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COTACACHI: A PASTORAL ECUADOR VILLAGE
IS ENTICING FOREIGNERS
FROM MANY SHORES
Cotacachi, Ecuador, somehow managed to remain under the radar despite
my travels from Vilcabamba and Loja in the south to Ibarra and Otavalo
in the north and back
again. The vibrant green valley between two volcanic peaks
that shelter this town can be viewed briefly from the Pan-American
Highway as one journeys past on the way from Quito and Otavalo north to
Ibarra. But since buses rush past the right-hand-turnoff to
Cotacachi, it's easy to miss one of Ecuador's most idyllic areas.
Cotacachi is a meld of “edificios” with red and
brown tiled roofs and multi-colored walls, with an imposing cathedral
topped by a bright-colored statue of Jesus. Turning right off
the PanAm, the town is a brief three-kilometer ride that winds its
way past verdant
pastures, dramatic ravines and a leisurely flowing
stream where cows graze, watched by an assortment of
children and
dogs.
The history and cultural beginnings of this town are hidden deep in the
past. One hears tales whispered proudly of how the people
this far north managed to resist the Incan conquest until the 16th
century. Legend has it that the Incas were unable to have
much influence here and finally gave up after only a 20-year
subjugation of the north.
Like its namesake, the female volcano Cotacachi that remains mostly shrouded behind mist and cloud, the town of Cotacachi is
coming out of hiding as well.
FROM SLEEPY PUEBLO TO EMERGING
HEALTH CENTER
Life in Cotacachi is changing in many ways. Under the guidance of a
very progressive mayor, the town has cleaned up its act, literally, and
now boasts of some of the cleanest streets in Ecuador.
UNESCO built a gleaming white-tiled market where vendors display an
astonishing array of fresh produce. Meat and chicken now sit
in closed refrigerated compartments rather than remaining out in the
open, drawing flies. This newfound focus on cleanliness has
seemingly attracted more businesses centered on healing and
wellness.
A physical and mental rehabilitation clinic in Cotacachi heals using
various kinds of electronic equipment, including laser
acupressure. The clinic has five or six different healing
modalities. The price is $2 per session.
Occasionally, Cuban doctors come for months at a time to practice energy medicine.
This facility, called Sol de
Vida, is one of the central elements of the Cotacachi
participatory democracy health
care goals.
A world-class five-star Relais
& Chateaux spa and retreat, La
Mirage, beckons
those in need of R and R to its luxurious massage rooms, indoor swimming pool, gardens, gourmet
restaurant and well-appointed accommodations.
Many people are coming to the area to partake of the excellent, low-cost dental
care in nearby
Ibarra. There are a number of hotels in Cotacachi that range
from inexpensive hostels to luxury hotels. Click here to read
about Cotacachi Hotels.
Jehovah’s Witnesses have a small community on the outskirts
of town. Many others come to administer to body and soul with
a variety of religious, spiritual and physical offerings.
Several years ago, Transcendental Meditation’s Maharishi
Mahesh Yogi sent trainers to teach local people the
ancient art of Ayurvedic massage.
Jambi Mascaric is an indigenous healthcare program founded in 1996,
which trains health volunteers and midwives. It is reviving
and showcasing the use of traditional native medicine and establishing
health care centers and birthing houses in many of the surrounding
smaller villages.
Click here
to read about how the participatory democracy program is
invigorating grassroots health care.
The Charm
of Old-World Colonials Still Beckons
While many are being replaced by new concrete buildings, there are
still a number of quaint old colonial structures tucked in among the 3
and 4 story shops and residences that make up Cotacachi
proper. A mainstay of Ecuador real estate, these lovely
colonials hint of an old-world past steeped in rustic
elegance. Five colonial buildings are designated as historic
buildings in Cotacachi, but have received little in the way of funds
for renovation
and upkeep.
Those old colonials that are for sale range in price from about $30,000
to $50,000 USD and are in various states of disrepair, usually requiring total
renovation. The front of one such structure was beautifully
restored and its gutted interior made into a 5,000 square foot adobe home complete with lawn, indoor
swimming pool and gardens.
