gorgeous high mountain lake, and watching a small local soccer match.

Otovalo, a great introduction to Ecuador