Otavalo

So this past weekend we had our first trip with the BCA group.
We left at 730 saturday morning from the Ecovia station (the 'red' bus) =]

Tired but ready for our adventures, we were off. Our first stop was the Pyramids of Cochasqui. But it's not what you think, really. If you look at my pictures, you wouldn't know they were pyramids if i didnt say so. They're really overgrown with grass and such and only a few spots, conserved by the park ''rangers'' , are actually still stone. But, here we got lots of background of the indigenous people who used to live here, tons of gorgeous views and LOTS of llamas to feed. =] We all got a handful of salt to feed to the llamas who were called over from pyramid 14, aka the fertility pyramid, by our guide.

After getting our fill of llamas, we headed to El Mitad del Mundo (or middle of the world, for all you gringos =] ). We got a little info on the ecuator and then we proceded to each take a picture straddling the ecuator. I mean, who doesn't want to be in two places at once? =]

After many more pictures, we headed off to our final destination for the day, Otavalo Market. It is this huge street market where vendors come and sell their things. I think it happens almost every day but Saturday is their biggest sale day and when most of the vendors are there. We walked around for a good 4 hours or so and I didn't buy much. Just a bag, a change purse and a scarf. Then we all met for dinner at this Pizzaria. It was different, but good. There was a live band there which consisted of two guitar players, a drummer and a flute player (like a wooden one where you blow air across an opening like a pop bottle). They all sang and were....very...loud to say the least. haha We had to yell to talk to each other during dinner. But they music was good.

We all went back to our BEAUTIFUL hostel (check the pictures) and talked for a little bit, but pretty much went right to sleep. The next morning, we went to the Cascada de Peguche (waterfall). I wasn't planning on getting wet, so I wore jeans and a t-shirt with tennis shoes. We walked to the first waterfall and it was incredible. So pretty. So then, most of us hiked up on top of/behind that waterfall. I wasn't going to, but I did anyway..haha. Daniel said it was pretty hard, but it wasn't to bad. It was mostly like legit climbing and I was expecting walking up steep hills. When we got on top of the waterfall there were two more smaller waterfalls which were equally as incredible. One of them was a little bit more accessable than the other, because you had to actually get in the water to see the second...which I ended up doing. =] I rolled up my pant legs and took off my shoes and socks and roughed it. =] I almost fell down a few times, but I managed to keep my jeans dry until I decided to climb up the one waterfall to take a picture and sat down on one of the rocks. I had brought shorts so I decided to get wet. =] It was really fun.

Next, all the girls went back to the bus and changed out of our wet clothes, and then we went to El Parque Condor, which is a bird ''park'' for like rescue birds until they are well enough (if they ever will be) to be let out into the wild. Here I got to meet Hedwig and Erol who played the owls from Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone! =] haha They didn't really do much, so it wasn't that exciting. For lunch, we went to this restaurant where a lot of people attempted cui (aka: guinea pig). I wasn't brave enough to try it yet, but I saw it, and apparently it tastes like chicken. =]


This is someone elses' dinner. Would you try it?

After lunch, our last stop was to the house of the cutest couple. They weave their own blankets, scarves and other things the traditional way, by hand. It was amazing to see their work and I actually bought one of the scarves. He said it takes 4 and a half hours to make a scarf it you have all of the materials already, and like a couple months to make a poncho. Incredible.

We headed back home and got caught in the end of the weekend traffic. Everyone was heading home from their weekend travels so they could make it back for work on monday. We didn't get back home til around 9. It was a long weekend but oh so much fun.

This week is our last week of our salsa class. Yesterday we had class and we danced in couples, and seeing as we only have one guy, most of us danced girl girl. =] It was awkward, but fun. Tomorrow we have our last class, but it is for two hours. We would have class on friday, but our teacher is going to be in Cuba or something...so we're dancing for two hours tomorrow...I dunno if I can do it. =\ haha.

So, the how water in my house hasn't been working because of a broken circuit. My host dad has been working on it all week and supposedly it was fixed over the weekend. But when I went to take a shower yesterday morning, it was freezing still. So I hope that it is at least a little bit warm tomorrow. I really don't want to take another cold shower. =\

Pues,
Hasta Manana
Buenas Noches


World Travler