Otavalo is shopping heaven. Truly, I am not a shopper, and never would I spend my free time 'shopping' in the traditional way. Except for Otavalo, the oldest market in the Americas, happening for at least 500 years. Tara has her birthday November 3, and I want to send her a box of gifts when I am in Baltimore next week. The best place to buy Ecuadorian handicrafts is in Otavalo, at least the best prices are found for those who bargain. Quality is good, but better in specialized shops in Quito. The combination of quality and cost come together to make Otavalo the best destination. We always get to the market early when we are with the students, because the animal market, which starts before 8, is both fascinating and horrifying. This time, shopping in the Plaza de Ponchos was the goal, and Eric and Maya planned to help me get through my shopping list.
We left Quito later than I planned, but Maya had been out late last night and I wanted her to sleep in. The cats received a double dose of food, and we were off after a cappucino at Boncaffe. It always takes longer to get anywhere in Quito. To go in ay direction, one must drive through the city. Saturday traffic is not too daunting, yet it takes at least 40 minutes to drive down Eloy Alfaro to Carcelen, pass Carapungo and Calderon, pass through Guayabamba, and choose the Cayambe fork towards Otavalo. The volcanoes Cayambe, Antisana, and Cotopaxi were all visible in the foggy sky as we drove north, each so magnificent and beautiful and a good omen for our shopping extravaganza day.
We stopped at Hacienda Guachala on the way to check out the rooms. I was going to book online, but read too many excoriating reviews to not check. The place was empty other than the owner talking to a tourist official. I was delighted with the faded charm of the place, and we decided that the room was good enough and deposited some of our bags there before we returned to the Panamerican highway north. Driving anywhere always takes longer than expected, so we arrived at the parking lot close to the market just before noon. We went directly to the Shenandoa Pie shop for Mora pie and capuccino, and then we were ready to go!
I bargain intensely and pay less than Eric or Maya are comfortable with. Eric reminds Maya that the vendors would never sell if they were not making a profit. She is uncomfortable anyway. I feel wonderful when I save a few dollars, but in truth the prices are perfectly reasonable. Somehow, we found ourselves buying gifts for Maya. Her birthday is in December, and we did not intend to buy for her, but soon I found that we had bought her a 'chorongo', a native string instrument which she does not know how to play. She was delighted. She chose new boots and a purse and found some gifts for her friends Belina and Marius, both who just had birthdays this month. I must make it a point to visit with our friends the Benichous, and deliver their gifts. I have little time when I am working, but I have a Saturday, which so far is all free, which may give me time to be social.
We wandered through the plaza in circles, stopping a couple times to withdraw money from a bank machine. We bought too much to carry and had to drop bags off at the car. I found spices I could not find in Quito, and bought 'curcuma', which is turmeric and necessary for several recipes I have used these past weeks. I wanted to shop more, but Maya and Eric were fading, and finally I let them drag me away and head back toward Quito, after a quick stop for 'Nachos Imbaburena' (I like the guacamole, Maya and Eric like the chips) and coffee for Eric and lemonade for Maya and I. We were entertained by two sweet children who posed for photos. We had a view over the Plaza de Ponchos, and spent some time people watching.
The hacienda was almost half way back to Quito. The traffic out of Otavalo was thick with customers returning home with their purchases. The pick up truck in front of us had three horses in the back, balanced rather treacherously, worrying us with each turn. People were packed into cars and backs of camions with animals and children and bags of purchases. We arrived at our destination before dark, and found the hacienda empty. Our key was out on the receptionist counter. We settled into our room and tried to help a young family who arrived with their baby and a reservation. The place was calm and tranquil and inviting. I understood the negative comments I had read on Tripadviser; the rooms were faded and sad looking, and the place was minimally kept up. The web suggests a 'boutique hotel', but there is nothing 'boutique' about the place, not now, likely not ever. There are interesting corners, and much history to accompany the place, 500 years of history (1535), but the cost of maintaining such a place is exorbitant, and clearly the owner is unable to manage. Zuleta (an absolutely gorgeous hacienda north of Otavalo) costs over $700 a night, and of course I want to go there and would never pay that amount, but perhaps that is what is needed to keep such a place up. We were happy with our choice however, and wanted to give the owner and the organization the benefit of the doubt.
