day trip

On Saturday I took a day trip with some of the teachers from school out of Quito to a few small towns. It was great to see more of the countryside, and the day started out clear enough for us to see the highest mountain peaks! First we stopped in Cayambe for bizcochos, which are biscuit-like cookies that are eaten with either cheese or dulce de leche. Cayambe is famous for bizcochos--every cafe in town sells them. We stopped at a small place where you could actually see them made. (Click on the photos to enlarge them.)
From there we traveled to Otavalo, a small town with a huge street market famous for arts and crafts. I made just a few purchases: a hand-knit sweater and hat set for my favorite baby Libby; a beaded necklace, and a shawl for myself. After we left Otavalo, we went to Cotocachi, which is a town known for its leather goods. We weren't terribly impressed, as it has gotten very commercial and therefore the prices have gone up and the quality has gone down.

Then we stopped for a typically Ecuadorian late lunch at this beautiful restaurant on a lake overlooking the mountains. Here was the view from our table:I'll close with some of the scenery from the drive. It was a beautiful day!