Ambato Market
This was a group up for exploring and not sitting around, so, no sooner had we touched down in Quito than we were off. Destination was the Ambato market. (Well, we had to get there if we wanted to see it, as it is held only on Mondays.) As we drove south from Quito to Ambato, Cotopaxi could again be seen in the distance, shrouded in clouds.
Ambato is famous as the largest open-air market in Ecuador. There were souvenier goods for sale, but, by and large, the market was for the local peoples. It was busy with activity. Cloth, foodstuffs, grains, produce, pottery, and manufactured goods all were for sale. I had a first view of the colorful local attire and the famous fedora hats worn by the ladies.
There was Cotopaxi again in the afternoon on the highway back to Quito. We stoped at a roadside cafe for snacks near where the distant volcanic peak could best be seen. Now the morning's clouds had cleared from the peak.
Returning to Quito, we checked into the Hotel Quito. This was new hotel at the time, built on a hill overlooking the city. The hotel's restaurant was on the top floor, with with full-length windows offering a commanding view of the city below.
