Blogs from Vilcabamba, South, Ecuador, South America - page 2

This blog looks to be about the last one until we get back to Arizona. We are back in Cuenca today and have lots of those just before we leave things to do. We head out on on Saturday for Quito and then USA on Sunday. Home Sunday night late. Our last little jaunt was not one we had thought of till we got here and began talking with folks. Vilcabamba was on our original research list of places to visit but seemed to fall victim to the cities. Once here though, the cold and rain helped us to decide to give it a whirl. After all, it's only a 5 hour bus trip to Loja ( the driving is known as "careening down mountain roads and it fits our experience), a change to another bus ... read more

Atsikeliu iš ryto anksčiau, nes noriu nuvažiuoti iki kito turistinio miestelio. Stotelėj sulaukiu autobuso ir po valandos išlipu. Kažkas čia netaip... pavaikštinėjęs suprantu, kad išlipau ne tam miestelyje. Lipau nes visi iš autobuso lipo. Čia kaip ir visu prie pagrindinės aikštės, bažnyčia, netoli savaitgalinis turgus. Apeinu nedidelį ratuką apie miestą ir sėdes į kitą autobusą važiuoju jau tikrai iki Vilkabambos. Čia susirandu turistų informaciją, pasiimu žemėlapį, pasiklausiu ką čia galima pažiūrėti ir einu papusryčiaut prieš einant į kalnus. Man parekomendavo nueiti iki krioklio už trijų valandų kelio. Papusryčiaves pradedu eiti. Iš pradžiu pereinu visą miestelį, po to takeliu į kalnus. Takelis labai siauras ir visas nušiktas asilų bei arklių, nes šiuo keliu parduodamos žygiai arkliais. Nors vietom takelis visai padorus. Pakeliui aplenkiu būrį vietinio jaunimo kurie irgi eina iki kri... read more

Ola, daar zijn we weer, dit keer vanuit het pitoresque Vilcabamba. De laatste keer dat we jullie spraken was het vanuit Banos, een super relaxed stadje met zeer actieve vulkaan. Banos is mooi, gezellig en klein. het staat bekend om de outdoor die je kan doen, de zeer actieve vulkaan die elk uur een donder laat horen waar de ramen van trillen, maar ook een lokaal snoepje wat door de mannen buiten wordt gemaakt. Er is een hotspring en een waterval midden in het dorp. We hebben er een hele leuke tijd gehad, mede door het hostel en de leuke mensen die we hebben ontmoet. Sommigen zullen we later op onze reis wrs nog zien. De vulkaan, daar wilden we natuurlijk wel even wat mooie kiekjes van maken. De eerste keer hebben we geprobeerd de vulkaan ... read more

Swinging gently in my hammock, I could be anywhere in the world, my eyes are closed, its mildly breezy and the motion is lulling me into another world,sleep. Opening my eyes I am in a magnificent world, truly beautiful, numerous steep green slopes rise around me the numerous gullies in the slopes casting long shadows by the falling sun, creating hues of purple and orange, butterflies hoover around feasting on the vast variety of flowering blooms that fill the valley with their eye-catching colours and sweet aromas, My peace is only slightly disturbed by the chatter of the birds as they make the most of the fading day,I am truly aware of the vibrancy surrounding me to the point of having a "magic moment" We have arrived in Vilcabamba. The journey from cuenca was fine, we ... read more

After you get settled in and used to the novelty, living abroad isn't much different from living in your home country. Most days you go to work, watch some TV, cook dinner, go to bed. Sure, there may be things about your environment that you prefer, but human behavior is human behavior anywhere... it's just as easy to fall into a rut abroad as anywhere else. Which is why we constantly have to remind ourselves to take advantage of our surroundings. But in many ways, this is no different from Chicago. The number of times we actually went for Mexican food in Pilsen, or went to the beach on a sunny weekend day, or checked out an exhibit at the Art Institute paled in comparison to the number of times we talked about it. And while ... read more