We arrived in Quito on Friday evening, after a long flight form Madrid. Mariscal Sucre, the new international airport is about one hour drive form the old town. We lodged in the beautiful Hotel Patio Andaluz, now declared a National Treasure, close to Plaza Grande.
The next morning, we drove to Otavalo, two hours north, to visit the the local markets. On the way we stopped by the sun clock right on the equatorial line. There isn’t much to see, but mysteriously, I got excited standing with my legs spreading across two hemispheres and my GPS reading at 0°0’0’’.
Otavalo (pop. 90’000) is a largely indigenous town in the Imbabura Province, surrounded by the peaks of Imbabura, Cotacachi, and Mojanda volcanoes. On Saturdays, it hosts two markets: the animal market and the textile market.
The Otavalo region is famous for its textiles and today the Otavaleños are among the most prosperous of indigenous groups in all of Latin America. They mastered weaving because they forced to work in sweatshops by the Spanish conquistadores. In the early 20th century they began producing an inexpensive copy of cashmere that proved very popular. Then, the 1964 Law of Agrarian Reform granted workers title to their own land, which helped turn weaving into a cottage industry as Otavaleños began to weave in their own homes. Over 80% of the textile businesses in and around Otavalo are family owned, and their products are sold around the world. (info source).
Before returning back to Quito, we visited lagoon de Quicocha. The 3 km wide caldera and crater lake at the foot of Cotacachi Volcano was created by a massive eruption about 3100 years ago. Its name means Guinea Pig Laguna in Kichwa, given by the pig shape of the largest island in the middle of the laguna. These animals play a significant part in the everyday life of Ecuadorians, as they reproduce rapidly and need a minimum of food and care to survive. They make for a high protein meal especially for populations living in high altitude.
We visited Otavalo again one week later, this time together with Nana and Vassilis. We did not stay for long because it was the day of the Virgin of El Quinche. The annual festivities bring here thousands of people that walk overnight from Quito and the surrounding areas, so we had to drive back before the blocked the road. Nevertheless, we had enough time to stop by Hacienda Cusin, a wonderful hotel near Otavalo with a paradise gardens and a great restaurant.
Quito is the capital of Ecuador sitting on 2’850m between snowy peaks and active volcanoes. It is the highest capital city in the world – La Paz is not a capital city of Bolivia – and the first ever declared UNESCO World Heritage site. My first visit in 1992 left a mark for many years. My nightmares for almost a decade always with ended with a take off from the now decommissioned airport, in the city center, with plane not being able to clear the surrounding peaks.
The historic center is one of the most preserved and beautiful colonial cities in the Americas. Cathedral, monasteries, colorful old houses and narrow streets form a unique colonial cityscape. The locals still in a mix of modern European and traditional clothing with many people still wearing the hats and ponchos.
After returning from Otavalo, we walked to La Ronda, the narrow street that is the heart of the nightlife in old Quito, especially on weekend nights. Yes, there are some tourists, but the street is mainly frequented by locals. For dinner, I had to queue for twenty minutes at a tiny shop for a slice of pizza and michelada , a interesting mix of beer, lime, salt and various salsas.
We spent Sunday wandering the streets of the historic center. Walking the whole day at this altitude can be challenging without acclimatization, so we stopped frequently for refueling with coffee, food and beer.
Around noon, we took a taxi to the Telefériqo, the cable car that climbs the Pichincha volcano, all the way to 4’000m. The amazing panoramic views of Quito make the ride a must. Many locals ride the cable car with their bicycles and then descend all the way down to the city.
After dusk, I had the chance to enjoy an hour of photographing the historic center under the moonlight. On Sunday nights, there isn’t much traffic Plaza Grande and Plaza San Francisco, which definitely adds to the ambiance.
