With a landscape that likens to Tuscany, an indigenous population that traces their roots to their Mayan’s, and plenty of adventure oriented activity’s- Otavalo is a hidden gem in the Andeans.
Otavalo is a culturally and ascetically vibrant village. I had the opportunity to explore the town and hang out with it’s locals for a few days.
The first thing you’ll notice about Otavalo is it’s pure beauty. The Andes really shine here in all their lush greenry and cloud covered glory. The views from the Hosteria Rose Cottage were amazing; as well as all the local, organic food they serve there. And the wine.
A nice hike from the compound will bring you to Peguche Waterfall. This site is considered scared to the indigenous population and the summer solstice is still celebrating here.
A long the path, I also encountered some iconic llamas who are less friendly then they look, but still look perfect against the mountains.
During my stay, I had the pleasure of learning about some of the native traditions, including:
Music. They people of Otavalo are renowned for their instruments and traditional music.
Textiles. Weaving from a loom is a popular occupation. However, as seen in the picture below, the younger population is separating from the traditions. You can see here an older couple has on traditional garb, while their grand daughter has on an outfit that screams westernization.
Animal Market. One of the villages two famous markets. This market was interesting to say the least. Not only could you pick up your family’s cow to eat for the week, you could also get a monkey. If you wanted a puppy, they handed it to you in a paper bag. Pigs by the leash–got ’em. It was eye opening to see how some cultures go about their grocery shopping.
