Click for panorama photo of Cochasqui Pyramids
|
Click thumbnails for larger versions
|
Friday, Sept. 16: Hotel Ali Shungu, Otavalo: Breakfast at 6:30 and on the road by 7:00, we headed to the ruins and pyramids of Cochasqui. This complex was built by the Cara Indians before the Inca conquest and are considered the most important archaeological site in the northern Andes of Ecuador. (http://www.crystalinks.com/pyramidecuador.html) The history of Cochasqui goes back from year 950 AD to the year 1550 AD with well differentiated periods defined by the types of pottery found by archaeologists Fifteen low, truncated, grass covered pyramids and about 30 other mounds are visible. The remarkable panoramic view from the site has led archaeologists to assume that Cochasqui was built for strategic purposes. Several other hypotheses have been formulated as well to explain the nature and purpose of this complex. Among them: 1) it was a ceremonial-ritual center; 2) it was a home compound for important native chiefs (caciques); 3) it was an astronomical center of observation. Presently the pyramids of Cochasqui are most frequently visited during the solar solstices and equinoxes, when local people gather to celebrate the passage of the sun. The solar seasons also indicate the time of sowing and harvesting. Potatoes, corn, beans and quinoa are the essential foods for the inhabitants of this part of the world. Shamans gather at the sacred site of the pyramids in order to bless the multitudes of people who come and to bless the coming harvests. The shamans believe the sun to be the true “giver” of life on our planet and that Cochasqui is a special place to honor the sun. The Cochasqui complex has an open air ethnographic museum which displays life sized homes modeled after indigenous architectural styles and using ancient methods of building. Inside there are indigenous furnishing and cooking utensils, while guinea pigs scurry around your feet. Outside gardens are planted with a large number of Andean plants that were used for medicinal, ceremonial and everyday purposes. There is also a small but informative museum. The pyramids are also home to a llama reproductive project, in an effort to continue the breeding of this animal that is so inherently a part of early Andean life. TIP: It is necessary to have a local guide who speaks Spanish when one visits Cochasqui. Our guide was very enthusiastic in his explanations, and we were fortunate to have Charlie act as our translator. There is a mystical aura to this place located high in a barren Andean plateau and directly under the equatorial path of the sun. The vast and unrelenting passage of time is represented here by the surrounding and watchful Andes and the vegetation coverage of the pyramids. (Mary's note: There are even remains of an ancient calendar, a stone circle with pits for markers.) Returning to the main highway, we headed north toward Otavalo. Actually we went through the town to a hacienda where we had a delicious lunch and an opportunity to bird the lovely grounds. The seven of us sat on the veranda to eat and it just so happened that our Spanish speakers, Charlie, Marco and Edwin were at the same end of the table as Mary. Now Mary knows more Spanish than the rest of us, and she managed to keep up her end of the conversation with the fellows which impressed me no end! The best part of the meal was sitting back and watching the four of them conversing and joking and me hardly understanding a word. It just made my heart sing to see Mary joining in with them! Returning to Otavalo, we checked in at the hotel which is the “only game in town” if you want to stay in town. My reason for staying there was that we wanted to visit the animal market early the next morning before going on to the regular market on the main plaza. By staying at the Ali Shungu, we were able to easily do this. If this doesn’t appeal to you, then I would suggest you stay at one of the haciendas located outside of town. Saturday, Sept. 17: Hacienda La Cienega, Lasso: (http://www.geocities.com/haciendaec/index.html) We arose early to visit the animal market in Otavalo. Met Charlie, Marco and Edwin at 6:30 a.m. for a cup of coffee before walking a half mile to the area where the market is held. Mary and Jack chose to sleep in that morning. Obviously squealing pigs and mooing cows did not have enough pizzaz to draw them from a warm bed. The market was amazing! Most important was watching where one stepped. Pigs, cows, bulls, horses and sheep were the order of the day along with food stalls where we saw suckling pig being roasted, bread and fish being fried as well as corn being roasted. The local folks were bargaining for livestock and enjoying “eating out” at the same time. Not many tourists here but a few local ladies were singling us out in order to sell their wares. I actually purchased the majority of my gifts from one darling young lady while all around us pigs were squealing and cows were mooing. She had the most beautiful shawls (which of course were available in the plaza market also) so I decided to deal with her so that I’d be able to concentrate on looking once we got to the plaza. We walked back to the hotel through a portion of town passing a small shop where two fellows were wood working, making the charangos, which are used by Andean musicians. They invited us to come into their workplace and explained how they did the work, showing us their tools and demonstrating for us. These charangos are also made of armadillo shells which have been soaked in water to make them pliable so that they can be shaped around the forms. Edwin picked up a guitar and Marco strummed one of the charangos as the younger workman picked out a tune on his instrument. These sorts of interactions are what make traveling in a small group with friends so appealing. Back at the hotel we had breakfast with Mary and Jack, checked out, loaded the van and headed to the parking lot near the plaza. It’s called Poncho Plaza and even at 8:30 in the morning it was alive and teeming with vendors. Thankfully the day trippers from Quito had not yet arrived so we were able to move about with ease. In addition to the stalls selling textiles, jewelry, clothing, wooden masks, Panama hats (which are actually made in Ecuador), on Saturdays there are vendors with vegetables, fruits, chickens (alive as well as dressed), cuts of various meats, and already prepared foods. I was enchanted just walking up and down the rows looking at all that was available. The Otavaleanos continue to wear their native dress on an everyday basis so this added color and variety to the market. By mid morning everyone had made their purchases and we got underway just as the market was getting too crowded to be comfortable. Heading south toward Cotapaxi, we made a stop at Lago San Pablo to see the Andean Ducks that were bouncing on the waves there. It was quite windy which caused actual white caps to form on the small lake. Another stop was made at a place where biscochos were being made. This word is associated with a crispy little snack in Costa Rica that one can buy as one buys potato chips here in the US. In Ecuador, the word is also used to denote a snack, but it is quite different to the Costa Rican one. More like a little cake or sweet bread. Edwin knew of a place on our route where biscochos were made so he stopped for us to have a taste. Young people were rolling the dough and forming it as well as doing the cooking right in the room where there were tables set up for tasting. Some of the biscochos had a spoonful of jam put inside; others were plain and if you ordered those, jam was brought to the table. It was a delightful break and the view of Volcan Cayambe was quite clear from the road so Jack and Jimmy made sure they got a few shots. Lunch that day was at a roadside restaurant serving local food. We were fascinated by the toasted corn kernels that appeared on the table as soon as we sat down. Yummy! And they are called “tostado” which is certainly a different use of the word for us. I indulged in Locro, which is a potato and cheese soup garnished with avocado. Quite filling and delicious! A little later we entered the small village of Lasso near where our hacienda for the night, La Cienega, is located. The 400-year-old hacienda was converted into a hotel in 1982 with colonial and 19th century furnishings. There is a lovely chapel with intricately carved doors and a courtyard with fountain. We birded the grounds for an hour or so. Marco immediately found a nesting Barn Owl in a big tree in the courtyard. Numerous hummingbirds were in the gardens, including the tiny White-bellied Woodstar that I referred to as the bumble bee hummer because of its size and mannerisms. In the wetland nearby we found rails and a Grass (or Sedge) Wren. The public rooms of the hacienda were large and grand. We found one with a fire blazing in the fireplace and settled down to mark our bird list. The dining room also had a cozy fire burning which gave the room a friendly glow. The food was very good and we enjoyed each other’s company until it was time to turn in for the night.
|
|
