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{"id":6693,"date":"2019-03-13T11:00:07","date_gmt":"2019-03-13T11:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/activetravels.ibec.me\/ecuador-so-much-more-than-the-galapagos-a-visit-to-otavalo\/"},"modified":"2019-03-13T11:00:07","modified_gmt":"2019-03-13T11:00:07","slug":"ecuador-so-much-more-than-the-galapagos-a-visit-to-otavalo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/activetravels.ibec.me\/archives\/6693","title":{"rendered":"Ecuador, So Much More Than the Galapagos! A Visit to Otavalo"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Guest Post and Photos by Amy Perry Basseches<\/p>\n

Approximately two hours north of Quito lies Otavalo<\/a>, world-famous for its indigenous population, and for the Mercado Artesanal, where locals sell their handicrafts. It’s South America’s largest outdoor market, and you will find a wide range of weavings, jewelry, clothes, wood and stone carvings, paintings, and more. Although Saturday is the main market day, and the whole town is filled with stalls, there is plenty open at Plaza de Ponchos on any given day. I went on a Wednesday, and, believe me, there was A LOT to see (and buy). Ecuador uses the US dollar as the official currency, but small bills are what’s taken (nothing larger than $20). <\/div>\n
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After visiting the market, we went to lunch at Hacienda Pinsaqui<\/a>, built in 1790. Lunch is the major meal of the day in Ecuador–usually soup, a full main plate of meat, vegetables, bread, rice, and dessert. Most restaurants close by 7 pm and dinner is not a big deal. At Pinsaqui, we enjoyed a lovely meal in an historic setting. The Hacienda contains more than three centuries of history. At one point, it was the largest in the area, essentially enslaving 1000 indigenous workers who created products for export to the US. Another time, it sheltered Simón Bolívar who prepared here for the Battle of Ibarra (1823) against the Spanish. <\/div>\n
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Our Otavalo day also included two more highlights:<\/div>\n