This weekend was filled with adventures! On Friday, we went to the Capilla del Hombre - the Chapel of Man. It's an art museum of sorts in north Quito, featuring the works of the famous Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo Guayasamin (1919-1999.) The building that houses the collection is meant to be a place of reflection about man's suffering, as this was Guayasamin's principle subject matter. Unfortunately, cameras aren't allowed inside the chapel, but here are some outdoor replicas:
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These flowers aren't representative of the bulk of Guayasamin's
work, but aren't they pretty? |
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| Guaysamin's House. |
On Saturday morning, our BCA group boarded a tour bus for Otavalo, a town about 2 hours away. On the way there, we stopped at the Pyramids at Cochasqui. The 15-or-so pyramids were built for religious purposes by a Pre-Incan society, dating them to the 6th-15th century. Unlike traditional pyramids (such as those in Egypt), the Pyramids at Cochasqui are covered in tierra (earth/dirt) and vegetation. They have remained mostly unexcavated because archaeologists are unsure if the original structures are still intact. Partial excavations have revealed that the pyramids are made of volcanic debris. Interestingly, the site includes highly accurate solar and lunar clocks that are currently being restored. The fact that such ancient societies had such a profound grasp on time and astronomy is incredible!
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| Pyramid |
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| Panoramic view of part of the site |
...As if the pyramids weren't cool enough, we eventually came across some llamas. Not just some, but a herd. The tour guides must get annoyed when everyone freaks about about the llamas. (But you have to admit, they're pretty cute.)
After the pyramids, we drove to the equator! Unfortunately, my camera battery died after leaving the pyramids (too many llama pictures), so I'll have to steal some photos from friends. Of course, I didn't leave the equator without doing a handstand!
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| Juniata College! |
In the late afternoon, we arrived in Otavalo, home to the country's largest indigenous market. Overwhelming is an understatement! It was huge. While everything is really cheap, vendors hike up the prices for Americans. That's where bartering comes in. Our Spanish professor suggested that we go for half the initial cost, and negotiate from there. I felt guilty negotiating for a lower price, as the vendor could probably use the extra dollar or two more than I could, but I guess it's part of the deal. We left the market decked out in traditional Ecuadorian clothes (which no one actually wears), but hey, when in Rome...
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| Oh so Ecua. |
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| Bracelets |
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| Spices! (Photo cred goes to Kate) |
Sunday began with a visit to an artisan's home in an indigenous town. The elderly man and woman are specialists in weaving and making yarn from sheep wool. We got to see steps of the process of making a scarf, from start to finish. While the couple regularly invites tourists into their home, asking them to package their culture and livelihood into a thirty-minute workshop seems somewhat patronizing and degrading. In any event, their craft is truly impressive.
The next stop was a waterfall! We had to hike - or rather climb - up a muddy slope, crawl through the trees, cross an earth bridge, and descend a rocky ledge to reach the falls. I decided not to take my camera, but a few people brought their waterproof cameras and got great pictures! (which I will have to borrow...)
After the waterfall, we stopped at Parque Condor. It's a reservation/restorative park for large birds, including falcons, owls, eagles, and Ecuador's famous condors. The visit included a bird show with some impressive animals, even a bald eagle. Interestingly, this was the first time I saw a bald eagle flying...and it was in Ecuador. The condors were incredible, as they're the largest birds that still fly. A bunch of BCAers were really excited about one of the Snowy Owls because it was used for the filming of Harry Potter. (As someone who's never read Harry Potter, it had no significance to me other than being cute.)
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| Some kind of eagle |
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I don't know what kind of bird this is, but it was
absolutely huge. |
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An Ecuadorian condor! They're larger than
turkeys. |
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| Spotted falcon |
The rest of the afternoon included visiting the house of a family who makes special flutes from bamboo, shopping at a leather market, and relaxing at a volcanic lake. It was quite the weekend, and I'm looking forward to more excursions in the next few months!
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Volcanic lake
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