Been to the middle of the world and back.

Today was a fresh start in Quito with all moody hangover’s gone. So we made a friend at breakfast who wanted to see the Otavalo Market and La mitad del mundo (middle of the world) as we did also. So I asked the pleasant watchie man (as the Peruvians call them, to us Security guy) how is the best route to see both in one day? Its great when the best advice you can get in a hostel is from the watchie man not from the 3 (we know the wifi doesn’t work) chicos! As with anything to take buses will take a lot of time and effort but he knows a taxi that will make a good price for us. A phone call later ‘Kleber’ the taxi driver turns up and is true to his word makes us a good price, seems even more impressed when I tell him his name sounds like clever in English which means he is intelligent.I am impressed with Kleber’s driving during the 2 hr drive to Oltavalo no shaky moments and would even say it was a pleasant journey. When we arrive he takes us to Lago san Pablo just outside Oltavalo.

Then we head up to Laguna Cuicocha which is a beautiful blue Crater lake at 3060m, there are two islands that are old Volcanic cones that sit in the middle it has been said the Inca’s used them as prisons. There were very few people there so was nice to sit and take in the tranquil environment, before heading into the largest crafts market in Ecuador.

Otavalo Market’s main day is on a Saturday but runs everyday just smaller, although you wouldn’t guess, as it’s still a fair size. It was interesting to see the many different colours and Ecuadorian crafts, it was surprising to see how different the market was to Peru’s Indian markets. 

  

Then on to the middle of the world, where someone once told me you couldn’t walk in a straight line along the equator. So I looked like a right tool wandering along the yellow line like a policeman had pulled me over for being drunk. I could easily put one foot straight in front of the other, this could have been a different story yesterday though!

I looked in the direction of the northeast and blew you guy a big kiss. X

Then back to Quito for sunset.