Blogs from Otavalo, North, Ecuador, South America

Because we spent so much time in Otavalo, I decided that I had more things to talk about. Aside from their absolutely fantastic peanut ice cream and empanadas (both of which cost a dollar), there were some fantastic deals to be had in the market in Otavalo. One thing that's very different than I'm used to, though, was the way that they expected you to barter with them. In the U.S, one of the most aggravating things for me as a consumer is when prices aren't listed, since I like to take a little time to think about the cost without the seller being involved. As you might expect, the fact that no one in Otavalo listed prices, combined with the fact that they wanted you to make decisions on the spot was a little worrying ... read more

Just a little town north of Quito. I'd read that Otavalo had great great indigenous art products and decided to make a stop there. It was a quaint little town. I stay at a quiet and near empty guesthouse. Surrounding towns had specialized handcrafts. I did a day trip to Cotacachi, which is known for their leather. I bought a light brown leather belt. It felt sturdy and thick. Not like any other leather belts I've had in my life. I believe I paid $10-$15 for it. It was a great purchase. One that I still have to this day.... read more

All kind of people travel. You have the single travellers, the couples, the friends, the families, and infrequently the mother-daughter pair. But it is not often you encounter the mother-son combination. The eyes stop to look, the minds wonder. We are different. Not the norm for the road. We stand out. But the reactions are invariably positive. How is it to travel with my mother? Not hard. But there are differences with travelling alone of course. Probably the biggest issue is the discrepancy in spending power. My budget is lower than my mums. It’s not always easy. I don’t want my mum to have to travel like I do, vice-versa, my mother doesn’t want me to break my bank to keep up with her. For the Galapagos I decided to go on par with my mother, ... read more

We arrived in Otavalo exhausted by the bus ride but excited for the markets on the following day. We quickly found accomodation in supurb hotel with a stunning view of the surrounding volcanic formed mountains. After a short rest we eagerly ventured out into Otavalo eager to get a feel for this well known town. We enjoyed some outstanding mexican food, discovered where the local panderia's were. Important information as fresh bread has quickly become our favoured breakfast when on the go. We walked through the market area full of questions about exactly what these famed markets would be like. We realised the following morning that our imaginings could not possibly have prepared us for the chaotic fiesta of the market. We hesitantly ventured out into the neighbouring street to our hotel which had almost by ... read more

I have arrived in Ecuador no problem transferring in Houston although I did get a bit worried when it was taking what seemed like ages to get through customs! Whilst queuing for security in Houston I got talking to a guy called Renan(sp?) unfortunately he was flying to DC not Quito but he did give me a note from Honduras which is worth about 25cents apparently! So I finally landed in Quito at 11pm (5am British time). I got a bit concerned that I should only be bringing 1 phone into the country & I had 2 but apparently it's fine especially as the one doesn't actually work in Ecuador. Then I had a slight panic that my luggage hadn't arrived because it wasn't going around the carousel but it turned out airport staff had taken ... read more