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| Indigenous Markets |
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Throughout the Andes the indigenous markets are the place to bring freshly harvested products, do business and meet relatives and friends. The mixture of colors, fragrances and sounds is exhilarating, everybody is loudly trying to get the attention of potential customers as well as shopping. A weekly market is held in every mid-size village, following are only the larger ones in every region. |
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Otavalo Region
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1 ½ hours North of Quito is the small Indian village of Otavalo. It has two permanent markets open daily, the food market and the handcraft market. On Saturday both markets increase about four times its size and the variety of products. An animal market is held at a separate plaza and starts around 6 in the morning and offers large and small livestock, poultry and forage. |
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Cotopaxi Region |
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Held in the town of the same name, 1 ½ hours South of Quito, it is a very picturesque market where local Indians and country folks sell and buy vegetables, fruits, small animals, poultry, forage, agricultural tools, ceramic and wood artifacts regularly used by the local population. Operates Tuesday and Saturday. |
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Just 15 minutes from Latacunga and mostly indigenous market that offers great variety of potatoes, fruits, vegetables, flowers, poultry, guinea pigs, groceries, local herbs and spices, as well as prepared food much appreciated by sellers and buyers. Operates Wednesday and Saturday. |
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The largest Indian market in Ecuador, it takes over most of the town located about 45 minutes Northwest of Latacunga. It offers large and small livestock, forage, fruits and vegetables, potatoes, flowers, groceries, clothes, prepared food, sidewalk cloth’s mending, shoe repairs and haircut; beef , pork, mutton and poultry parts piled on tables, tiny Indians husking grains; a hubbub of red ponchos and felt hats. Operates Thursday. |
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Close to Quilotoa emerald lake, and the small town of Tigua, this remote and small Indian market that may be visited only on a 2 day tour to the Cotopaxi area. Its products include vegetables, fruits, potatoes, groceries, small and large livestock, forage, herbs and spices. Operates Saturday. |
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A small town half way between Quito and Cotopaxi, its weekly market frequented by Indians and Mestizos offers small animals like guinea pigs, piglets, poultry, fruits, vegetables, potatoes, herbs and spices, groceries and a curious range of used and new agricultural tools, bamboo baskets, furniture, water gutters, bins and much more. Operates Sunday. |
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Baños Region |
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A very commercial town, Ambato holds its many different markets the same day, in different plazas of the city that mixes mostly Indian sellers with Mestizo buyers, among the most attractive ones is the animal market that offers life guinea pigs, rabbits, sheep, pork, cattle and of course forage. The other markets include groceries, vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices, tubers, grains and prepared food, among others. Operates Monday. |
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Riobamba Region |
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The largest town in central Ecuador, quite close to Chimborazo volcano, the city has 2 consecutive market days in its 5 plazas at the same time. Among the many products are large and small livestock, vegetables, tubers, Andean and coastal fruits, forage, groceries, herbs and spices, different varieties of corn, beans, peas, quinoa, barley, wheat, oats and a lot more of the typical Andean products of the area. Operates Saturday and Sunday. |
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An overwhelming, almost exclusively Indian market about 38 km South of Riobamba, an excellent opportunity to see the best agricultural products of the central Andes. Its animal market includes cattle, horses, llama, sheep, pigs, poultry. Variety of flower like corn, pea, lima bean, wheat; cereals like barley, quinoa, whole wheat; fresh vegetables, herbs and spices, mending machines, clothes, jewelry, prepared food, potatoes, fresh beans, dry beans and so on. Operates Thursday. |
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Located about 20 km South of Riobamba, Colta market is a small and colorful combination of ponchos, hats, skirts, necklaces, ribbons, blouses; with hundreds of Indians coming to buy and sell their produce, small animals, forage, seeds, while enjoying the company of relatives and friends. Operates Sunday. |
Cuenca Region
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A small but very attractive market held in the vicinity of the ruins of Ingapirca, about 1 hour North of Cuenca, attended by the inhabitants of the area dressed in their typical attire, and Indian cowboys that access the market area horse riding. Products sold are typical Andean like potatoes, wheat, barley, quinoa, green beans, peas, lima beans, onions, fruits, vegetables and produce in general. Operates Friday. |
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The city has a variety of markets that are open everyday and offer a variety of fruits, vegetables, potatoes, spices, cereals, grains and produce in general, but some markets are remarkable, the flower market (everyday), the artisans fair on Thursday, and on Tuesday and Friday one of the markets offer traditional “healing” or “cleansing” treatments, an ancient ceremony performed to “heal” or “clean” a person from bad spirits using chanting, herbs, alcohol, tobacco, eggs and even live animals. |
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