Vilcabamba

Vilcabamba is a cozy town nestled in the heart of the Andes mountains. After reading about Vilcabamba's world famous mineral rich healing water we were hoping it could help some of our common traveler health issues we were dealing with. After another long and "interesting" bus ride we pulled into the terminal and headed towards our first accommodations suggested to us by my sister-in-law, Amy. Thanks Amy! We were greeted with a beautiful private room with sweeping mountain views off of our terrace.

We spent our first couple of days hiking, using the pool on the property, and exploring the town.

After having a few conversations with some of the locals in town we realized that a large percentage of the population in Vilcabamba is made up of expatriates from Europe and the United States with some pretty extreme ideas. Pair that personality type with the hallucinogenic San Pedro Cactus that grows heartily in the area and you've got yourself an interesting little place to visit!

We decided to slow things down a bit and stay for another week in Vilcabamba when we found the Centro de Meditacion located just out of town. The price was fantastic, and with a kitchen available for us to use, free veggies and herbs from the on-site garden, and two sessions of meditation per day included we couldn't resist.

Our week was filled with relaxation, good food and company, and daily meditation. I participated in a one-day Vipassana mediation retreat consisting of sitting and walking meditation, and group discussion. Since I don't have a strong meditation practice I found the workshop to be both interesting and challenging. The evening of the workshop Zach and I participated in a traditional Native American sweat lodge ceremony led by Bernie from the meditation center. We made it through two out of the three rounds and felt rejuvenated and excited about being part of such a unique experience! Our week at Centro de Meditacion in Vilcabamba was a first of many things for both of us and it was just what we needed to feel relaxed and refreshed as we continue on our traveling journey.