Ecuador, Part 3: Otavalo

We closed out our time in Ecuador with a few days in the quiet (quieter than Quito, at least) town of Otavalo.  Our home for the last four days of our trip was the more than 400 year old Hacienda Cusin.
After time in a bustling city and days chasing monkeys, the peace and quiet was a welcomed change.  We ate well, slept well, lived well.  We recharged under the South American sun, and it was wonderful!   

We hiked around the property, visited the local and well-known market, and made trips to near-by villages to see their trades - weaving, wool-work, instrument making, and jewelry crafting.  In the afternoons and early evenings, we'd spend time reading on or patio or walking about, hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the nearby volcanos.  In Ecuador, it seemed, you were always in the shadow of a volcano - what amazing sights! 

While most of this leg of the trip was a 'just the two of us' experience, we did enjoy the company of a British couple our first evening at the Hacienda.  They had quite literally been all over the world and shared stories of trips to Cuba, Jordan, South Africa, Iran, and more.  It was informative and inspiring - there is so much more to see and do in this world, and I have no intention missing any of it! 

I thoroughly enjoyed each phase of our Ecuadorean adventure.  It was a fantastic trip, and it made me appreciate, once again, how lucky I am to have found a partner in life and adventure (also, he's really good at planning trips and making sure I don't stress the small stuff, which I do....all the time). 


Hacienda Cucin

Llamas a la Hacienda 

sites around our Otavalo home



out on a hike 


local village crafts 

Cuicocha ('guinea pig') Lake

that island is one of the 'guinea pigs'

my very talented husband showing off his skills



a parting site - Imbabura volcano


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