A Whirlwind Trip to Otavalo

  Otavalo is a market town high up in the Andean mountains north of Quito, surrounded by volcanoes and inhabited mostly by indigenous tradespeople.  The Otavaleños are Quichua-speaking weavers, woodworkers, leather workers and artists, and their market has existed since before the Spanish arrived in this country.  Its popularity with both Ecuadorians and visitors from…

Something in the Air

We awoke that Saturday morning with a collective feeling of “blah”.  As a family, we are not generally inclined towards hypochondria, but the four of all either had a headache, stomach upset, or a strong case of the lazies.  Two of us awoke before dawn with the anxiety that sleep cut too short brings.  The…