Vilcabamba means valley of longevity. This town is famously known for residents who live up to 135 years. However researchers from Berkley and Harvard had discovered that the old age was a result of false self-reports and exaggeration. In fact they found no proof that of any resident to be over 100.
I have spent 2 nights at Hosteria Izhcayluma. It's a 2 km hike up the main road from the center of Vilcabamba.
To get her from Cuenca, I reserved a seat in shuttle for $15 that takes passengers from Hostal La Cigale and directly drops them off at Izhcayluma. The place is a retreat and a surprise bargain for low-budget backpackers. A bed in a dormitory costs $8.50. The price doesn't include breakfast but gives free access to yoga classes in open air yoga studio with stunning panoramic views. The property also offers stucco cottages for singles and families for an excellent value. As an extra bonus, there's a bar with pool and ping pong table and a swimming pool. There's also a massage studio, where I paid $22 for a 75 minute full body massage.
The ride here was a bit rough due to the winding hills. Luckily I sat at the front which always helps the severity of motion sickness.
I spent the rest rest of the evening in a hammock in front of my dormitory, chatting to a couple from London. I fell asleep that night at 10 pm and woke up 9:30 am the next morning. I was surprised that I slept like a rock. The bed was incredibly comfortable. I did sweat a fair amount because one of the blankets was a polyester fleece. Fleece makes my inner thighs sweat profusely.
After a $3.90 breakfast which includes an all-you-can-eat buffet of yogurt, fruit, granola, and bread, I walked down the main road into the central plaza. A pleasant, but congested German-speaking Swiss named Marcel, accompanied me on the walk. His mission was to get some medication for his cold.
After wondering around the plaza, I settled at the expat-run Juice Bar. I told the girl behind the counter that I needed tea for an upset stomach. She offered me ginger with yerba luisa, or lemongrass. I also order sopa del dia which happen to be quinoa soup for a dollar. I poured a few teaspoons of salt, thinking that it was sugar. The girl was kind enough to give me another tea without additional charge.
The place was the most visited restaurant by American expats during the lunch hour. Therefore it made a great place for eavesdropping. Curious by nature, I want to learn about these people. I overheard a man who said he endured depression for several years and was treated with prozac. He later realized that he wasn't able to absorb B vitamins. After he supplemented himself with B vitamins, he felt back to normal. A lot of these pensionistas are manic holistics, and probably hippies in their youth.
While I was enjoying a Mora de Amor smoothie outside the Juice Bar, I saw the London couple and flagged them to join me. We caught a taxi back to the Izhchyluma for $1.50.
That night we hung out with a couple of other travelers who had just checked in. One is from UK and the other from New Zealand. We all chatted about our past South American travel experiences and exchange useful information.
Vilcabamba is a quirky town and a haven for American pensionistas. There's also a lot of bohemian Argentines selling their crafted jewelry. This place doesn't seem to be a popular destination along the backpacker trail. It's more like a passing point for those crossing from or to the border of Peru.
I'm glad I came here. The hostel is like a retreat for backpackers. It's clean, spacious, and absolutely tranquil. It's a great place to be lazy in a hammock.
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