Vilcabamba - Ecuador

I shall shorten it to VB in this blog.

The valley is also called the Valley Of Longevity, because many indigenous lived long lives. I think there is an institute here that studies the genealogy of those people. A tree called Wilco grows in this valley. Thus the name Wilcabamba or Vilcabamba as it is properly called now. In the local language bamba means valley. The wilco tree is considered sacred by locals and by the Incas of Peru when the land was part of their empire. Possibly because of the psychedelic use from parts of the plant.

&&Anadenanthera colubrina (also known as Vilca, Huilco, Wilco, Cebil, or Angico) is a South American tree closely related to Yopo, or Anadenanthera peregrina. It grows from 5 m to 20 m tall and the trunk is very thorny.[1] The leaves are mimosa-like, up to 30 cm in length and they fold up at night.[2] In Chile, A. colubrina produces flowers from September to December and bean pods from September to July.[3] In Brazil A. colubrina has been given “high priority” conservation status.[1]

To make the psychedelic snuff called Vilca (sometimes called cebil), the black beans from the bean pods of these trees are first toasted until the beans pop like popcorn breaking the bean's husk..&& [ /,from Wikipedia,/ ]

I get the feeling that every tree you bump into down here, will either kill you or give you visions. No wonder new-age people flock to this part of the world.

Check out the altitude and location

We are at 5324 feet of altitude but the weather is tropical; which is always evident come midday.

Accuweather for VB

Vilcabamba mountain cabin (cabaña)

/,(Since Adobe will not be maintaining flashdriver any longer, and many computers no longer use it, it is becoming quite tasking to share video in a web page. Hereon I shall limit myself to photos.) ,/

Welcome to the Hotel California: on the bus from Guyayquil to Loja (youtube.com video)

View of Vilcabamba from cabin - (youtube.com video)

Video of Vilcabamba from front porch of cabin - (youtube.com video)

When it rains, it pours

I guess you can call it a mountain cabin. It is half way up a hill on the East side of VB. It is a 15 minute walk to the central plaza, where most of everything is. This is an older neighbourhood, most of the people here are local, born and bred here. My friends bought the property from a family that had lived in the main house for generations. The main house only retains some of the external walls. It has been practically doubled in size and sticks out as more modern that most of the traditional buildings on the hill. The guest cabin was built from scratch and I understand I am the second person to occupy it. All materials in the construction of both houses is local from somewhere in Ecuador. All the wood came from nearby forest. All the furniture was custom built by local carpenters; including windows and doors. There are more houses going to the top of the hill. Two Americans rent a bit further up. One is George a young musician from San Diego who has been here for about three years. I am forming the impression that many of the long term Americans here have long overstayed their visas.

I would not mind having such a cabin back home. It has the dimensions of a studio with bedroom and kitchenette in the same open space. It has toilette and shower. The kitchenette only lacks a hot plate.But I do fine with the microwave oven; and I am always welcome to use the gas range in the main house. They have not yet secured TV service, but I can watch movies on DVD on a large screen they have next to the bed. I have Ethernet connection that goes through the main house. It is bit slow with downloading media but quite good for everything else. You are not going to hear this guy complain. I am in luxury compared with most locals; and very good accommodations even by US standards.

Kitchen in the main house

Both houses are built largely of local material. Note the Eucaliptus trunks that supports the kitchen counter. The walls are built with adobe bricks and covered with a mixture or mud that even contains rice husk. Fixtures and windows are also largely custom made locally - often of design chosen by my host family. This is true of the main house and of the cabaña behind and above the main house.

Pictures of the area

**Views from my room in VB**

Sunday Farmers Market

I arrived in EC (Ecuador) a week ago - times moves rapidly even here. My friends drove me downtown for the Farmers 's Market held every Sunday near the central plaza.

Move your mouse over these photos for a description:

All photos with people's faces are copyrighted and must not be copied or published elsewhere. out of respect for the privacy of the people involved

Farmers Market Nov 25, 2012

Another Sunday at the farmers market. The sellers are local people living on their farms around here. Theirs is described as subsistence farming: the traditional farming of these parts, to feed one's family and sell a portion for cash. Certainly organic, but with much that could be improved with proper cultivation, and fertilization of the land, if only they had the money and the education. What you see in the picture: watermelon,papayas, mangoes and 15 oranges( for $1) all for about $7. Of course if you have some land you can get all these fruits for free from your own plants. The world economy could collapse, but you would not be starving here.