Mothers and Babies

This is actually more of the Otavalo market. The indigenous people just take a blanket and tie it into a snugglie, and carry their babies on their backs. With them on their backs they go right about their work of setting up shop, or doing whatever. You rarely hear a peep from them. When they do make a peep they get switched from the back to the front. I am sure Nestles doesn't find much of a market here for formula. These mothers seem to have a pretty clear idea what to do with their God given lactation equipment.

As I have said before, I am very impressed with the parenting skills I see in Ecuador. It seems to be a cultural thing for parents to do right by their kids, and it seems to come back with compound interest from the kids to the parents. Most of the indigenous people are not able to read, since they don't get to school, so I don't think Dr. Spock gets the credit. With little to no education, they seem to get what really matters right. That goes for the city dwellers as well as the rural people.

Notice how warmly the people are dressed. The temperature was all the way down to 80 or 85. Still warm by my standards.

Pete