Otavalo Artisan Market and Guayaquil

Since there was no direct bus from Mindo to Otavalo but we could change buses in Cayambe. Just 4 hours later we walked around the streets of Otavalo in search of our hostel. After checking in the Hostal Chasqui we immediately submerged into the Artesan Market at the Plaza de Ponchos. Fridays was really quiet and we got probably better prices than the next day. 

The Saturday Market of Otavalo is legendary in South America and streets over streets are closed for the artisan stalls. You could buy and buy but how do you get it back home. Well, Michael really wanted to have two hanging chairs to our additional three check-in luggage so we walked around with this big plastic bag, paying only $ 20 each. Let’s see how comfortable they are. 

How to arrange everything to get it in the plane will be another task for Guayaquil. We are allowed to take 2 check-in luggage each and a total of 23 kg. Fingers crossed. 

After adding some additional kilos to our luggage we left Otavalo at 8:30 am in the hope to arrive in Guayaquil around 7pm. But in Quito were so many people that we had to wait 4 hours for the next bus. We finally arrived at the Guayaquil Bus Terminal at 11:30pm and jumped in a taxi to our hostel.  

Luckily we had a reservation and I called them from Quito to inform the clerk about our delay. Tiered and exhausted we happily touched the pillow but we were probably too nervous about our flight back home and the end of our trip to fall asleep immediately. 

Let’s see what the new year will bring us!  

Accommodation – Otavalo: Hostal Chasqui, Piedrahita 141 

Price: US $ 12 p.p., double room, own bathroom, wifi, kitchen  

Comment: In a quiet area with a beautiful view from the rooftop terrace. 

Accommodation – Guayaquil: Dreamkapture Inn, Juan Sixto Bernal, Etapa 12, mz 2 villa 21  

Price: US $ 28,50  p. double room, own bathroom, wifi, incl. breakfast, kitchen  

Comment: close to the Bus Terminal and Airport, clean and nice rooms. What was unusual for  
                    us after one year traveling in Central- and South America that you pay $ 3 p.p. if you  
                   want to stay and wait for your travels later than 5 pm. There was not one hostel we  
                  had this and a lot of backpackers had late busses, sometimes at midnight.