Needless to say, the day after the wedding was a rest day at the Moreta family home...especially for those who hadn't slept!!
On the monday morning, the German contingent left bound for the coast to spend a few days there. I played "tour guide"!! I took Linda, nephew Cristian and nieces Fernanda and Jocelyn to Cotocachi and Laguna Cuicocha...the lake in the volcano crater that was in my previous blog. We got the bus to the town of Cotocachi and then off to get a camionette to the Laguna. I expected the camionette driver to see a couple of Gringas coming and charge us extra...but to my surprise, he didn't!!
The day was cloudier than my first visit to the laguna...amazing how different the lake looked with a cloudy sky. Volcano Cotocachi was hiding in the clouds today.
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| Laguna Cotocachi |
We went for a bit of a walk around the lake. Linda was finding the altitude a bit too much, so she stayed by the lake. I told the others that she would be OK and enjoying herself...either relaxing or talking to someone. She was meditating!!! A beautiful, tranquil place to do just that!!!
We got to one lookout, a fair walk along, enjoying the views, the plants and eating lots of mortinas along the way. Mortinas are Andean Blueberries...very yummy since we had taken no food...nature provided us with a snack!! We collected some to take back for Linda to try. There was another slightly larger berry...but these ones apparently make you hallucinate...so we gave them a miss!!
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| Plants around the Laguna |
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| ...with beautiful views!! |
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| Pretty flowers. |
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| ...and more!! |
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| ..and more!! |
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| artistic shot!! |
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| more plants!! |
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| and more!! |
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| Panoramic views!! |
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| Joscelyn, Fernanda , Cristian at Laguna Cotocachi |
We thought we were being clever by taking the phone number of the camionette driver who had taken us, to call him when we needed a ride back to Cotocachi. As it was a weekday, there wasn't a lot of people coming and going. But...when we tried to call, Linda's phone had no signal there...only the other mobile server had coverage there. HMMMM!!! The restuarant couldn't make mobile calls (apparently!!), the public phone didn't work and the man working at the artesania stall had no credit on his phone to make calls. (very common here!!). Ha ha ha!! We started to walk back to the park entrance to see if the guy there could help us out..when...good luck struck!!! A group of people arrived in a camionette...and there was our ride back in to town..yipppeeeee!!! Phew...otherwise it would have been a very long walk..ha ha ha!!!
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| Our safe transport!! Ecuadorian style!! |
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Cathedral in Cotocachi.
Linda had invited us to lunch...so "fake KFC" it was...fried chicken and chips. The kids chose, obviously!!! They like that sort of thing as a treat. As we sat there, i can't help myself...i was taking "sneaky shots" out the window of people in the street outside!!! |
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| Indigenous woman with her children, Cotocachi. |
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| Indigenous man, Cotocachi. |
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| Traditional dress, Cotocachi. |
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Locals chatting.
I invited them all to an ice-cream for dessert...as I had "remembered" where a yummy "helados de paila" ice-cream shop was. This is a traditional soft-serve type fruit flavored ice-cream made in a copper dish sitting on ice...the ice-cream mixed and stirred over the ice until it is frozen. But...i was a bit disorientated and couldn't find it!! We wandered around enjoying the colonial-style town....we even stumbled across a musical instrument shop which Linda "had to" enter!!! We did also eventually find the ice-cream shop. YUM!!! |
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| Fernanda practicing her drum skills!! |
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| Linda buying pan flutes. |
Cotocachi is a town famous for its leather goods...including the traditional "cowboy" like outfits worn by men called "Samaros". Considered buying some for Jesus...but thought he might not wear them!!!
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| Traditional "Samaro" outfit. |
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| Shop entrance, Cotocachi. |
Time to head home after our ice-cream. After stopping to visit Jesus' brother Carlos in the town below...we headed up to the house. "Where have you been" asked Mama Maria..."Jesus has been worried"!!! Ha ha ha i laughed...I bet he was happy to have the day to himself as I played tour-guide!! Anyway...a fun day was had by all..showing Linda what beauty Ecuador has to offer.
The next day was another day of playing "tourists"...but it was a different and un-planned day. Jesus asked if I wanted to go to the "Cascada de Peguche" (the Peguche waterfall). I asked Linda if she wanted another day out...and what a fun day it turned out to be!!!
