Markets and Music

Otavalo is a 2 hour drive north of Quito across the equator. The main town is essentially flat, fertile farmland nestled between the surrounding peaks of the Andes. There's a zen vibe about the place which is mostly occupied by Indigenous folk who are mostly farmers or artisans. You can almost hear pan pipes in the wind wherever you stroll along the cobbled narrow streets and adobe buildings. Sometimes you actually can hear pan pipes, and chickens and a motor bike starting and a mother yelling at some kids.

It isn't always this zen. There was some serious trouble leading up to our visit over an oil price dispute. The farmers blocked all the roads in the area with dirt and logs shutting down all transport and tourism. The president sent the military and things only opened up 2 days ago. Most of the places we visited were super happy to see us because we were the first tourists that they'd seen in a month. Lucky timing! Not so lucky for the 2 farmers that were shot and 1 old lady who got in the way of a smoke grenade 😯Read more