Otavalo

After Quito, we headed North for a day a a night to visit Otavalo. It is a mainly indigenous city of 90,000.

On the way we noticed this intimidating wall with not just barbed wire, but also spikes. We wondered if it was a prison. It turned out it was a school. We asked if the spikes are to keep the students in, or strangers out. It seems that the school is a prestige girls’ school, and the spikes are to keep the boys out. From time to time a few have made it in. I’m just glad the security at Erskine College in Wellington wasn’t like this 🙂

Possibly the largest retaining wall I have seen, to protect the main road from landslides.

The view coming into Otavalo.

Otavalo is famous for its markets. We spent a couple of hours at them bargaining away for various artworks, belts, bags, scarves and jewelry.

A short drive from the city, is a lovely park and camping area.

This is the Peguche Waterfall.

Our accommodation for the night was at the Las Palmeras Inn, where you get your own bungalow.

With a nice fireplace inside.

This was the dining hall.

And rather amusing was this sculpture on the roof. It is amusing because guinea pigs are a delicacy in Ecuador, and the dining room was known as the guinea pig room. I guess the angel was taking its soul to guinea pig heaven!