Various Oregon Birding Piks: VILCABAMBA

VILCABAMBA

We arrived in Vilcabamba on November 4, just over 3 weeks ago. Do a search for Vilcabamba, Ecuador, and you’ll have enough reading material to fill a large book. Known as the “Valley of Longevity,” it is said to have the most centenarians per capita than anywhere else in the world. But since birth certificates were not being used way back when, this may be difficult to prove. There is an interesting study in Wikipedia on this, which pretty well debunks the idea, which has been done twice more that I am aware of. However, it is great for putting the place on the map and certainly boosts tourism. For whatever reason, foreigners have patronized the town for 20+ years, such that they add up to about 30% (of about 4000) of the population now, so my landlord tells me.

The locals have accepted the foreigners very well. Most places in Latin America are friendly to foreigners as it is, and Vilcabamba (hereafter Vilca) is no exception. It appears everyone gets along just fine.

When I was on the Ecuador coast 2 years ago, I met some young people from the Pacific NW on the bus. In the course of the conversation I learned they had spent time in Vilca, so I asked them how they liked it. They gave glaring reviews about it, and the one thing that they really appreciated was that “no one wears a mask!” This was in the middle of the pandemic, so such a remark was telling. I’ve since read that many were coming here to escape the restrictions imposed elsewhere. My first impression is that the place is filled with hippy-like folk of all ages, many simply fed up with America, Canada or Europe. Some here permanently, some just visiting, and some here illegally. And so it is easy to sense the laid back atmosphere.

And I thought my hair was long when I was a hippy…………

The population is about 4,000. It has all the basic services, and probably a little top heavy on ATMs and restaurants. In the town square is a pool with a fountain where kids play when it is hot.

Regarding the restaurants, of those I’ve more or less checked out, none were of the high end type, so the most expensive menu I looked at had most meals under $10. There are no large grocery stores, but plenty of smaller ones. If you ask around you’ll get some good leads on where to buy fresh produce. There is an organic produce market along the main drag every Saturday, and both organic and inorganic there on Sundays. All the bakeries we’ve seen so far are geared to selling the sweet rolls, cakes, and the like. We did find one that bakes and sells various kinds of breads, and you can order such by using the ever popular Whatsapp app here.

HERE’S THE PRODUCE MARKET, WHICH THEY HAVE EVERY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

A TYPICAL STREET

ANOTHER SHOT OF THE MARKET

WE’VE WALKED DOWN THIS ROAD TO TOWN MANY TIMES ALREADY. BUT WE’VE NOT WALKED BACK UP IT AS MUCH CUZ SOMETIMES WE HAVE ENOUGH PRODUCE TO JUSTIFY PAYING $1.50 FOR A TAXI

HERE’S A TYPICAL HAUL FROM SHOPPING IN TOWN. THE YELLOW THINGS ON THE RIGHT ARE DRAGON FRUIT, WHICH GROWS ON A CACTUS AND ARE THE SWEETEST “FRUIT” WE’VE EVER EATEN.

HERE’S ROSIE AT A PRODUCE STORE.

HERE WE ARE AT A CAFE EARLY THE MORNING AFTER WE ARRIVED. AS WE DID NOT HAVE ANY FOOD IN OUR RENTAL AND WE NEEDED TO HAVE BREAKFAST SOMEWHERE.

One day while strolling around, we chanced upon a small store that had 2 boxes of mangoes outside the door. We asked the owner how much, and he said “4 of these for one dollar, and 5 of those for a dollar.” This was certainly less than the 2 for a buck we’d been paying, so we bought 2 dollars worth. In contemplation of the situation, we concluded that these mangoes were a little on the ripe side, and so he needed to get rid of them. That was OK with me, mango lover that I am. I’ve not gone a day without eating one or two since we’ve been here. Fresh pineapple…..another fruit that easily finds its way into our shopping bag. One young man turned us on to dragon-fruit, the yellow variety. They grow on a certain type of cactus, and may be the sweetest “fruit” I’ve ever tasted. Looks like we’ll be able now to get avocados free pretty soon via a tree on the grounds of a church we’ve visited. As you’d assume, there is no shortage of bananas here. They have the ones we are familiar with in the states, plus some much smaller ones, and then they have the plantains, the ones you have to cook. We’ve learned it is too warm to grow potatoes right here. We’re a little discouraged about the free use of pesticides and herbicides here, but I guess the small time farmers have to make a living the best they can.

