February 25, 2017: We started the day with a six-mile hike around the caldera at Cotacachi Cayapas. When we reached the 11,000 foot summit, the lake was shrouded in fog. As we continued our hike down, the fog lifted, and we were treated to a breathtaking view of the caldera and surrounding countryside. The lake was a deep blue, the wildflowers were prolific and damp with dew, and the air was cool and crisp.
After we moved on from our hike, we went to the Otavalo Market, and wandered around … fruits, vegetables, meats, textiles, and my weakness, jewelry. I didn’t come home empty handed. We visited a weaver, and she demonstrated the traditional way of weaving alpaca and sheep’s wool … the dyes they used (worms!), and how they spin yarn.
This is will be my last update until I get back to Seattle. We’ve got a couple of flights to get to the Galapagos, and I will be officially unplugged. Until then … salud!