Linda and I have lived in Cotacachi, Ecuador, for nearly a year and a half. One of the highlights of living here is the Otavalo Market, about 5 miles from Cotacachi. We have a friend visiting from the states and yesterday, Saturday, we decided that she needed have this experience. I guess it has been three months since we have been to the market, and I was amazed, because it seems to me the market has grown greatly in the past few months.
The heart of the market is the Plaza de los Ponchos, a square block area that is full of booths housing everything from textiles, to clothing to painting, Panama hats, the list goes on and on.
But the most amazing thing is that on Saturday the market extends outward on every street from the Plaza for 8 or 10 blocks or more in every direction. This means that besides the Plaza itself, there are at least 50 blocks of streets that are closed off to traffic while the marketers from all over northern Ecuador hawk their wares.
Shopping in Otavalo is an art form. If you want to know about the Gentle Art of Negotiation, go here: [404 Check: was link to http:/ / www. pro -ecuador. com/ ecuador -markets. html , anchor: Ecuador Markets]
For additional information, go here:
[404 Check: was link to http:/ / pro -ecuador. blogspot. com/ 2008/ 02/ update -gentle -art -of -negotiation. html , anchor: Gentle art of negociation]
