Where We Be
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| Green mountains surround Vilcabamba |
| Vilcabamba, Ecuador |
| On other days we had sizzling chicken fajitas, burritos, or pizzas |
| We splurged on grilled trout and pasta carbonara at Shanta's |
| Shanta’s restaurant has saddle-seat barstools and dollar bills tacked to cowboy hats on the ceiling |
| Each morning we had a tasty breakfast at Le Rendezvous with homemade bread, a choice of eggs or fruit, and coffee or hot cocoa |
| Well okay, maybe one short hike. This is the way to the Rumi-Wilco Reserve just outside of town. The bridge across the river is something else! |
| We stayed in Room #1 with the hammock shown above at Le Rendezvous |
| It rains here a lot -- but of course that's what makes it so green |
| Vilcabamba is famous for the number of centenarians who live here. Perhaps it's all that fresh air and invigorating mountain scenery. |
| Le Rendezvous lodging is on the outskirts of town but it only takes two or three minutes to walk to the town center |
| A week could turn into a month or a year or a lifetime here |
| The gardener at Le Rendezvous definitely has a green thumb |
| We loved the courtyard garden just outside our room |
| I'm not going anywhere! |
| Vilcabamba's central square is serene, with just a rare car or truck passing by |
| View of Vilcabamba from a scenic overlook in the Rumi-Wilco Reserve just a short hike from town |
Vilcabamba is all about the relaxing. There are
no notable sights to see but you still may
remember it as one of your favorite places in
Ecuador. We spent a week in Vilcabamba and
with each passing day we fell a little more in
love with the town and its surrounding green
mountains and easy pace of life.
We particularly enjoyed our lodgings at Le
Rendezvous. A well-tended garden flourished
in the courtyard just outside our room. We had
a hammock to swing in and hummingbirds and
flowers to delight in. Just beyond the confines
of our little oasis were plenty of restaurant
options -- from traditional Ecuadorean dishes
to terrific pizzas, burritos, and chicken fajitas.
Note that if you're feeling ambitious (which we
weren't), you could hire a guide or taxi and take
a day trip to nearby Podocarpus National Park.
no notable sights to see but you still may
remember it as one of your favorite places in
Ecuador. We spent a week in Vilcabamba and
with each passing day we fell a little more in
love with the town and its surrounding green
mountains and easy pace of life.
We particularly enjoyed our lodgings at Le
Rendezvous. A well-tended garden flourished
in the courtyard just outside our room. We had
a hammock to swing in and hummingbirds and
flowers to delight in. Just beyond the confines
of our little oasis were plenty of restaurant
options -- from traditional Ecuadorean dishes
to terrific pizzas, burritos, and chicken fajitas.
Note that if you're feeling ambitious (which we
weren't), you could hire a guide or taxi and take
a day trip to nearby Podocarpus National Park.
| Waiting patiently for a bite to eat from one of the locals |