El Refugio en Podocarpus Nat´l Park

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Stevie and I have discovered another jem, hidden between the mountains in the town of Vilcabamba. There´s an Incan woman overlooking the "Valley of Longevity," and they say bathing in the waterfalls here add a year to your life. Many people live past a 100 years. Researchers from the world over have come here to discover why. Mainly vegggie and pescatarians, they work hard, live in a very clean place, and drink excellent water from the mountains.
We´ve found several opportunites to volunteer here and just finished our first week up in the mountain almost 10,000 feet up in the Podocarpus Nat´l Park. We rode horses with our supplies up, then walked down a week later, very down, so down I am still recovering 2 days later. My calves don´t want to work as they should and I have discovered a few new muscles. The trek was 14 km and a change of about 4000 ft! One of the most biodiverse places in the world, we stayed in a cloud forest in a new lodge they´ve been building, just the two of us, miles away from anyone else. We helped clean the lodge a bit, worked on the surrounding trails, and even got to watch a forest fire during a lightening storm (from a safe distance). I took an awful lot of flower, spider, bromilliads and butterfly pics, unfortunately, it takes too long to download them onto this site, over two hours just for one picture last time! I´m working on downsizing the photos...
After heading back down the mountain we´re relaxing at a gorgoeous hostel with all you could desire and more. Both feeling a little spoiled, we´re planning on heading to a WOOF(world-wide organization of organic farmers) farm up the mountain for a bit more work, but not before a sauna and massage first.
We are both healthy and happy and are having a wonderful adventure learning about the world, the cultures of Ecuador, and ourselves.

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Photos

Vilcabamba
view overlooking the town, Stevie and I

Vilcabamca "Mandango" profile
Incan woman´s profile overlooking the town of Vilcabamba.

el refugio
gorgeous lodge where we stayed at the park. Had this gorgeous place all to ourselves

Stevie and waterfall of youth
Just a few minutes from el refugio, the cabin, our first "shower" in the jungle. Not as glamourous as it may sound. Think icy water, mosquitos, and slimy rocks. But beautiful...

Comments

[Cristina]

hi
Stevie!! What a bear that that you have!! Madre mia!! BY the way hi Heather !! I'm Cristina, happy birthday. Muchos besos a los dos