We left Quito later than I planned, but Maya had been out late last night and I wanted her to sleep in. The cats received a double dose of food, and we were off after a cappucino at Boncaffe. It always takes longer to get anywhere in Quito. To go in ay direction, one must drive through the city. Saturday traffic is not too daunting, yet it takes at least 40 minutes to drive down Eloy Alfaro to Carcelen, pass Carapungo and Calderon, pass through Guayabamba, and choose the Cayambe fork towards Otavalo. The volcanoes Cayambe, Antisana, and Cotopaxi were all visible in the foggy sky as we drove north, each so magnificent and beautiful and a good omen for our shopping extravaganza day.
We stopped at Hacienda Guachala on the way to check out the rooms. I was going to book online, but read too many excoriating reviews to not check. The place was empty other than the owner talking to a tourist official. I was delighted with the faded charm of the place, and we decided that the room was good enough and deposited some of our bags there before we returned to the Panamerican highway north. Driving anywhere always takes longer than expected, so we arrived at the parking lot close to the market just before noon. We went directly to the Shenandoa Pie shop for Mora pie and capuccino, and then we were ready to go!
I bargain intensely and pay less than Eric or Maya are comfortable with. Eric reminds Maya that the vendors would never sell if they were not making a profit. She is uncomfortable anyway. I feel wonderful when I save a few dollars, but in truth the prices are perfectly reasonable. Somehow, we found ourselves buying gifts for Maya. Her birthday is in December, and we did not intend to buy for her, but soon I found that we had bought her a 'chorongo', a native string instrument which she does not know how to play. She was delighted. She chose new boots and a purse and found some gifts for her friends Belina and Marius, both who just had birthdays this month. I must make it a point to visit with our friends the Benichous, and deliver their gifts. I have little time when I am working, but I have a Saturday, which so far is all free, which may give me time to be social.
We wandered through the plaza in circles, stopping a couple times to withdraw money from a bank machine. We bought too much to carry and had to drop bags off at the car. I found spices I could not find in Quito, and bought 'curcuma', which is turmeric and necessary for several recipes I have used these past weeks. I wanted to shop more, but Maya and Eric were fading, and finally I let them drag me away and head back toward Quito, after a quick stop for 'Nachos Imbaburena' (I like the guacamole, Maya and Eric like the chips) and coffee for Eric and lemonade for Maya and I. We were entertained by two sweet children who posed for photos. We had a view over the Plaza de Ponchos, and spent some time people watching.
The hacienda was almost half way back to Quito. The traffic out of Otavalo was thick with customers returning home with their purchases. The pick up truck in front of us had three horses in the back, balanced rather treacherously, worrying us with each turn. People were packed into cars and backs of camions with animals and children and bags of purchases. We arrived at our destination before dark, and found the hacienda empty. Our key was out on the receptionist counter. We settled into our room and tried to help a young family who arrived with their baby and a reservation. The place was calm and tranquil and inviting. I understood the negative comments I had read on Tripadviser; the rooms were faded and sad looking, and the place was minimally kept up. The web suggests a 'boutique hotel', but there is nothing 'boutique' about the place, not now, likely not ever. There are interesting corners, and much history to accompany the place, 500 years of history (1535), but the cost of maintaining such a place is exorbitant, and clearly the owner is unable to manage. Zuleta (an absolutely gorgeous hacienda north of Otavalo) costs over $700 a night, and of course I want to go there and would never pay that amount, but perhaps that is what is needed to keep such a place up. We were happy with our choice however, and wanted to give the owner and the organization the benefit of the doubt.
No comments:
Post a Comment