Cayambe-Otavalo

John Muir once said “keep close to nature’s heart… and break clear away once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean”. I love the great outdoors. The air is clean, there are no cars polluting it and you get to actually see the stars at night.

Allen had to head to the states to translate for a conference and so he left me in the trustworthy hands of Juan Carlos Chimarro or Juan Ca. Juan Ca and two of his brothers (Pablo & Diego) live with Allen during the week in Quito where they are studying at the University. On the weekends though, they head to the mountains – literally. And why wouldn’t they, after all they grew up in Cayambe. Cayambe is about 50 miles northeast of Quito and is the third highest mountain in Ecuador at about 19,000 feet. I had already gotten used to the altitude in Quito and now I was going further up. Needless to say I could have used an oxygen tank to walk around Cayambe. Juan Ca told me that Cayambe is the second leading exporter of roses and I saw hundreds of plantations on the hillside. Next time you smell your roses, it was probably from Ecuador. It is also the second Mitad del Mundo since the equatorial line runs through the edge of town. Most people know the one outside of Quito since it is frequented by most tourists. It was a great weekend trip as I got to relax with the Chimarros, walk around downtown Cayambe, see a parade and fireworks show and wake up to Cayambe Volcano every morning. This is what awaited outside my window when I woke up each morning.

After we dropped off the cuy on Saturday, Juan Ca picked up some friends and we took the scenic route into Otavalo. The car ride took over an hour with multiple mirador (lookout) stops. There were lakes, rocky mountains and lots of cold weather. The ride reminded me of last summer in Batopilas, MX where the shocks were worn out because of multiple rocks, pot holes and sharp inclines.

But we finally got to Otavalo. Otavalo is an indigenous town about 30 minutes from Cayambe and is known mostly for its Saturday market where they sell the colorful woven fabrics of the indigenous people. With over 200 stalls, everything started looking the same but I told Juan Ca what I was shopping for and he helped me haggle with the best of them. Since it was so crowded I kept checking for my wallet to make sure I wasn’t pick-pocketed.

Ladies if you’re into shopping, Otavalo is the place for you. For my Texas friends, think of it as Canton… but more rugged. Lots of merchandise, some good, some bad, but overall a great experience to practice Spanish and buy some souvenirs.

I think the best part was being able to breathe good clean air.