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Normally I don't send out two Glimpses in one week, but I want to get this one to you that I just received. It was written by Marty Bednar of Sarasota, FL, who visited Vilcabamba for seven days a couple of weeks ago. Best, Joe
Vilcabamba Glimpse #07
Vilcabamba Glimpse, From Marty
While you’d think that being there for 7 days would give me more than a "Glimpse" of Vilcabamba, Ecuador, my week there really only scratched the surface of what the town, the area, and the country have to offer. My friend Gene Strutt and I went to Ecuador for 10 days and had an adventure.
I'd been studying Vilcabamba since September 2005 and thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. I guess I did in terms of the nuts and bolts of getting there, the accommodations, the topography, political situation, the currency, and the other usual things that a tourist might need to know to actually go somewhere.
What I couldn’t get from the web or from Joe or from tourist guidebooks was the almost palpable feeling of healing energy in the Vilcabamba area. There’s something going on there that’s very special and that doesn’t exist just anywhere. And if that wasn’t enough, the people in that area are unbelievably friendly, helpful, and positive. I think those two aspects of my trip affected me most. But there’s more. Breathtaking mountain views of the Andes with their jagged tops rising into the clouds and wide vistas of emerald green mountainsides going off into the distance one after another had me mesmerized. The climate is truly one of the best on the planet with cool nights where open windows are in order, pleasantly warm days, and a cool breeze most of the time. Blue skies with white, puffy cumulus clouds were the norm from day to day and, again, you just can’t take your eyes off those mountains. Being at 5,500 feet in the Andes has its advantages. Our accommodations while in Vilcabamba were perfect at Hosteria de Vilcabamba. The staff was extremely friendly and positive, service was world class, and the food was truly superb.
Something else really unusual and wonderful kept happening to us during the whole trip. We seemed to keep meeting interesting and fun people with remarkable ease. From expatriates, to part-time residents, to locals, we kept meeting people who gave us another piece of the Vilcabamba puzzle. We ricocheted from one person’s home to another under this warm blanket of hospitality and familiarity that became the rule rather than the exception. People were genuinely warm, friendly, and open and did not expect us to be any different. I could get used to that. We were in a "No Posing" zone. I even met a retired Irish doctor at a pub who heard me complaining of a slight lower back pain and after a 10-minute discussion of my condition wrote me a prescription for 3 medications. I got them from a small pharmacy about a 45-second walk from the pub. They were all from well known American pharmaceutical companies and totaled……are you ready……$9.00. I asked him how much the consultation was and he looked at me in a puzzled way and said…. "I'm a doctor, there no charge!"……Only in Ecuador
Joe's property, Hacienda San Joaquin, seems to be shaping up to be one of Ecuador’s top communities and being from Sarasota I’ve seen a few communities go up. Having all the beauty and great vibe of Vilcabamba with all your favorite conveniences will be a dream come true for the lucky folks who decide to make it their home or their getaway. The property is vast and has views like few other places I’ve seen. Great amenities abound as well from horse stables, corrals, a riverfront park, internet, a top notch property layout, a great mix of properties from 6 acres to sizable lots, to beautiful riverfront where kayaking can easily happen. And there’s also a quietness and feeling of tranquility that causes you to feel reverent that could make this a true paradise for a few families.
Will I go back? Yes! I don't think it will be easy to find the combination of great property, great prices, great locale, and natural beauty anywhere else I can think of that Southern Ecuador has to offer. I’ve been back only a week and I’m already planning my next trip. Call me anytime for answers to any questions, the best route to Vilcabamba, and tips in general about the area. I wonder if any airlines offer volume discounts?
Marty Bednar 888-923-2333 at my work or 941-927-7770 home.