Marketworld

Early in the morning departure from The Secret Garden hostel in Quito looks something like this. It's so early and the lights aren't working in the bathrooms, so we skip the shower for the day and head with a cab driver to the bus terminal for the two hour drive to Otavalo.

City’s are sometimes called concrete jungles. Today we traveled to Otavalo, a jungle of a whole different color, the color of fabrics and tiles. There are so many markets it makes you wonder how buildings fit into this picture. That is to say, everything would run fine – and it does – with these markets in place. Panchos, sweaters, hats, gloves, shoes, pants, crafts of all sorts, music, movies, fruits, soups, and more are for sale in markets that take over the tiled-streets and sidewalks, too. It’s surprising that stores in buildings remain open as they hardly receive business today, save for a retreat from the high sun for a meal, or perhaps to watch the Ecuador v. Bolivia World Cup game on television with un cerveza grande, which we did! We had to: it was being held in Quito, the city we just left; we nearly made the game!

More walks for fruits that Alisa couldn’t wait to attack, and more walks for desserts and nighttime post-market-city-seeing followed. Alisa and I both picked up souvenirs. I plan to pass mine on to a certain someone named Sean upon his arrival and until then perfect its ways. Alisa plans to wear hers when the elevation whispers cold words.

All in all, ‘twas a great day. Now we rest and prepare for more of the same: New experiences! Before sleep, we take a walk around Otavalo's non-market streets and got some pastries to join us. I start to get a stomach cramp as we lie down, and hope that it's not as bad as it feels!

Goodnight from north of the ecuator!