Otavalo

I mentioned in my last entry that I had spent a weekend in Otavalo. It was a trip arranged by the school, and most of the exchange students went. We met at the school at 8am on Saturday morning, since María Ísabel had told us to be punctual so we could leave on time. Of course, we sat on the unmoving bus for forty-five minutes before we actually went anywhere. So much for “en punto;” this is Ecuadorian time.

The drive was a couple of hours, and the four of us from KSC took up the far back seat of the bus and spent the ride goofing off and taking stupid pictures.

Braulio unable to take a nap because we’re taking pictures of said nap:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1513.jpg

Rockin’ out to Manson, Juanes, and a punk band whose name I’ve forgotten, respectively:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1515.jpg

The bus took us straight to the marketplace, where we spent a couple of hours wandering around.

Fruit stand:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1516.jpg

Hand-painted plates:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1518.jpg

More fruit:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1519.jpg

Dead chickens:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1520.jpg

Beads:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1523.jpg

Gourds:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1524.jpg

Map of Otavalo painted on a wall:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1527.jpg

Spices:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1528.jpg

And more spices:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1529.jpg

Native kids sing in Kichwa on the bus so they can get a ride (sorry it’s out of focus, my camera was acting up):
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1531.jpg

Liz and I bought matching jackets in the market:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1532.jpg

Marie and Braulio at Cabañas del Lago, the hostería we stayed in:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1533.jpg

The hostería’s dog:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1535.jpg

Plotting to take over the world from my cabaña:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1541.jpg

Marie having a laughing fit after I trapped her in the wardrobe:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1545.jpg

Falling over after struggling to drag the tire swing up the set of steps:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1552.jpg

Having fun flying!
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1556.jpg

Me and Marie preparing to swing together:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1557.jpg

Marie and Luis trying to put together the ping-pong table they broke:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1561.jpg

The night that we stayed at Cabañas, they took us out on a boat on the lake. There was a Mariachi band, and they lent us ponchos for warmth and served canelaso, which is a cinnamon-flavored alcohol, served warm in bowls.

Marie, me, Braulio, and Liz on the boat:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1563.jpg

Marie and me on the boat:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1564.jpg

FIRE!!
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1565.jpg

Dork from Idaho that we have nicknamed Frosted Tips, for obvious reasons:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1567.jpg

María Ísabel’s hair “on fire:”
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1569.jpg

Mariachi:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1570.jpg

Canelaso:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1571.jpg

On Sunday, we went to a native hut about half an hour from Cabañas, where they gave us a talk on native culture, and played music and danced.

Native music:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1573.jpg

Dance:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1578.jpg

Cool countryside:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1581.jpg

After the music and dance, we took a hike to a waterfall, Cascada de Peguche. No one had actually thought to warn us that we’d be hiking anywhere, so we were all carrying extra jackets and purses and stuff, and Liz wasn’t even wearing sneakers. The hike was hellish, but the waterfall was at least pretty.

Cascada de Peguche:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1584.jpg

Preparing for a “heart-cleansing” ceremony:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1586.jpg

Part of the trail we hiked up, from another part of the trail:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh276/keskipper/100_1587.jpg