Time flies

Today is Febuary 5th. What?!? Wait, that cannot be right. Brian and I drove away from our beloved Portland on September 15th, 2011. Just a few days short of five months on the road has found us in Otavalo, Ecuador. Otavalo is a little city of artists and merchants. Tourists and Ecuadorians alike come here to purchase the handicrafts of the people. Due to budget and space constraints we have not purchased much by way of souvenirs yet on our drive. 

Today that changed. Brian and I hit the market with a shopping-fever unknown to two kids living in a van. Our money was literally burning in our pockets and Brian's sharp bargaining skills were honed to perfection. We definitely came out on top. New alpaca blankets, hats, wool ponchos, scarves and a rug for the van. In our spending defense, it is getting cold! Not to rub it in to our friends and family back at home, but we havent slept inside our sleeping bag since Montana. But with the ever-raising altitude (Otavalo is at 8,641 ft) and with our... donation of all our cold weather clothes to those fine late-night visitors in Guatemala we definitely needed some more cold weather stuff. 

Ecuador is cool. Literally. And so beautiful. The mountainous terrain is very different from the lush jungles that we were coming very accustomed to in Central America. The change in temperature and scenery is a welcome one. With five months down, well over the halfway mark on our timeline, we are both starting to think about the end of the trip. It is funny to remember that a mere five months ago we thought how strange it would be, living in the van and waking everyday in a new and foreign place. 

Now it is the most natural thing in our world. Foward and southbound we go. 

Woman selling... gourds?

He isnt too happy I caught him catching a free ride.
Dont worry friend, I would have done the same. It was a big hill.   

Cant go to the mercado? Well, let the mercado come to you!

Ahhh the start of the Andes... be still my heart. 

Now that is a good pour. Though it probably had something to do with me loosing cribbage. 

At the market

Yup. Hats are all the rage. Supposedly since before the spanish conquest in the 1600s.
Now that is a lasting fashion statement. 

Amazing artesanias and weavers.  Colors for miles! 

I will take three of everything! 

You cannot escape the banana. Even if you tried. 

Netflix Ecuadorean style

I love a good steeple. 

Camping Parqueadero style. Not at all scenic, but super cheap ($2.00!) and ultra safe in the city. And there is usually a bano!