Ecuador, Places to shop

Old Sep 4th, 2007, 04:51 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Ecuador, Places to shop

We are getting ready to make our 3rd trip to Ecuador. For a change we would like to do some shopping. We have looked at religious items in Quito, leather goods in Otavalo, weavings, etc. Can everyone suggest items to buy and where to find?

TWAontheGo is offline  
Old Sep 4th, 2007, 05:20 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The weekend markets at Otavalo have just about anything you could possibly want. I bought a lot of beautiful hand-crafted souvenirs there, including a wall hanging, silver jewelry, a painting, carved gourds, a purse, and other trinkets. One-stop shopping!
prowriter is offline  
Old Sep 6th, 2007, 08:08 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Prowriter did you find that the best prices were in Otavalo. I will be in Ecuador for 10 days and am wondering if the prices on jewelry, handicrafts, weavings etc. would be better in Quito or Otavalo?
lilypoo is offline  
Old Sep 7th, 2007, 08:40 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I did go to a market in Quito that was a pretty good size, but the prices were much higher and the people selling things did not want to haggle really at all. It was all the same stuff I saw in Otavalo.

I would suggest Otavalo if you're looking for good prices and more variety. Although, seeing the living conditions of a lot of the people in Ecuador, and knowing that making and selling these crafts is their livelihood, I didn't want to get them to come down too much on their prices. Of course, if you're willing to walk away, they'll likely offer whatever price you want to pay them, but I didn't want to feel like I was cheating anyone.
prowriter is offline  
Old Sep 7th, 2007, 01:00 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hi

The place to go for leather is Cotacachi. It is near Otavalo but it is a town almost solely dedicated to leather stores. I found some beautiful leather goods there at remarkablely reasonable prices. Some incredibly well crafted, multi paneled, multi colored change purses for a dollar each and a collapsible (that part is amazing) all leather duffel bag for 32 dollars.

You will find simlilar looking items in many of the shops there, but if you inspect for quality and you will find differences -- one may be all leather, inside and out, while another, identical looking item in another shop might have plastic pieces on the inside.


Back to Otavalo - generally the prices in Otovalo are lower than in Quito but it also depends on how good a bargainer you are also. Again, there will be differences in quality in what looks to be identical, generic items. For example, I purchased a shoulder bag made of cotton and wool - in some of the booths, the bags were lined and in others they weren't lined - but the price didn't really vary much between the lined vs unlined booths.

There are the zip up hoodies with the llama motif - my housemate paid 8 in Otavalo and I paid 12 in Quito. Agian check quality between boothes - some I looked at had kind of sketchy plastic zippers - the ones we bought both had nice sturdy metal zippers. Fit will also vary greatly between boothes and even with in boothes.

In Quito, on Saturday and Sundays, there is an artisans market in Parque Elijido - this is just across from the Casa de Cultura (also an Ecovia stop) It is the park in front of the Hilton, on one side (south) of the Mariscal. There is also a more extensive, permanent artisan market off of Juan L. Meara and either Jorge Washington or Robles (this is in the Mariscal - a couple a blocks, northish, away from the Hilton and Parque Elijido).

For more upscale crafts - try Olga Fish on Avenida de Colon, (another Ecovia stop), about a block and a half east (up the hill) from Seis de Deciembre. There is also a nice upscale craft store on Juan L Meara - on the left as you walk from Parque Elijido and the permanent artisan market towards Avenue Foch (northish)

At Foch and Reina Victoria, is a wonderful square with a fountain and a bunch of cafes. Again this is part of the Mariscal district. There are internet cafes around the city that offer good long distance rates to the US and Europe (US at 7 to 10 cents a minute)

I was in Cuenca last week ( a wonderful smaller colonial city) and bought Panama hats and an ikat wool poncho. The poncho was purchased directly from the weaver in a small village just outside of Cuenca - I believe it was called Gualaceo.

I also went to the town of Chordeleg (near Cuenca) - known for its gold and silver shops and was very unimpressed. I found the silver jewelry in Otavalo, Parque Elijido and the Artisan Mercado to be more interesting and the gold jewelry had a somewhat brassy or darkish tone (not to imply that it wsn't gold but rather whatever metal was being used in conjunction with the gold was giving it a tint of color) which I personally don't like.

Have a great trip
eveningcrane is offline  
Old Oct 3rd, 2007, 12:35 PM
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Just a thank you to everyone who has posted and a few comments.

Otovalo on a Sat. is a great time. We have shopped the market in 2003 & 2005.

Cotacach we made a brief visit in '03 but this was the second week in S.A. during a 5 month visit. We didn't buy because we were trying to lighten our backpacks, not add.

Quite & Parque Elijido - again part of our '03 travel. Remember a lot of paintings.

Cuenca -- spent two weeks in '03 and a couple of days in '05. Home of the Panama hat. Going to get myself a new one in about 10 days.

Chordeleg -- I agree with the above comment on the jewelery for sale. However, we had a great walk (downhill)to the next village where we then caught a bus back to Cuenca.

I will try to have a post in late Oct/early Nov on where we shop on this trip.

Again, thanks.

Tom
TWAontheGo is offline  
Old Feb 5th, 2016, 07:53 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 24,502
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Topping this post for shopping tips from eveningcrane.
mlgb is offline  
Old Feb 5th, 2016, 12:20 PM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 11,651
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes on 1 Post
Thanks for digging this up! Never know what shopping I may decide to do. Do want to buy a Panama hat as I am definitely a hat woman!
yestravel is offline  
Old Feb 5th, 2016, 12:51 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 24,502
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
To add to the great suggestions above, a surprise was that I bought some women's all-leather dress shoes (including the lining) with nonslip soles. It was either in Cuenca or Gualaceo or Chordeleg. The sort of semi-stylish but comfortable walking shoes you really can't find in the US except at a specialty store.

There are also made-in-Ecuador athletic and hiking shoes, if the sizes work. I need a wider toe box and I could probably use a small man's size there, instead of the ladies which tend to be too tapered at the toe. I just ran out of time and luggage space or I would have picked up a pair.
mlgb is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
october2018marrakech
Africa & the Middle East
1
Oct 15th, 2018 12:08 AM
paul1874
United States
10
Jul 9th, 2004 05:57 AM
gonefishing
Asia
4
Apr 6th, 2004 02:07 PM
floridabound
United States
15
Sep 16th, 2003 06:32 AM
Justin
Africa & the Middle East
6
Jul 23rd, 2002 09:09 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -