Well, OK, one cannot visit southern Ecuador without visiting the little village of Vilcabamba.  Many people I have had conversations with in Ecuador have asked if I was going to visit this village when they learned I were going to be spending time in Loja.  Vilcabamba, nestled in what is known as the Valley of Longevity, is about an hour outside Loja by bus.

Who wouldn’t want to see what this village nestled in a valley.  It has had a reputation for having a high number of centenarians as far back as the 1970’s.  Whether there is any truth, I cannot attest to it.  There weren’t any centenarians in my peripheral the day I visited.

In all honestly, I don’t think a day trip to this general area can adequately generate a holistic experience and vantage point from which to formulate an opinion on this little village which is estimated to be made up primarily of expats.  What I can say is that Vilcabamba appears to be a sleepy, tranquil village.  Blink and you just about miss it if you’re passing through.  It takes less than 30 minutes to walk the town square and take in the sights and shops.

For an additional perspective, Lonely Planet shares the following:

“Vilcabamba offers perfect weather for hiking and horseback-riding, as well as access to remote sections of Parque Nacional Podocarpus, but it’s also an excellent place to chill. Legions of specialists are ready to facilitate your relaxation with inexpensive massages, pedicures and meditation sessions.”

A Google search does produce interesting reading if you have a curiosity to learn a bit more about this area of Ecuador.

So…back to my thoughts.  In addition to walking around the town square, I took a walk along the river and then had lunch at a little café back on the town square.  If you’re into the likes of sitting on a park bench in Mayberry (with no Aunt Bee in sight or an Andy Griffin for that matter) you might like to while away the time as many expats do sitting around the square.  For me, I would die from utter boredom.  A hike or massage or both would be more to my liking!

All in all, the day trip presented opportunity to get a brief glimpse into what all the rave is about when it comes to Vilcabamba, have a visual image of this little village, enjoy the scenery, and document a day in the life of trippin’ by way of photographs.

Hope you enjoy seeing a few of them as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Well, all good things must come to an end…or was it a beginning?  For now, who knows!  After 16 days in Cuenca, it was time to move on to the next city stop in this exploratory trip, Loja.  I felt like I have become such an integral part of Cuenca’s community in such a short time.  I was  not ready to leave a city and it’s people who had warmly embraced me.  There is still much to share about time spent in Cuenca.  With this in mind, I’ll loop back in future posts.

After a last dinner in Cuenca, Saturday, May 27th, I said good-bye to Dennis and Trish (Canadian expats/restaurant owners) and a staff member, Yanina.  Dennis and Trish purchased and reopened, Cuchara Magica Restaurant, in March.  They are a lovely couple who are seasoned business owners.  Trish is an awesome chef who learned to bake from her grandmother.  Her pastries and desserts are to die for.  The cinnamon buns with cream cheese are a must if you are in the area.  Oh, I do have to encourage you to have a meal (or two or three) as well.  You won’t go away hungry, but you will keep returning over and over!  Good-byes included hugs, handshakes and wishes to visit again someday.

Sunday morning included additional good-byes and wishes for more time together in the future.  This time it was Pilar, her grandson, Antonio, and her permanent house guest, Jane (from Australia).  Pilar not only opens her home to others through AirBnB, but she shares all aspects of her life from the heart.  There is much energy, laughter and love in her presence and home.  Of course, there was much encouragement from Pilar and Jane to return to make Cuenca home.  While there were good-byes in the moment, Pilar and I agreed to Skype when I am back in Georgia.  No matter what the future holds, Pilar will always be considered my Ecuadorian Mama!

Seemingly all too soon, but necessary for the next leg of the exploratory journey , I traveled to the city of Loja via Elite Tours.  Daniel, the driver, make the sharp turns along the mountainous Pan American highway with the speed and finesse of a skilled Indy race car driver.  Once I arrived in Loja, I made my way to the home of the Jaramillo family.  Cesar and his mother, Nelly, greeted me warmly.

Cesar’s English is about like my Spanish…almost nonexistent.  Nelly speaks no English.  Not to worry, between Nelly’s smile and the aid of an iPad and Google Translate, she and I can carry on an awesome conversation.

As for Loja, I have quickly discovered this city with a population of  a little over 185,000 does not hold the appeal of Cuenca.  If you are looking for optimal cultural immersion Loja could be the place for you.  After being here for four and a half days I have come across only a handful of individuals who speak English and even fewer non-Ecuadorians.  Talk about standing out in crowd; it’s obvious I’m not from these parts.  LOL!!!

The pace has slowed up a bit here in Loja, but I have found interesting things to do and see each day.  Let’s see…below is a sampling of what I have taken in:

Puerta de la Ciudad, the city’s iconic landmark.  It is also know as the gateway to the city.

Parque La Banda/Orillas de la Zamora, a park with a quite small zoo and Oquideario with over 200 species of orchids from southern Ecuador, was visit worthy.   Unfortunately, it is too early in the season for most of the orchids to be in bloom but I enjoyed what few there were to see.  Traveling without a tripod makes photographing them difficult.  Included below are photos of a few of the animals and a variety of flora from this location.