Travelogue Popayan to Otavalo (Ecuador)
Trip Start
Feb 16, 2006
1
70
75
Trip End
Dec 21, 2006
Otalvalo, Ecuador
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
of my tour ;-( Seems really good, sort of like a cross between Peru and
Colombia...
So the trip, yeah, once again was a bit tough. We got to the bus
station at 0530, only to find that the road was closed due to a mud
slide or something like that. We were told to wait for some unknown
amount of time, and so we did. Although in the end it was a bit of a
storm in a teacup, given that we left at 0730, instead of 0600. Was yet
another windy, but spectacular road down to the border, was good all
the way, but remember to sit on the right until Pasto, then on the left
from there til the border. Made the border at 1800, just before dark. I
changed my pesos on the Colombian side at the very bad rate of 2500 to
the dollar, only to find out that the guy on the Ecuatorian side was
changing them at 2310 Agh!!!!!!!!!!!
Still at last I was in Ecuador, land of the equator and the dollar, the
mostly fake dollar I would say, looking at some of them. Kind of make
you think how this can be good for the economy, but no doubt the
economist types know best :D
On to a minibus 'til the the ubiquitous terminal, where there was a bus
leaving immediately for Otavalo, for 2$, it looks like Ecuador maybe
as cheap, or cheaper than Colombia!! It made me think a lot of Peru,
when an army of sellers got on, and I was able to buy choclo con queso
for 50 cents!!!
Got to Otavalo, late and in the rain, and straight to one of the
hostels in the guide book, which was 5$ for a single room, not bad.
Straight to bed!!!
The next day I saw the town, which is famous for its market, and even
though I was not there on market day it was still good, saw lots of
nice things, and I even bought some of them too.
Def worth doing, not sure where I am going to go next, Quito then somewhere else I think,,,,