There are lots of dogs in town. I understand they all have owners, but you’d never know it. Most are friendly and appear to be good watch-dogs if you walk by their house. Some are simply dying for attention, which if you give them some, they’ll follow you around for a while. That being said, you really do need to watch where you walk. There are not as many cats though. Many also have a chicken or two. All these animals roam around freely, and seem to get along well. I’ve yet to see a dog chase a cat, or a cat catch a chick. (If our cats were here, they’d have a hay day!)

YEP, THE DOGS ARE ALSO BROWN NOSERS HERE ALSO

In preparing for our stay here, I only arranged to rent the first place we’d be in for 3 weeks, long enough to check out the area for other vacancies. After we’d been here a few days, the owner asked us if we’d be interested in staying where we were for another week as the next tenants cancelled. That would put us in this chalet for the whole month of November. Then they told us both of their other rentals were vacant for the month of December. We asked to see them. While checking them out, they said that the lower one was vacant for the month of January also. We told them to give us a day to consider our options, and so, in short, except for the first week of January, we’ll be on these premises. Wow! Amazing how that all worked out.

While a number of locals have chickens, there are plenty of roosters around as well. If you think they only crow in the day time, you have not been to Latin American, and certainly not to Vilca. They crow all night long here. And if you are one who enjoys your dawn beauty sleep, they will provide you with a grand finale dawn chorus of crowing just to spite you.

ROOSTERS MUST BE SO EMBLEMATIC HERE THAT THEY PLACE METAL. ONES ON THEIR ROOFS

When I drive it seems common sense that when I see someone walking on the side of the road, to give him a wide berth for safety reasons. Not here. The vehicles and motorcycles assume you know they have the right-of-way and some seem to let you know it. They drive offensively for the most part, so best to always be on the alert.

Last time when I was in Ecuador I got some dental work done at a very reasonable price. Quality work as well. Since then my front teeth have started chipping due to having worn so thin. Our landlord here recommended a dentist here in town and so I went to him to see what he could do. After looking them over he thought placing a veneer over the fronts might be sufficient. However, after he got to working them over, he changed his mind and suggested crowns on all 4 of them. With my limited knowledge I was hoping this would be his recommendation anyway, so told him to proceed. So he ground them down to large stumps, took some molds, and then made some temporary crowns for the following week. After the week was up, I went there for the placement of the crowns which went smoothly. After a little grinding here and there to ensure my bite is right, they should last for the rest of my life and look great, a few shades whiter now than the yellow stained choppers they were. Matter of fact, I liked them so I had him place veneer on my canines, which are of that old yellow cast. So, for $350/crown I cannot complain. They’d be somewhere around $1500/crown in the states these days. So I guess I can once again justify our trip here…………..not sure my wife concurs though.

On one of our walks out of town we met a young lady named Natalie. She is probably in her late 20s. She has been in Vilca for 6 years. We’ve since seen her twice at a produce store. She lives with a yoga instructor and seems quite happy. Being somewhat familiar with the residency laws, I asked her how she stays here legally. She said, “I don’t.” Apparently no one really cares about such, and the most likely way she’d get into trouble about it is if/when she left the country. She thinks she’d get a hefty fine of $1000 (or more) and not be allowed to return for at least 2 years if she left. She has some arrangement with the produce place to sweep the floors or other odd jobs in exchange for produce that is almost too far gone. We’ve since learned that there are “many” people here, mostly younger ones, who are not here legally. As one can live here very cheaply if they are frugal, and if the authorities are not real concerned about it, it appears to be a magnet for those wanting that type of lifestyle.

THE SURROUNDING HILLSIDES AND MOUNTAINS ARE VERY SCENIC. BECAUSE OF THE TERRAINS, THERE A PLENTY OF RIVERS, STREAMS AND RIVULETS ALL OVER.

There is a park-like area along the main river through town, and every Sunday the locals gather here. Some to play in the water, others to just hang out, others selling sugar cane juice or cooked chicken

I assume this fire hydrant is useable? Either it was placed to low or the concrete was poured later on?

Views of town from a nearby hillside.

The fences here are usually started with branches of a certain kind of tree, which if you stick in the ground, will keep growing and become “fence posts.”

This is part of a canal system which extends for miles around this town. It begins at a river uphill from town and was initially made to help the local farmers with sugar cane and corn. It is still used by farmers but apparently not as much as in the past. Our landlord told us that much of the province of Loja has many such canals.