We accidentally got off the bus a bit sooner than we should have...but never mind...and so began our "walking tour"...with our personal guide, Jesus!!!
The original old train lines still exist here, and serve as a short-cut and direct route between towns. So...we followed the old train line, knowing we would end up where we were headed.
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| Following the old railway line. |
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| Washing day!! |
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| Hope the dog moved!! |
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| Locals. |
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| Home time. |
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| A Family pet. Or..."dinner" as Jesus would say!! |
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| Artsitic shot!! |
The train lines took us meandering through the streets of Peguche...a small, cute little country town. Lots of photo opportunities (me in my element!!) Locals dressed in their traditional clothes walking down the street, in their shops selling goods, washing their clothes in the river, selling "avitas" (broad beans) on the steps of the cute church...a photographers delight!!!
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| Local Lady. |
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| Going home for lunch. |
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| Peguche street. Spot Linda and Jesus!! |
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| Me being paparazzi!! |
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| Another local. |
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| Local restaurant |
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| A nice shot!! |
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| Peguche houses. |
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| A cute house!! |
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| Laundry time. |
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| Clothes washing in the water chanel. |
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| Peguche Church. |
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| Selling home-grown broadbeans on the church steps. |
We stumbled across an instrument shop/house..where they made and imported zamponas and kenas. Happy Linda...she loves an Andean Instrument store!!! We were invited in, but unfortunately the dad wasn't home to talk to us and sell anything...but we had a good look around!!!
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| Linda in heaven!! |
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| Instruments for sale. |
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| Decorative instruments. |
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| The shop. |
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| "Dream Catchers" at the house. |
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| Rain Sticks. |
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| Bamboo stick to make pan flutes. |
And so, our walking tour continued!!! Yep...more photo opportunities!!!
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| Laundry drying. |
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| Laundry tub. This is really "washing clothes"..no machine!! |
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| Nice house shot!! |
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| Outdoor oven...watch out pigs!! |
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| Local gathering. |
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| Outdoor restaurant. |
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| Decorative mural. |
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| Another local!! |
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| And another..!! |
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| Cute house!! |
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| Catching up!! |
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| Street shot. |
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| That looks heavy!! |
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Selling her home grown goodies!!
Next, we stumbled across a shop/house where they made ponchos and scarves...dying and drying and spinning their own wool. The shop at the front, and the house/factory behind. Lots more photos!!! |
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| "Walking tour" entering a shop!! |
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| Ponchos. |
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| and more... |
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| and more.. |
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| and more...!! |
The colorful bales of wool were drying in the courtyard out the back, the mum/grandma spinning the wool on to reels on her home-made spinning wheel and the sewing room to the other side of this courtyard.
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| Wool drying in the back courtyard. |
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| artistic shot!! |
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| and another!! |
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| and another!! |
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| Pot for dying the wool. |
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| Another photo!! |
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| and another.. |
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| hmmm...another!! |
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| home-made spinning wheel. |
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| Spinning the wool. |
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| and again!! |
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| the sewing room!! |
The family were really lovely, friendly people...welcoming us in to their place and happy to show us around.
We also stumbled across a shop/factory where they produced bags, like the traditional Colombian "shigras", woven with names of different countries (Ecuador, Peru, Puerto Rico and even Colombia!!!). These bags were currently "the mode" here. Linda bought hers in the market in Otavalo for $10...there was a man in the shop buying them wholesale to sell in Otavalo for $3 each!!!
As Jesus has always said...the people from this region are very smart business people. These bags are traditionally hand made in Colombia and are very popular...but they have copied the idea and mass produced them by machine!!!
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| "Colombian" style bags. |
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| Colombian style shigra. |
So...off we headed on our walking tour. You could see other houses/factories down the streets and the click-clack of machines. Hmmm....at least we know where to come and buy next time!!!
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| Street shot. |
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| locals. |
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| fabric drying. |
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| this is how they live. |
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| cuties!! |
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| another house. |
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| family pet!! |
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| local soccer field. |
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| House at Peguche. |
Next stop...the waterfall at Peguche. We spent the next while wandering around...enjoying the waterfall, walking up to the look out and up to the top of the fall. At the top of the waterfall there was a small cave...it was dark, so we didn't go in. In the evening Elvia told us that it was a small tunnel, not very long, that you could crawl through to get to another waterfall!!! Next time..maybe!!!
