Bienvenidos A Ecuador

Excited to be facing our last long bus ride through Colombia we embarked on the 12 hour journey to Ipiales, a Colombian border town.  We spent the night in a dingy little hotel, (which definitely ‘rents by the hour’ and had a poster plastered to the bathroom door advocating for safe sex), before tackling the border crossing into Ecuador.  Although it took a while, we were admitted into the country and quickly on our way to Otavalo…aboard a bus with live, uncut, original Ecuadorian rappers. 

Immediately I missed Colombia, the spectacular mountainous, lush scenery and hospitable people vanished and were replaced with brown hills and hectic people yelling this and that.  I am sure I will get used to it, but definitely a much different feel.

Arriving in Otavalo, it was welcome to see a much more indigenous influence than anywhere we experienced in Colombia.  The indigenous people here seem very proud of their culture and 

many wear traditional clothing.  The women wear white blouses embroidered with flowers, long wool skirts, woven belts, strands of beads, and woven wraps around low pulled ponytails.  Men wear felt hats, blue ponchos, short pants and their hair in a long braid or ponytail.    

Otavalo is famous for its market in the Plaza de los Ponchos, featuring traditional weavings and textiles.  This market has roots going back hundreds of years to when traders from surrounding highland and jungle communities met here to trade goods essential to survival.  The market has evolved through time into more of an artisan focus - today Otavaleños are the most commercially successful indigenous community in Ecuador.