Market Day in Otavalo

Up early to catch the 6 to 9 am animal market. Huge honkin' pigs screeching and refusing to budge while owners tugging hopelessly on their cords and one gigantic porker snuffling in the dust as though he were hunting truffles (which I highly doubt). The tiny piglets prancing this way and that. On to various fowl being stuffed into bags or toted in each hand upside down and carried off by satisfied customers. Ladies in native garb and oodles of gold necklaces standing quietly on the side, each with her full squirming bag and stretching out one live sample guinea pig to show all its nice flesh which will be succulent when roasted into a special cuy dinner. Many good looking cows (of course thought of Anne G.) and as always, a randy bull trying to get it on with some of them! Goats, lambs, rabbits, puppies and one lone llama completed the scene. One old woman was bent over carrying her new lamb in a bag on her back.

Back for breakfast and on to the general market which occupies pretty much every street and square in town. A hive of activity and a feast for all the senses. It is especially interesting to hear the indigenous Quechua language.