New Developments are Springing Up
As Newcomers
Continue to Arrive
Currently there are numerous and varied residential Ecuador real estate
developments underway, ranging from 1000 square foot adobe villas on
one-third acre in a gated community for $65,000 to a large development
a short distance from town where acre lots sans houses are selling
for $50,000.
Several such Ecuador real estate developments are
attracting the interest of not only baby boomers but also an affluent
younger set building larger homes in the 2,500 to 3,000 square foot
range.
A recent purchaser intends to persuade her artist friends to create an
enclave in one of the developments near El Batan, a barrio of
indigenous natives who still cultivate the land in the old ways, growing crops
of corn, beans and potatoes.
Also popular are the condominiums for sale that are being built by Jorge Quilumbaqui,
an indigenous builder
with a penchant for lush gardens. His first building sold out
quickly, primarily to North Americans. Four more condo buildings
are under construction with even more garden space and established
trees.
Click here to
see photos and detail of this unique development.
Homes are of various types and materials. One community is
entirely filled with similar white adobe houses. Barro Viejo,
(old mud in Spanish) a Quito architectural firm, has built several
amazing pastel colored adobes of rammed earth, including the beautiful
Casa Sol in nearby Peguche. They charm the eye and delight the
heart with their exacting custom features and inviting interiors.
See more
examples of local real estate.
With the wide-open spaces and gently rolling hills surrounding
Cotacachi, there is ample room for home sites large and
small. Cobblestone roads lead out of town in several
directions. Indigenous barrios are tucked away here and
there, filling the air with the laughter of children and the music of
frequent fiestas. For those wishing to recapture a simpler
and quieter lifestyle, Cotacachi is the place.
Several large haciendas, picturesque dairies, hosterias and numerous
farms dot the landscape. Many of the fields are still worked
by hand. Occasionally oxen can be seen pulling a wooden
plow. It’s easy to imagine stepping back in time in such a
setting or turning back the clock hundreds of years.
Rosalinda, a woman in the know about real estate around Cotacachi,
reports that land prices
have risen markedly in the last decade, yet they are still low compared
to other Latin American countries. Raw land now brings an
average of $1.50 per square meter, more if the infrastructure is in
place. This translates to around $6,000 per acre.
Ecuador real estate remains a bargain in many areas and Cotacachi is
one such area where it is still possible to live like a Don on his
hacienda.
Cotacachi is the name of a canton (like counties in the
U.S.). It is one of the largest canton’s in the
country, and covers the urban area of the city itself, the
mountain areas where many of the indigenous live, and the Intag, a
remote semi-tropical region.
Cotacachi’s
Population
Approximately 6,000 – 7,000.
Current Buyers
Baby boomers, investors, second home and vacation homebuyers, artists,
green buyers.
Location
The town is a 1½ to 2-hour ride from Quito, about 65 kilometers
north. The Pan-American Highway takes you within about 3
kilometers of Cotacachi, where a left turn at the Pan-Am stoplight will
bring you to the town square.
Attractions
Known for its leather goods—coats, jackets, purses, shoes and
specialty items—picturesque “Leather
Street” is increasingly becoming more elegant as prosperous
shopkeepers vie for the attentions of affluent clientele.
The town square is charming, with several colonial buildings, a
well-manicured park with flowering trees and inviting park
benches.
A short distance, overlooking the town, is the recently
dedicated site of the Temple of the Sun, a UNESCO cultural heritage
project slated to be completed by 2012. A model of the
proposed buildings can be viewed on the first floor of the municipal
building located on the town square. When completed, this
educational center to teach ancient traditions and techniques will be
one of the major attractions in South America.
Participatory Democracy Program
Becoming
a Model throughout Ecuador
Twelve years ago, Cotacachi’s new mayor at the time, Auki
Tituana, implemented a program called participatory
democracy. This exciting new program has given an incredible
boost to the people of this canton.
Each year, more than 1,000 representatives of various community
organizations meet to plan the following year’s
goals. Once the goals are set, various committees
are formed to insure that the goals are met. The resources of
the canton government are then applied toward making these goals a
reality.
As of this year, 130 of Ecuador’s 215 cantons have implemented
some elements of Cotacachi’s program. Click here to read more
about the participatory democracy program.
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