Otavalo, north of Quito, as the largest
and most famous Indian Market in Latin America, is the definitive
stop for your shopping while in Ecuador. The town, with its vibrant
and prosperous Indian population, displays to its visitors the finest
of Indian handicraft and its well-known textiles. Nearby, Cotacachi
and San Pedro de Ibarra are other shopping destinations for their
unique leather and wood-crafting industries. Also in the Imbabura
Province, Lakes San Pablo and Cotacachi stand as major tourist attractions
for their unique beauty.
Cuenca, also declared “World Heritage Site” by UNESCO,
is another colonial jewel in the Andean Highlands. The city’s
captivating colonial history and architecture, coupled with its
relative historical isolation from the rest of the country, bred
a thriving city so particular that its inhabitants speak a particular
Spanish dialect of their own. Cuenca should be anyone’s definite
stop if one wishes to immerse itself in the syncretism and beauty
of the Andean culture.
|