Arrived...

Safe and tired. Our heads are full of wonderful memories. We will dream about next time tonight :)

Traveling back to Califa

We are at the airport. Our flight is already delayed 90 mns. We will have only 1 hour to connect with our SF flight. I don't think we'll have enough time but we'll see. Maybe the plane will wait for us...??

We already miss Otavalo and everybody. But more than missing Ecuador, I am going to miss to be with Galo, Emilie and Zoilita all day long.

Shopping in Otavalo

Shoppers

Emilie with her new purse and dolly

Tapices

Paintings

Saturday is market day in Otavalo. The "Mercado de los Ponchos" extends all over the town and it's flooded with tourists. More choice but higher price today. We'll do our best!

Adios Otavalo

Emilie and Galo waiting for the bus in Peguche

Volcano Cotacachi

Church in Peguche

Peguche

Emilie with traditional hat and mask

Zoila eating her breads

This is our last moments in Otavalo. After breakfast and packing, we decide to go back to Peguche and then shop a little more in Otavalo. After our goodbyes to Otavalo, we catch a bus to Quito. This time, we don't forget anything!

The trip to Quito is smooth and we arrive at Meri's house in the evening. Sebastian is very happy to see Emilie.

Our trip is over. The night will be short. We have to wake up at 4 a.m. tomorrow. We're sad but happy that our trip was wonderful and we are all coming back safe and healthy!

Back to Otavalo

Otavalo

Emilie with her favorite food

Volcan Imbabura

It's raining today when we wake up. But it's okay because we're heading back to Otavalo today. This time we try not to forget anything. It's raining in Otavalo too but clears up before the end of the day. Walk to the market, plate of empanadas de queso with morocho (looks like rice pudding but made with a type of corn) and some grilled maduros (plantains) before going to bed. Tomorrow: shopping!!

More Oasis!

Like the beach in the desert

Hide this pompis!

Our friends

Mathilde trying to be on the pix but too late

Playa en el desierto

There is nothing else to do here than eat, swim, sleep, eat and swim again, so let's just do it!

Oasis

Zoila after her swimming lesson

In the small pool

In the nude

After our morning errands in Otavalo, we catch a bus to the resort Oasis. It's about 1 hour north of Otavalo. We will spend 2 days there. This place is in the Chota Valley and is supposed to be warm. Yeah!

We're ready but unfortunately we forget our food bag while jumping into the bus (literally because they don't really stop, they just slow down). No more yogurt and cheerios for Zoila! We will have to improvise for her meals...

We arrive to the Oasis and indeed, it's hot! The hotel is very pretty and they have 4 different pools! We are the only guests! It's weird but very nice. After a quick lunch (we were starving), we jump in the pool. I don't know who's the happiest, Zoila or Emilie!

Morning Market in Otavalo

Yummy veggies!

"Churos" = snails

Different types of tubercules

The market is a delight for all our senses. I wish I had a kitchen to cook wonderful dishes with all those fruits and veggies.

Happy 11 months Zoila!

Otavalo & Peguche

Peguche

J'aime Otavalo!

The market

Which one do you want?

This morning we enjoy an healthy breakfast and after going by the famous mercado de artesanía, we decide to go to the Peguche cascade. It's just 15 mns away from Otavalo in bus. Emilie loves walking and running in the wild and Zoila takes a long nap. It feels good to be away from the smog and the ashes of the city! We keep eating food we find here and there, we can't stop, everything is so good!

The real adventure begins

Emilie ready for the journey

Arrived safe and happy

We are leaving Ambato today. The day is very warm and nice today, I am almost sad to go away, but excited about our plans.

We are taking the bus to Quito, where we will spend the night at Meri's. She told us that the bus doesn't really stop in Quito but in a nearby town. Understanding the way bus networks work takes some time and we realize once in the bus, that it actually won't stop where we want to, but about 2 hours away...

Our trip Ambato-Quito was supposed to take 2.5 hours...We have to change our plans and decide to go to Otavalo directly because it will be shorter than stopping where the bus goes and taking another but to Quito. The girls are doing very well and quickly fall asleep. We left Ambato at 4 pm and we arrive at Otavalo (northern part of Ecuador) at 10 pm. We are actually happier to be in Otavalo already. Galo and I really like this town. It's quiet, very authentic and no ashes!! We go back to the same hotel we went to 7 years ago. Still there, still the same! And we are the only occupants. We are exhausted but relieved our journey didn't end in an unknown lost countryside village tonight :)

Real last day in Ambato

Empanadas y colada morada

Emilie and I eating empanadas de queso

Zoila at the Circus

Our new plan is to Quito tomorrow and then from there go to Otavalo for a few days. An hour from Otavalo, there's also a place with pools we could go to. One more week in Ecuador, let's do our best.

In the morning we go and see a circus show and in the afternoon we go and get some empanadas de queso. Yummy and happy cholesterol!

We also pack and this time we say bye for real to the family.

We will miss Ambato but we are excited to go on before our return to the States. Hasta Luego Ambato y Mama Tungurahua!

Baptism Party

My two blueberries ready to party!

Zoila with her cousins Adelina and Domenica

Emilie with her cousins Eileen, Marcela and Sebastian

This morning we go to the market and then we stop by Tia Isabel's house for lunch. While watching the news, we find out that the entire coast is flooded after a big storm and there is an epidemy of malaria in the area where we want to go. It looks like our dream to go to the beach won't happen this time...

At 5pm we go to the church for the baptism and after that to the reception. We eat, dance, eat and dance until midnight. We are the first ones to leave the party!

Parque de la Familia

Emilie and Ambato

Zoila and Emilie at Parque de La Familia

Well, we have to delay our departure to the coast because we were invited to attend Eileen's baptism (she is one of Emilie's cousins) on Satuday. So we will try to leave right after the party on Saturday night and travel all the way to the coast.

So today, we decide to go the the "Parque de la Familia", just above Ambato. This is a very neat and huge park with astonishing views of Ambato. Too bad the day was overcast, we couldn't admire the volcanoes.

Last day in Ambato

We are leaving tomorrow. Today is laundry day and goodbyes. We are going back to Quito and then to the coast. We will miss Ambato but I can't wait to go to la playa!!

Baños and Ash Wednesday

Baños-Ambato

We go back to Baños but the trip is not as enjoyable as last time! First, it is raining. Then, because of the celebration of Ash Wednesday, the town is packed with pilgrims. It is a real adventure. I was wondering if the volcano was going to add some spice to our day, but it didn't.

With Family in Ecuador

Coconut Juice, we must have drunk 2 gallons since we got here!

Emilie riding her vicuña

Emilie and Marcela in the aqua-ball

Los primos

Mercado

I think today was Emilie's favorite day. It is a day off for Ecuadorian so they can celebrate Carnaval. Everywhere in Ecuador they have festivities, but Ambato is internationally famous for its Fiesta de la Fruta y de las Flores.

We start our day by going to a new Mercado. Very neat and beautiful. We have lunch there and shop for some fruits and veggies for Zoilita. We also buy pure Ecuadorian chocolate. So yummy! I have quinoa and of course, my jugo de coco con mora!

In the afternoon, we invite Emilie's primos to come with us to the fair across the street. Sebastian, Marcela and Domenica arrive and they have a great time. Jumpers, aqua-ball, vicuña ride, good food, so many things to enjoy! We stay there until night falls. This is a new feeling for Emilie and for us too. We are not used to spend time with family and we really like it.