Blogs from Otavalo, North, Ecuador, South America - page 31

Started at the school this week, am loving it! The school is in an area called Urquisiqui. This place is definitely not in the Lonely Planet! It’s not even a village, it’s just one or two buildings at a junction in the road, and most of the kids live in the surrounding hills in small farms, some of them walking up to an hour to get to school. There’s probably around 50 kids between the ages of 4 and around 14, I guess, although it varies daily as they’re often needed at home to help in the fields. The school has two large classrooms, two smaller ones, a tiny kitchen and a ‘toilet block’, which frankly is a plague waiting to happen, I try to find a quiet corner in the field like the kids do! ... read more

October 15, 1985 *City official name :Otavalo *Founded date : *Location :Imbabura Province *Elavation :? ft (? m) *Area :Approximately ? square miles (? km²). *Facts :Otavalo is a largely indigenous town in Imbabura Province, Ecuador, well known for its Saturday market. The town, which is in a valley, is surrounded by the peaks of Imbabura, Cotacachi, and Mojanda volcanoes. The Indians of Otavalo are famous for the weaving of textiles, which has a 4000 year history. The town has an expansive market, and, although main market day is Saturday, in the Plaza del Poncho there are wares available for tourists throughout the week. There are several hotels in colonial buildings and a number of restaurants. As Otavalo is famous for its textiles, man... read more