Vilcabamba

We arrived at dusk and it was like stepping into an alternative universe. Two hours south of Loja in a pretty valley sprinkled with sugarcane, bananas, and fruit trees lies the community of Vilcabamba. Set in the crook of the moountains and with a reputed claim to fame for long life, longevity. This reputation in turn has attracted the attention of hippies, new agers, spiritual gurus, all sorts of fringe people looking for the perfect utopia. Who knows maybe it even was before they changed it all?

Arriving into our lodge for the night, (a place with a fancy indigenous name I can't pronounce but owned by two Germans) well, there are nice paved stone walks, a big beautiful garden, and a veranda taking in a picturesque view of the whole valley. Peppered throughout at candle lit tables are lo and behold, other gringos!..weird. We've been lucky enough to be pretty far off the gringo superhighway through South America our whole time here. Seeing tourists, young couples on honeymoon, California hipsters, and chain smoking Germans, all sorts of folks feels just funny for us at first. It is so posh, especially in comparison to the decrepit haunted hotel from last night. I think we may have gotten bed bugs there too?we're all itchy and bitey today.

Like I said, weird. But I figure if we can adapt to humble conditions so well surely we can adapt to ritzy conditions for a night too. I ate Goulash for dinner believe it or not, in Ecuador mind you. So strange, but remember it is owned by two Germans. Drank red wine and took the most fabulous hot shower. I felt so spoiled and cozy I instantly fell into a deep sleep waking up at dawn to a cacophony of birdsong. So, naturally I crawled out of bed and went birding :) There were all sorts of new birds here. Blue grey tanagers, blackbirds, wrens, and some curious mockingbird like guys with short tails and mud houses that made a truly amazing racket. Tim and I have been having a beard competition for a while now. This has been going on steadily for a few weeks now since before Riobamba. We invited Alex too but he predictably declined. By now the beards are looking pretty handsome, full and shiny but talk keeps circulating, instigated mainly by Elizabeth for some moustache action. So we had to do it, how could we let such a wonderful opportunity for facial hair fun disappear!? Tim and I shaved those beards and before you knew it we were sporting handlebar moustaches and long porch chops on the side. We walked out like that a surprise and really I think we could both pull this look off pretty well in real life. We definitely seemed to fit in better with the hipster California crowd at least, noting their envious approval.

Sipping on coffee and taking in the view. I finished up the very last grading and Coral got a massage. I think I may do this same trip with the students next semester. Podocarpusa and the Southern sierra are my favorite. Now though, we say farewell to the bucolic view and get back to what we are getting very good at, navigating the Ecuadorian trans-province bus system. It is a 9 hour trip back to Cuenca.