This morning we travelled north to the land of the Otavalos and South America’s most famous Indian market. Our journey was about 90 minutes along the Pan-American Highway through dramatic mountain scenery.First stop was at Dazante Handicrafts to view a true artisan at work making traditional pieces from bread dough. Vino liked the Lama.
The scenery along the way is stunning and interesting with locals selling food, flowers and more at the side of the road. We took a brief stop at roadside convenience centre to taste biscuits and dolce de lece. Delicious! There were a couple of very small women dressed !n traditional Ecuadorian costumes, young women selling beautiful scarves and a little shop selling hand crafted Panama hats. Years ago the original Panama hats were made in Ecuador for the men working on the Panama Canal, hence the name Panama hat. I think everyone bought a hat. The prices were fantastic.
One of the young women boarded our bus to get a ride to the next town. She sang some Ecuadorian songs for us and then proceeded to sell us some her beautiful scarves. The ladies seem to enjoy bus shopping!
Otavalo Market is the most famous indigenous market in Ecuador. It’s because of the colourful fabrics, intricate embroideries, music, and more importantly, for its conservation of its customs that have made this market a place you can’t miss out on if you are in Ecuador. The market is a winding maze of stalls filled with traditional ponchos, blankets, wall hangings and more. There’s an array of colourful goods and interesting people We had 1 hour to explore, shop and mingle. It’s amazing how much shopping can be done in only 1 hour. Fun!
We also visited the village of Peguche, home to the artisans who do weaving in their homes. A brief stroll about town reveals the colourful buildings and interesting people.
We are treated to a weaving demonstration to learn how they use the alpaca wool to create the intricate traditional designs.
Our lunch was in the charming Hacienda Pinsaqui. Upon arrival we were greeted by a trio playing traditional Ecuadorian music. They serenaded as we following the pathway leading up to the manor house. Vino seemed to enjoy the experience. The charming historical home is filled with antiques. and the restaurant overlooks the estate. 
The grounds are stunning, with beautiful gardens filled with flowering bushes and majestic trees. After our delicious lunch the ladies took a stroll through the gardens.
After lunch we boarded the bus for our ride back to Quito. Along the way we made a stop at an orphanage in San Pablo del Lago, a home for children born with aids. Father Francesco selflessly dedicates his time and love to care for the children. The children are delighted to have visitors and you can see by the interaction they truly love the Father, which they affectionately call Papa. There are 19 children ranging in age from 4 to 15 years. The newest arrival is a beautiful 14 year old girl with her 3 week old baby. The home is a stunning historical convent with bright airy rooms, a charming chapel and a large park like area surrounding the house. This is a loving home environment with a team of wonderful caregivers; a cook, housekeeper, driver and 2 teachers that assist with their homework and daily living skills. The children live a normal family lifestyle here and attend a nearby school in San Pablo. Our ladies generously donated school items, soccer balls, hair bands and barrets, a teddy bear for the new baby and cash. Father Francesco was very pleased with our visit and extremely grateful for our gifts.
