Cotacachi, Ecuador

Today we traveled via taxi ($5.00) to Cotacachi which is a small town located about 9 miles from Otavalo nestled at the base of Volcan Cotacachi.  Many North Americans have settled here as expats/vacationers/retirees. Here's a pretty young American tourist looking around the town. (Yes, it's Amy).

This scene plays out daily countless times in countless towns throughout Ecuador - buying fresh fruit or vegetables from a hole-in-the-wall vendor. A papaya is $0.25 for example.

A typical street scene.

After walking around town at midday in the hot sun, we decided to splurge on a fancy lunch.We hiked to the La Mirage Resort and Spa on the edge of town and had a lunch fit for a king and queen.

A half dozen of these male peacocks wandered around the grounds outside the window by our table.

We have been to many different restaurants and eating establishments throughout the world over a combined 100+ years of living. But neither of us has ever been served an appetizer in a hand carved music box.  A delicious quinoa croquette greeted us with music when the lid was raised. You just can't make this stuff up - who would have ever thought.......

My ensalada of verduras y fruta con aguacate y oliva de aceituna con limon was outstanding (as was the musical croquette).

Instead of a taxi for the return ride, we opted for a bus back to Otavalo ($0.25 each).  Ecuador has thousands of buses like the one above that criss-cross the country frequently and at very low rates.  Short distances are generally $0.25 per person or, for long distances $1.00 per hour of travel.  This is the transportation life-blood of the nation as few have cars.

The bus will stop almost anywhere along the route where a person is standing and waves to the driver.  The driver will let off anyone anywhere along the route. In addition to the driver there is another person that collects the fares and assists the driver.  It's a remarkably effective and efficient system from my observation.

We passed by this typical building leaving Cotacachi which brings up an interesting point.

This building under construction is typical of building methods observed throughout the country.  Machines are few, labor is cheap, concrete is mixed and poured by hand, scaffolds are made of bamboo,  and most structures have steel reinforced concrete floors and vertical supports and brick to fill in the exterior wall spaces. Even modest homes use these methods. Haven't seen or heard of many wooden "stick-built" homes.