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| Welcome to Peguche!! |
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| La abuelita...the grandma!! |
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| The old original wall built by slaves. |
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| "You are looking at a work from 1616 where 100's of indigenous slaves worked, both men an women." |
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| Peguche waterfall. |
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| Friends in all parts of the world!! |
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| Kids enjoying the waterfall. |
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| Not game to go in any further!! |
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| At the top of the waterfall. |
There is also an old Inca cave in the surrounds to the fall...which is the remains of what used to be a 3 story building. We did a short tour in to the cave with a Shaman...he told us stories of the history and the rituals and sung a song in Quechua which was quite beautiful. We had to use candles to light the way.
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| Welcome. |
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| Inside the cave. |
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| Don't stand up straight!! |
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| Remains of art work. |
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| Our Shaman guide. |
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| Photos of the original building. |
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| An offering inside the cave. |
The way out was the "entrance of the sun"...a hole where the sun enters between 8 and 9 in the morning. We climbed up through this "entrance" to where Linda was awaiting our return!!
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| Entrance of the sun. |
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| Our way out!! |
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| Keep going!! |
We continued our way along the trail, across the "scary" swinging bridge and headed out. There is a small thermal pool there which we checked out...even thought we didn't have our bathers. It was only warm..but would be nice on a hot day...ahhhh!!!
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| Who's that in the tree...!!? |
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| Go Linda!! |
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| woo hoo!! |
Next stop on our walking tour following the railway line...Otavalo!! A few more scenic photos and snapshots along the way!!!
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| Otavalenos!! |
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| Another paparazzi shot!! |
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| countryside. |
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| A local working in the field. |
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| hay bale. |
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| drying the washing. |
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laundry day.
We made our way to the plaza...where Jesus found a lady selling "humitas"...a type of sweet or savory cake-like mixture made with corn, wrapped in a corn skin and steamed. They are very yummy!!! We also found a proper little coffee booth opposite the plaza...so sat in the plaza enjoying a cappucino con humita. Yum!! |
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| YUM...friends enjoying a humita and coffee |
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| Hiding from the paparazzi!! |
A few more "Karen's sneaky photos" whilst we enjoyed our coffee break!!
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| la abuelita. |
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| enjoying in the plaza. |
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| asking for money. |
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| In the Otavalo plaza. |
Next we wandered through the old market area...Jesus was like our guide/security guard as Linda and I snapped away with our cameras!! The market is lovely...old, delapidated buildings...but lots of color and photo opportunities. Enjoy some Otavalo market shots!!!
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| Where's Jesus!! |
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| Market plaza. |
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| another market photo. |
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| and another. |
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| and another!! |
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| Entry Prohibited!! |
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| Carrying her purchases. |
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| Local girl. |
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| Another photo!! |
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| yep...another!! |
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| Plantains...for making soups and pataconas...YUM!! |
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| Fruit stall. |
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| Catching up on the day's news. |
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| friends!! |
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| another market shot!! |
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| artistic shot. |
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| market corridor. |
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| the old roof!! |
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| yep...another colourful photo!! |
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| and another!! |
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| and another. |
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| and another. |
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| and another!! |
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| keeping company. |
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| local selling her goodies. |
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| love the sun shade!! |
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| corn for sale. |
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| buckets for sale. |
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| shoes for sale!! |
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| Need a pair!! |
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| What size!! |
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| Or a poncho!! |
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| Colourful shot. |
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| Jesus showing us his spot where he used to sell his art in Otavalo. |
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| Need any eggs?! |
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| A full load!! |
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| Sign on a stall..."we don't accept $20 notes". |
These following photos I love...If you don't have a ladder...no problem, just invent one!!! Obviously OH+S hasn't quite arrived in Otavalo!!!
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| OH+S eat your heart out!! |
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| hmmm!! |
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| Gets even better!! |
And South American fast food..hamburgers, pizza...and salchipizza...literally pizza with sausage!!!
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| "Treat your taste buds" |
After that..time to head off to the bus and homeward bound...our walking tour over!!! Not to mention the tired legs and feet!!! Linda had read about a walking tour you could do...visiting the factories around Otavalo. We did our own tour, with our own personal tour guide...for free!!! Thanks Jesus!!! But...we had an amazingly fun and impromptu day. Friends enjoying over the other side of the world!!
Until our next travel tales.
Lots of love,
Llamas Bailando xxoo
