I wanted to get away again to explore more of Ecuador. This time after visiting the coast back in May to Salinas beach and areas, I decided to head North pass Quito to Cotacachi and Otavalo. From the time I left Vilcabamba and finally arriving in Cotacachi the entire trip mostly by bus had taken me 16 hrs, the cost was $34.50 with the last portion of the trip from Otavalo to Cotacachi being a $5. taxi fare. It is a long haul overnight especially when I do not sleep well on the overnight buses, so I am very tired. But I am also at a Couchsurfing host place and FB friend.

Day 2 here and I am on my way to Otavalo, which is a $5.00 taxi ride, I’m sure by bus .50 cents. I started off at the Municipal Park with the big white Municipal Building in front of the park.  Much traffic at one intersection being bumper to bumper and many people doing their business or just relaxing on the park benches. Many dogs too running around, the friend I was with decided that we have a drink in a coffee shop and afterwards we walked up and down a few streets where a saw a small infants outfit which I bought for the little grandbaby that is expecting in a few months, I could not resist it was cute and colourful. I walked around the largest outdoor market in all of South America as I am told, it is called ‘Plaza de Ponchos’, also known as the Hundred Year Old Market. It is truly ah artisan’s market selling ponchos, hats, belts, scarves, wood carvings, jewellery, t-shirts you name it, all different styles and colourful design’s. And then we ate a vegetarian burrito at this very comfortable restaurant that had a relaxing cozy atmosphere and decor, called the ‘Deli Restauranti’ which they had many vegetarian meals on the menu, good for them, yes a bit pricy but the decor style and atmosphere goes a long way.

We then went to a nearby waterfall which was a $2. taxi fare from central Otavalo, so very nearby, 2.5km. It was all very picturesque I took many photos. This waterfall is called ’Peguche Waterfalls’, there are two but the second waterfall is not that easy get to. About 5 minutes further but climbing stairs and then bending over and very low through a short narrow dark cave, you’ll feel like Indiana Jones, then sliding into the water walking over slippery rocks around the corner seeing the second waterfall.

Day 3 in Cotacachi and today I went to a hot springs outdoor pool about 1 hour’s drive away to ‘Chachimbiro Hot Springs’ http://www.pro-ecuador.com/chachimbiro.html#sthash.6ehhjU5c.dpbs The hot volcanic mineral water was so relaxing and some very nice views of the mountains and/or valley. I ate a salad there, it was not on the menu had to ask to make me one. On the menu was fried trout with fries, rice and salad for $8.50US, and the portion of salad was like three fork full, but a 1/2 of trout, lots of ties and rice, no wonder the Ecuadorian health is obese and diabetic, talking to a couple of Ecuadorians from Cotacachi, the problem is that they’re diet consists of inexpensive foods and lack of education I believe. As I was told rice, potatoes, corn, chicken, ice-cream and coca cola (Coke) are all inexpensive  and they like sugar, fat and salt, as far as vegetables and fruit too expensive, not part of their diet and to grow such, no time, it is an inconvenience and much easier buying fresh vegetables from the market. So you get young children being fat and of course by the time their adults many are obese, with very serious health problems coming their way. Worldwide it appears diabetes type 2 is becoming an epidemic. One just needs to realise diabetes type 2 is a dietary disease thus can be changed and controlled with diet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyiH2xcebpU

I also participated in a Yoga class with Mindy who has about 45 years of Yoga practice and is a certified Yoga instructor, I enjoyed the stretching very much, she knows what she is doing.

Day 4 in Cotacachi I was taken to some high mountainous ares to get an overview of Cota and at the same time seeing Mount Cotacochi with snow on top looked very nice, I was told in Ecuador there are 87 active volcanoes. After and overview of Cota, I was driven to a beautiful lake with an island and this was called, ‘Cotacachi Cayapas’. 

