The Antithesis Of Urban Life

After a wonderful morning enjoying the parade in Otavalo, Carlos was finally able to pick us up in front of our hotel and whisk us off for yet another adventure.
The first thing we had to do was get another hotel for the night since we had decided that we did not want to stay in Otavalo as originally planned. Carlos made some quick phone calls and gave us two choices for accomodations. One was at the lake that we had eaten lunch at the day before and the other was in the Hacienda Cusin, a restored 17th century Andean Estate.

The Grounds At The Hacienda Cusin

We had already planned to tour the Hacienda that day, so that was our first stop. This time however we were going to be smart and look at the rooms first. As soon as we arrived at the big wooden doors to the Hacienda and drove through we knew this was the place for us. The grounds were immaculate and the main house, guest rooms and cottages had so much charm we couldn’t resist. We checked out about six different rooms before deciding and finally settled on our favorites.

The Hand Carved Doors To Our Room

At the Cusin there are rambling cobblestone paths along with fountains, courtyards and several acres of perennial gardens nestled in a wide pastoral valley. Lakebed soil, cool nights, a predictable ecuatorial sun and avid gardeners have created year-round blossoming gardens that attract over 50 species of birds.

Beautiful Fish Pond At The Cusin

By the time we had arrived at the Cusin and checked in, we decided to stay for lunch before we got in the car and headed off for the day’s excursion. We ate in the most extraordinary dining room adorned with antique tapestries, old paintings and fresh flowers.

The Main Living Room

The Restored Convent At The Cusin

One Of The Many Vegetable Gardens At The Cusin

The Common Patio Outside Of Our Room

The Common Patio Off Of Mom & Bob’s Room

The Library

Flowers In The Gardens

After lunch at the Cusin we headed for the town of Cotacachi for their famous leather market. What a surprise that was as we made our way into the town driving past very modest cinder block houses and some very tiny store fronts. When we arrived in the heart of the city we were amazed to see what looked like a very upscale shopping area. The main street was lined as far as the eye could see with leather shops, a few restaurants as well as some local street vendors. The leather goods were of the finest quality, everything from purses to boots to baggage to clothing. We didn’t have a lot of time to spend in the leather market, but it was well worth the trip and we decided we will return on another trip.

We retired for the night back at our hotel and after we said our good nights I sat down at my wonderful little writing desk next to a roaring fire and began to write my next blog. What a perfect way to end the evening.

The View From Our Bedroom Window
I Couldn’t Help But Be Inspired To Write