South America’s largest market not about the souvenirs
One of my favorite pastimes is shopping. Especially when the average cost for items is jaw-droppingly low and bargaining is encouraged.
A two-hour bumpy bus ride from Ecuador´s capital and I was in heaven. Otavalo is home to South America´s largest market.
One street of the Otavalo Market.
The food section of the market.
A man sleeping by his bicycle cart.
What´s really special about the market is its people. Although surrounded by tourists who flock in every weekend, the locals are untouched by the flash of modernism. They still wear traditional attire.
A long black braid snakes down each man´s back. The women also braid their hair, or wrap their pony tails with a handwoven cloth. They wear several strands of tiny gold beads around their necks above white dresses with embroidered flower prints.
In an effort to capture this culture, I asked a few locals if I could take their picture. The old women who looked to be more than 100 laughed and bargained for a “fair” payment. The children, however, were more amused, and seemed honored, even, to pose for a portait. When I asked a young girl for a picture, she looked shyly to her mother for an answer. Her mom then approved and took off her daughter´s hat to fix her hair, straighten her necklace and brush off her dress. It was a small touching moment that I´ll always remember as it reminded me of my own mom tidying my appearance before photographs.
Lucia, 10
Jefra, 7 months, and his mother Lastaria, 25.
-JDF
