Circle on the Square’s Solstice trip to Cochasqui pyramids was concluded with an end of the day gathering at El Convento in Cotacachi. El Convento, once the home of nuns, El Convento now houses a cafeteria, a restaurant, meeting rooms, a bakery a lounge with fireplace and a tour information company.
After our tour we went to enjoy coffee, and fresh fruit salads with yogurt. We were also treated to live music by an excellent flautist who played traditional music accompanied by chimes which added a lovely and ethereal element to the music. We also enjoyed a short dance performance.
One dancer wore her traditional dress and the other dancer was dressed in clothing you might typically see around town these days. The traditional dress is the dress that many if not most indigenous women in the Otavalo and Cotacachi areas still wear. Even tiny little girls are usually dressed in this traditional style, but some do opt to follow ‘modern’ styles. Both men and women still let their hair grow long and keep it fastened back in a long braid.
The indigenous who stick to their roots are wiser than those who drop out to follow the Western way of life. Why? What tourist wants to travel to far away places to see more kids on cell phones?? LOL