Otavalo New Year.

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Having raced across Colombia in three days we just made it in time to Otavalo to see in the New Year. If you like crafty things you can buy them in numbers in Ecuador where there is a huge market in the Plaza de Ponchos (Square of Ponchos). But it is otherwise a lovely place. You an walk among the mountains and visit a waterfall in a eucalyptus grove. The lakes are among the most beautiful in South America, although our photos don´t really do the countryside justice. Silvie thinks our photos represent the beauty there quite well, and I´m being cynical or falsely modest.
The Otavaleño culture is unique. They managed to maintain a distinct identity despite the Incas, and then teh Spanish. They also speak a more antique version of Quechua. They are also born traders and very business minded, probably one of the richest indigenous communities in South America. As your school textbook might say "a proud and gentle people." Although this sounds a tad patronising.
Here are our photos of New Year, just two of them, we got a bit merry and most fo the photos we took are rubbish. (but silvie thinks they are good)

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Photos

Burning the year.
In Otavalo people wear masks on new year, and then the men put on women´s clothes. They then harass all and sundry, tourists included of course. It is the first time in my life that I´ve been menaced by something that resembles a mansize transexual rat.
They also make bonfires on every corner, where they burn last year´s troubles at 12am sharp. And let of fireworks. Here is one such bonfire that looks a bit like a chinese, or welsh, dragon. Many of the bonfires had effigies of George Bush and the then Ecuadorian president thrown onto them. Judging by the recent election result in Ecuador maybe this ritual works.

Silvie and I celebrated
in proper style with the help of an Ecuadorian grandma. We were sitting on the kerb grimacing a little as we drank a bottle of Ecuadorian "champagne". Not really like champagne and neither sweet nor sour, just fermented. We were then approached by a sweet looking old lady who offered for us to try her homemade drink, that looked quite creamy and delicious. "Que es?" we asked, curious as to what it was. "Milk" she replied, "and sugar..." Convinced at this point that is was in fact a soft drink we took to hearty draughts each. The sticky drop that formed at the back of our throats soon made us realise that it was anything but soft. "and coconut milk" she continued "and then coca. It is my own special recipe. I never drink it though. Too strong".
All was revealed. We were drinking a kind of milk based coca leaf wine. Quite tasty, totally legal, and stern stuff. The rest of our night passed quickly enough, and was very fun. We took lots of silly photos like the one here and chatted till the early hours. Thank you grandma. Wherever you are.