Today I woke up in Quito and fell asleep in Otavalo, Ecuador! I had fruit, eggs, a croissant, and the best coffee for breakfast at the hotel. We only stayed 2 nights at the hotel in the historic downtown of Quito. I have never eaten so much chocolate in one day before. The first chocolate company we visited was Yumbos. There, we tried roasted cocoa seeds, and honestly, I did not like them. It’s safe to say I prefer chocolate made with sugar and milk. The tour took place in Plaza San Francisco in Quito. It was so engaging and really cool. I enjoyed melting cocoa butter in my hands and rubbing it like a lotion. It smelled amazing.
After this tour, I had lunch with Nora at a cute Italian restaurant, then headed back to the hotel to pack up our belongings and hit the road for a 2-hour bus ride to Otavalo. Goodbye, Quito, I will miss you. About 30 minutes into the ride, we stopped at another chocolate company called Bios and took a tour of the site. We listened to an hour-long presentation and tasted a crazy amount of chocolates. Coming from someone with a big sweet tooth and having worked in a chocolate shop (Kilwins), the amount of chocolate I ate at Bios did make me feel a bit sick. Besides the chocolate tasting, the owner had a surprise for us: Dubai-style chocolate strawberries in a cup. Now, don’t get me wrong, they tasted heavenly, but I was tired of chocolate for the day. We also saw how the chocolate bars are made, and I bought six of my favorite flavors for my family as gifts! This was an amazing experience, and I really enjoyed seeing how the chocolate is made and learning the company’s history. My favorites were the cheesecake and raspberry flavors!
After the tour, we got back on the bus and continued on our trip to Otavalo. Once there, we had dinner at a delicious spot in Plaza de los Ponchos. At night, the plaza looked like a ghost town compared to daytime. After dinner, we went to our hotel, called Hostal Curiñan, and went to sleep with full stomachs. The next morning, we woke up to a delicious breakfast — eggs, bread with strawberry jam and butter, coffee, and a berry smoothie. Everything was so fresh. After breakfast, we went to Plaza de los Ponchos to practice our Spanish and bargaining skills in real time. I bought three pairs of handmade pants, a silver bracelet, a stone guacamole mixing bowl, and a duffel bag to carry everything. I spent more than I hoped, but honestly, it was worth it for these items. I am obsessed with the pants. I really enjoyed interacting with the Otavalo Kichwa people. I learned that the Kichwa people grow their hair long so it is closer to the earth, and they feel more spiritually connected to it, which I found fascinating.
After about three hours at the Plaza de los Ponchos, I walked around Otavalo with Nora and Emily to explore a bit. We found a stunning church and had coffee at a local shop. Later, we regrouped and headed back to the hotel on the bus. We relaxed for a few minutes before attending a welcoming ceremony organized by the hotel owners. They gave us a delicious warm fruit drink with pineapples and a bagel to dip in it. I loved it. We danced, listened to beautiful music, and had a wonderful time. After the ceremony, we had dinner at a different restaurant in Plaza de los Ponchos and then headed back to the hotel for the rest of the night. These days feel long, but the memories will last much longer! I can’t wait for the rest of the trip, with so many more adventures ahead.
