*Otavalo is home to the most famous artisan market in America. Each Saturday in the Poncho Plaza, several indigenous communities come to barter and sell their diverse and colorful handicrafts. Otavalenos are famous for their weaving skills ever since pre-colonial times. In 1495, the Incas took control of the area and introduced llamas and alpacas for wool,which was much easier to dye than cotton. Forty years later the Spaniards swept introducing silk and looms. It wasn't until the Agrarian Reform in 1964 that great estates were broken up to give to indigenas so that at long last they could profit from their weaving skills and set up small businesses. Thanks to the success of the weaving industy, Otavalenos are some of the most prosperous indigenous groups in South America*
Today is Sophy's 27th birthday. I couldn't think of a better way to spend it amongst a delicious array of alpaca wraps, multitudes of bright colors in the form of rugs, belts, wall hangings, scarves, wallets, purses, etc. This market truly is a labyrinth of textiles, foods, woodwork, jewelery, and more. We got their early to beat the crowds, peruse the merchandise and barter our way to the best price. I have successfully bought all of my Christmas presents for 2008 as well as gifts for my extended Costa Rican family. There was a point that even standing still was dizzying and I felt that if Sophy and I weren't staring each other in the face we might lose each other.
I'm glad that we didn't separate afterall to do our own shopping. It turned out we were interested in similar things, and equally interested in letting "no rock be unturned"!Word to the wise, the vendors at the end will give better deals. It was midday, when we originally had decided to head south towards Quito,but like dutiful soldiers we made our rounds...forgetting completely that we should be taking pictures of this circus of sorts. Sophy escaped to take pictures of the huge pots of food, and I later got my camera out and started to click away at the different fabrics. Everything is just so happy and lively. Today was a day of constant celebration, for my eyes and my wallet!!
