_{^{Young Ecuadorian boy selling artisanal products for his neighbour}}

One of the things that fascinated me while travelling through Ecuador was its cultural diversity. Given its small population which is 4,5 million, you would not expect it to be so diverse.

_{^{Artisanal jewellery}}

Did you know that there are 12 spoken languages (idioms) in Ecuador? Kichwa (Quechua), Spanish, Achuar-Shiwiar, Cha'palaachi, Cofán, Tsachila, Cuaiquer, Secoya, Shuar, Siona, Tetete, Waorani.

_{^{Hats vendor in Otavalo artisan market}}

In the northern area of Ecuador in the provence of Imbabura, I have seen many Quechua people. They are the direct descendants of the Incas. Most of their house were made of adobe (a highly durable free and available material) and had thatched roofs or ceramic tiles.

The Quechua women were wearing their traditional clothing consisting of skirts and blouses, with colourful woven shawls around their shoulders.

_{^{Artisanal dolls wearing different traditional outfits}}

At Otavalo's Saturday market, I had a chance to see many of the artisans from the area who were selling their craft. This is the biggest artisan market in South America. Among those who attended it, I met people from Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Uruguay and Brazil. Some of them travelled all the way specially for it, whilst us we just happened to be in the area and we learnt about it.

_{^{Traditional golden plastic beads, jewellery worn by most of the Indigenous Quechua women}}

Unlike most of the markets I have been, Otavalo's market was not selling products made in China. I was impressed to see that they were selling local products: artisanal products, art, clothing, shoes and accessories, food and live stock.

_{^{Bulls' hoof or water bottle?}}

What made this experience even more pleasant was that you had to negotiate the price with the sellers, just like in Istambul. Each attempt to walk away from a stand brought a lower discount.

_{^{Fruit merchant in Otavalo artisan market}}

Although the market was literally packed, with thousands of visitors, we always felt safe. No pickpocketing or any unpleasant incident. The locals were polite, friendly and curious about our ethnicities. Some of them tried to guess where we were from.

_{^{Panama Hats made in Ecuador}}

After a few good hours of strolling down on the busy streets, hoping from one stand to another, admiring the Ecuadorian artisanal products, we felt hungry. The cold brisk air outside contributed to it.

_{^{Snail snack, a delicacy sold by the street food merchants}}

Since I did not want to try the street food, although it looked tempting, we chose a restaurant. Thus we entered a small family-owned restaurant, only a few blocks away from the market. That's where I felt in love with the Ecuadorian soups! I still remember its richness and delightful savour. Yucca, yams, otoe and corn had all infused their flavours and made my soup delicious.

_{^{Jungle palm tree worms (sago worms): the larvas of a big tropical beetle eaten by the locals for their high nutritional values.}}

Meals are cheap everywhere around Ecuador. You can expect to pay somewhere between $3 and $6 for lunch (almuerzo del dia) which usually consists of a rich soup, a rice and chicken/beef/pork dish that comes with a salad and a freshly squeezed juice. In some places you may even get a small deserted included in this price. Keep in mind thatAlmuerzo del dia and Almuerzo ejecutivo are not the same thing and prices vary greatly. The latter refers to a more of a la carte experience which is more costly than the first one.

_{^{Roasted cuey (Guinea pig)}}

Roasted Cuey or Guinea Pig is one dish that I had to say no to. I like Guinea pigs and I consider them pets. I could not ever eat one. I have been told they are very tasty but the whole idea made me feel bad. Not to mention that to me, they looked like skinned rats. In Ecuador, a lot of people grow them and sell them to restaurants because they are considered a delicacy. You can buy a cuey dish starting at $10 or higher, depending on the type of restaurant you are in.

Here are other travel related posts:
PANAMA SERIES: THE GRINGO PRICE

PANAMA SERIES: STREET ART

PANAMA SERIES: TEN FACTS OR MORE ABOUT BOQUETE, PANAMA

PANAMA SERIES: BOQUETE’S FLOWERS AND COFFEE FESTIVAL

PANAMA SERIES: VISITING DAMARLI ESTATE IN BOQUETE

PANAMA SERIES: CARIBBEAN PARADISE - BOCAS DEL TORO

ECUADOR SERIES: COTACACHI, THE CITY BETWEN TWO VOLCANOS

ECUADOR SERIES - DUE DILIGENCE TRIP

ECUADOR SERIES: TIPS FOR TRAVELLING TO ECUADOR

HIKING IN MONT-ROYAL PARK, MONTREAL

ZUMMER FUN BUS RIDE IN CONSTANTA, ROMANIA

F-MR STATION IN MONTREAL

THE STONEHENGE OF ROMANIA: SARMIZEGETUSA REGIA

LAURENTIANS MOUNTAINS: COTTAGE TRIP AT LAKE CACHÉE

OTTAWA LIGHTS SHOW ON PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

HIKING AT DANUBE’S GORGES, ORSOVA, ROMANIA

DECEBALUS CARVED STATUE, ROMANIA

TRIP TO CALGARY, ALBERTA

BALCHIK, A BULGARIAN GEM

PIRATES TREASURE PLAYGROUND, CONSTANTA, ROMANIA

DOLPHINARIUM 2, CONSTANTA, ROMANIA

DOLPHINARIUM 1, CONSTANTA, ROMANIA

GONDOLA RIDE IN MAMAIA RESORT, ROMANIA

CONSTANTA’S MARINA, ROMANIA

BEACH DAY IN CONSTANTA, ROMANIA

BUBBLES - INDOOR PLAYGROUND IN CONSTANTA, ROMANIA

BAHIA DE PAQUERA, NICOYA GULF, COSTA RICA

EXPLORING AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

MACKINAC BRIDGE, MICHIGAN, USA

CHASED BY TORNADOS IN MINNESOTA

MINNEHAHA FALLS REGIONAL PARK, A GEM IN BETWEEN THE TWIN CITIES

BANFF, A RESORT TOWN INSIDE THE BANFF NATIONAL PARK, ALBERTA, CANADA

OLD PORT OF CONSTANTA, ROMANIA

ENISALA FORTRESS, ROMANIA

MORAINE LAKE, A SURREAL BEAUTY IN ALBERTA, CANADA

TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE A LIVING WHILE TRAVELLING THE WORLD

FEELING UNINSPIRED? VISIT A WELSH RETREAT: GLADSTONE’S RESIDENTIAL LIBRARY

TURDA’S 400 FEET UNDERGROUND AMUSEMENT PARK, A HIDDEN GEM OF TRANSYLVANIA, ROMANIA

MEMORIES FROM CANCUN, MEXICO

TOURING MONTREAL CITY, CANADA

VISIT TO SAINT-JOSEPH’S ORATORY IN MONTREAL, CANADA

Unless stated otherwise, all photos used in this posts are taken and owned by myself. If you wish to use any of my images, please contact me!

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave your feedback in the comments, I would love to hear your thoughts!

@2018 LaviPicu aka The Lyme Poet. All rights reserved.