Olivia Paige
Traveled to Ecuador in 2009 and 2010
This photo was taken at an open-air market in Otavalo, Ecuador. On a cloudy Saturday morning, hundreds of people gather in the town square to shop and sell goods ranging from clothing and jewelry to meats and fresh fruits. The Otavalo market is one of South America’s largest and most famous markets. I got the pleasure of visiting this market during my second trip to Ecuador and it easily became high on my list of favorite Ecuador sights. Walking through the market awakens your senses. You smell mixed spices, sample fruits and vegetables, feel handmade fabrics, hear the vendors chatter and see a whir of colors. In a single shot, one can sense the diversity of flavors, styles, opinions, and people. The market is like Ecuador’s culture, vast and filled with many sights, but all under the same cloudy sky.