Ecuador 2006: The Andean Highlands
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The black sheep inn of the gorgeous and eco-friendly Black Sheep Inn. At 3,100 meters (10,200 feet), the Black Sheep Inn is situated on the edge of the Western cordillera of the Ecuadorian Andes. The guesthouse overlooks the Rio Toachi Canyon, a magnificent series of plateaus and cliff faces.
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After a blissful five days
Black Sheep Inn, I left for
neighboring Isinlivi, where I was going to stay at the
Hostal Llullu Llama.
Andres, one of the owners of Black Sheep Inn along with Michelle, had wanted to donate a couple of llamas to Hostal Llullu Llama. Andres had said, "Their name is Hostal Llullu Llama, but they don't have a llama." I ended up getting to ride in a truck with two llamas, something I don't get to do every day!! This was probably one of the more unusual departures for a guest at Black Sheep Inn! Andres is shown here trying to coax one of the nervous llamas into the back of the truck. |
Here, Buffalo (left) and Andres try to get the second llama into the truck. Buffalo is one of two managers at the Black Sheep Inn, along with Claudine. See more pictures of the Llama Llove Ride on the Llu Llove Llamas, I Llove Llamas Page.
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The bumpy dirt road to Isinlivi was gorgeous, and the llamas did not slip and slide very much or panic at all during the truck ride. |
More gorgeous views along the way to Hostal Llullu Llama in Isinlivi.
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Claudine, Buffalo, and I stopped occasionally to take in the beautiful scenery on the road trip to Hostal Llullu Llama. |
More dramatic views of the Andes on the way to Isinlivi.
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Hostal Llullu Llama was about to get these two new guests. Llamas basically seem to do nothing but chomp on grass all day. When they eat grass, they do not pull out the roots...Andean lawnmowers. |
We arrived at Hostal Llullu Llama. The llamas were a little nervous about getting out of the truck, and Buffalo chose to pick up the second llama rather than risk the llama tripping on the bumper, as the first one had done. Buffalo, Claudine, and Katrien, who manages Hostal Llullu Llama along with Jose Luis, who was leading a trek when I was visiting. |
Katrien cooking up something good in Hostal Llullu Llama. |
My room at Hostal Llullu Llama Hostal Llullu Llama also has composting toilets. For grey water (water from the sink or showers, for instance), it runs off into a greenhouse garden that is heated by a water-filled bottle wall. They also have their own waste water filter system. This is a system very similar to Black Sheep Inn, and in fact was inspired by them.
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The Don Bosco woodworking shop in Isinlivi. There is another one near Black Sheep Inn. |
The church in Isinlivi. The beautiful woodwork is all done by Don Bosco, an Italian missionary. |
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