Then it was to Otavalo for an overall view of that city. Once I got back to Cota I went waking around, many, many shops specialise in leather, selling leather belts, shoes, boots, jackets, purses, hats, wallets and more. Cotacachi is considered the “Leather Capital of Ecuador”. With over 50 separate artisanal leather shops in the city, many of the leather goods sold in other parts of Ecuador are produced in Cotacachi.  Otavalo is considered an artisan city, with all of its textiles and handicrafts, but here too in Cota,  there is lots of traditional indigenous art and clothing to purchase. 

The shoes I am wearing a very difficult to put on, so I got leather boot strap added on to pull over heels. I t was very professional work looking as if Dayton had added the boot straps themselves and it was only a $3.00 charge. I think the leather goods are a very reasonable, I don’t think one can get these leather good prices anywhere else, as I looked at a leather cowboy hat for $17.

Many restaurants line the streets and I had a meal at a Venezuela restaurant and it was a vegan special for $7. a large meal with soup and juice included, I could not finish the meal too much food, thus a very good value I thought and a Vegan meal.

Between Otavalo and Cotacachi many indigenous people walking around in their traditional clothing wear, hats, dresses, layers of clothing big necklaces, beautiful people with the loveliest smiles, and there are some beggars on the streets I saw two very elderly ladies no shoes sitting on the sidewalks and curbs, each of them very small, petite looking as if they were 100 years old, my heart went out to them I gave them pocket change and captured a smile from one of them. 

Day 5 in Quito, it was a two hour bus ride costing $2.80 from Cota to Otavalo and the from Otavalo to Quito. This was another Facebook fried that stayed with me a few months ago as I hosted him as a Couchsurfer, this was great experience using this service as I saved money, met new friends, I was fed, had private rooms, it was just a great enjoyable experience. 

I was picked up at the North Quito Bus Terminal by my friend’s parent which drove me to their house. I was well liked by the entire family.  We started off to a mountain to get a overview looking down at the city. I quickly realised this city is far too big and spread out to get all of the city, even if I had a wide angle lens.This area and/or the tourist lookout point atop which stands a 150 foot (45m) high statue of Mary, the Mother of God, the only one in the world that features the Madonna with angel wings, not to mention a crown of stars.It is called ‘Panecillo Hill’  (Small Piece of Bread) for its round shape, also known as ‘Mirador Viewpoint Panecillo’  Anyways it was the first opportunity to take photos of where this hill marks the division between the Centre area and the South area of the city of Quito. At this viewpoint this large statue called the “Virgin of El Panecillo” which can be seen from many parts of the city down below, even from the historic part of Quito called the ‘San Francisco’ area, where I took photos of a church called “Iglesias y Convento de San Francisco” in front of the Plaza de San Francisco, its a 16th-century complex in Quito, and being a World Heritage Site.

Day 2 in North Quito I went with another FB friend to visit “Ciudad Mitad del Mundo” which means Middle of the World. It highlights the exact location of the Equator. I suggest visiting during the week as the entrance lines will not be as long as they are on the weekends. It is a nice view from the top of the monument, plenty of souvenir shops, and small buildings with history and artifacts. After this we headed to the North Quito outdoor market, this was a large market, selling all the fruits and vegetables one could imagine, many of which I have not tasted.

After this we were on our way to the Teleferico/TeleféricQo Cruz Loma, is a gondola lift, running from the edge of the city centre up the east side of Pichincha Volcano to lookout Cruz Loma. It is one of the highest aerial lifts in the world, rising from 3,117 m to 3,945 m. I think the cost for gondola lift  was $6.50 was worth seeing the views.

Day 3 in Quito, and the last day for me here, as I have a bus ticket for this evening to go back to Vilcabamba for a 12hr bus ride. Well me and my friends family took me to The Basilica del Voto Nacional is a large neo-Gothic building in Ecuador whose construction started in the 18hundreds and was finished late last century. It can be considered as the last of the historical churches in old town Quito. We went to Plaza Grande for a bite to eat, and during this short stay here, I have seen a few plazas, Plaza de la Independencia, Plaza de San Francisco, Plaza Santo Domingo, and again Plaza Grande, it was a busy three days in Quito, and last night the family had a party as they do every month to celebrate birthdays, and they got me up dancing that was a good time, seems as if the family is going to miss me.