Approximately 25% of Ecuador's population are Indigenous people, and upon my arrival in Otavalo I was the most engulfed with the Indigenous people as of yet. I'm in complete and utter fascination with the Indigenous people and am currently trying to learn and educated myself on them as people but simply put they are the natives of the land who still live in the villages of the country. I have seen Indigenous people everywhere along my travels as there is groups or communities in villages throughout Ecuador, but the northern highlands where Otavalo is has the largest population. The initial draw of my curiosity is their attire, and everywhere you go it's slightly different as this is representational of their village. It's a combination of colourful detailed embroidered blouses with plain wool skirts, with a sash wrapped on the waist, sometimes a shall or poncho, sometimes a hat or sometimes scarf or literally a folded blanket simply at rest on top of the head. Often gold or red beaded necklaces are worn to finish the look. I can't put it in words, but I find them so beautiful with the mix of bold colours and sense so style that I catch myself staring. The men often wear a white dress shirt and white pants with a dark coloured poncho. A lot of the men have long beautiful thick dark hair in a pony tail or long braid and a top a hat. I want to take pictures of them all day but this is a tricky situation, as in theory you should ask before taking a photo of someone, it's only polite and I know I would want that for myself, but I don't want posed pictures I want them candid and taken in the moment. Additionally sometimes this prompts them to ask for money if you want a picture and I completely disagree with this concept and don't want to encourage it, therefore I don't have the pictures I would like and cherish of the Indigenous people but look closely at the locals in the pictures, you'll see some. Saturday is the big market day in Otavalo, the biggest market is all of Ecuador, shopping, HOORAY HAHA. The Indigenous people sell their crafts at the market and hence their strong population here in Otavalo. I was lucky to see some beautiful works of art. Remember how I'm always saying so how nice Ecuadorians are well this is still true but I learned at the market they are also kind in encouraging you that you WILL have enough room in your bag to pack the items they want to sell you to take home. They have never seen your bag, but they are ever so friendly enough to be sure for you :-)

In 1897 a bored 17 year old Ecuadorian girl named Rosalia Suarez was playing around in the kitchen and invented an "ice cream" that didn't use cream at all, and what we now call sorbets. She used a copper bowl stirring with a wooden spoon on a bed of ice and straw. This is still a very poplar treat locally in the northern highlands so of course it's all part of the trip I had to test it out. In my walks today I had passed by a shop advertising this treat and it looked nice so I decided after my dinner I would enjoy this unique sorbet. Upon my entry the daughter to the shop owners who was probably 5 or 6 came and greeted me and took my order in the sweetest little Spanish, it was precious. The menu was pictures only with no description but it was basically different looking sundaes with cookies, fruit or different sauces, so I picked the one that looked to have coconut as a topping, delicious! When my sundae was brought out I could tell it wasn't coconut, so then it must be grated white chocolate...right? Nope, wrong. Are you ready for this....it was grated cheese :-( and once again I didn't bring my camera because I don't like to carry it at night. Overall it's just sorbet, I prefer actual ice cream and hold the cheese please.