Otavalo

Here's a quick update from last night and today before I head to Cartagena early tomorrow morning (my flight leaves at 6am, but luckily, I live about 5 minutes from the airport).

Last night, we went to a great club: Punto G (roughly translated at the G-Spot) with most of the group. It's an interesting mix of people because there are a few undergraduates, but mostly master's in education students who are getting their degree while working. The average age of the group is at least 30--one person who came out to party with us has three grandchildren! We had a fantastic time though. The bar even had these cages that elevated with dancers in them, occasional bubbles and confetti would fall from the sky, and at around 1AM, a Cirque du Soleil style show was put on by the club's dancers! It was well worth the $12 cover.

This morning, we traveled about two hours north to the town of Otavalo, which has a huge outdoor market everyday--with the largest on Saturday. I bought a few souvenirs, but now I realize that the only way I can take them home is if I ship them which will set me back around $50. I guess I'll just bite the bullet and do it. We also sampled a regional favorite while there: bizchocos--a kind of Ecuadorian biscotti. And, I had one of the best slices of blueberry pie in a little cafe on the town square where of course these American women from South Dakota were being completely rude and obnoxious, reaffirming everyone's stereotypes about Americans overseas.

Because I'm leaving for Cartagena in the morning, I had to split from the group and go back to Quito by myself via a public bus which cost $2 for a journey similar to that between Lafayette and Indianapolis--just in the Andean mountains. Isabel's last words to me were: "Don't get kidnapped!" which definitely reassured me haha. However, I didn't have any problems whatsoever and made it safely home in less than two hours.

Well that sums up my day thus far! I can't wait to be on the beach tomorrow in Colombia!