R. Doug Wicker's Blog, page 135

Ecuador — More on Casa del Suizo; into Ahuano

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Casa del Suizo

You’d be hard pressed looking at the photos below of la Casa del Suizo to place this resort anywhere beyond a major resort area in the Caribbean, but this is in the depths of a rainforest in the Amazon Basin. The amenities here are first-rate.

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Casa del Suizo pool

The grounds are spectacular:

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Casa del Suizo lodgings

The gardens are beautiful.

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Flowers at Casa del Suizo

The rooms are roomy, comfortable, and ours at least had quite the view.

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Casa del Suizo suite

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Rio Napo view

The p...

Fun Photo Friday — Cuy, Waterfalls, and the Amazon Basin

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Mountains, Mist and Water

Some favorite images of this week’s subject blog articles:

Filed under: Fun Photo Friday, Photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, vacation Tagged: Casa del Suizo, Ecuador, Fun Photo Friday, photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, travel photography, vacation

Ecuador — The Amazon River Basin and la Casa del Suizo

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Rio Napo overlook at Casa del Suizo

Passing down into the Amazon Basin we left Highway 30 and headed north on Highway 45 (Troncal Amazónica—Amazon Trunk). Turning onto 436 just south of Tena we headed west along the Rio Napo until the road ran out. But our trip this day was not yet over. We still had a ways to go to our lodgings for the night. So, into the river boats we went for the final leg on this Amazon tributary.

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Riding the Rio Napo to our lodgings

It took several boats to accommodate o...

Ecuador — Cuy tasting; a Basilica, and the Devil’s Cauldron

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Waterfalls near Baños de Agua Santa

We left Hostería la Andaluza early in the morning of February 18, 2016, and headed towards our next destination, the Amazon basin. But along the way we had several stops to make in the vicinity of Baños de Agua Santa, which roughly translates to Holy Water Baths. First up was a cuy (guinea pig) tasting in the small town of Baños de Agua Santa (translation: Baths of Holy Water).

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Roast cuy (guinea pig)

While guinea pigs may be pets to most Americans, they’re...

Ecuador — Hostería la Andaluz; Dancing to live Ecuadorian music in El Establo restaurant

Today is not a Fun Photo Friday, nor is it a Fun Food Friday, although video photography was involved and the subject of today’s article is a restaurant. Over the past several blog articles we’ve explored the 16th Century hacienda that today is the incredible Hostería La Andaluza, and last Friday we experienced the dining pleasures of its restaurant El Establo. What we haven’t seen yet is the post-dining entertainment, and for that I present today a Fun Footwork Friday. As around the 2:10 mar...

Ecuador — Hostería la Andaluz; Exporing other rooms and areas

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Fireplace off the lobby

Walking around Hostería La Andaluza is a bit like going back into time. Even the telephone room is retro:

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The telephone center

The sunroom definitely deserves another look:

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The sunroom

I imagine this next room is for reading or perhaps a game of cards or a cup of coffee:

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Game room, perhaps?

But let’s not forget those cute little bunnies hanging around the courtyard:

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I’m NOT dinner!

Today’s photo gallery/slideshow of Hostería la Andaluza:

Filed under: Photography, R...

Ecuador — Hostería la Andaluz; Exploring the social interiors

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El Portal bar to the right; El Estable restaurant to the left

La Hostería la Andaluza is quite simply a photographer’s dream. I probably could have spent several days photographing this work of art, but I had just a very few hours since we’d had a very long day, were in need of some sleep, and due to arise early the next morning. Every room offered something, and antiques were everywhere. Here is the lounge area for El Portal bar:

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The bar lounge

Overlooking the bunny-laden courtyard is the gr...

Fun Food Friday — Hostería La Andaluza; Dinner is served

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Individual grills — super-heated lava rock

La Hostería la Andaluza presented to us perhaps the most memorable meal of the trip, which is saying quite a lot if you’ll recall my review of the Cositas restaurant in Cuenca. The name of the restaurant here is El Establo, and in my view it should share equal billing with the hotel. Not only was there live Ecuadorian music, which you’ll experience next week, the food here was uniquely presented and cooked to individual tastes by the diners. The beef...

Ecuador — Hostería la Andaluz; Staying in a Hacienda

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Hostería la Andaluza

This magnificent hotel just north of Riobamba, Ecuador, began life as Hacienda Chuquipoguio in 1555, and had been the home of some very rich and powerful families for a couple of hundred years. Today, it is a premier hotel with a lot going for it, not least of which is the exquisite restaurant El Establ0, about which you’ll read on this week’s Fun Food Friday.

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Hostería la Andaluza

The entryway is incredible:

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Entryway to Hostería la Andaluza

The grounds are incredible.

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Hos...

Ecuador — Iglesia de Balbanera; Oldest Mission in Ecuador

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Iglesia de Balbanera — Oldest mission in Ecuador

The Catholic Church of Balbanera is some 46 miles/76 kilometers from Alausí and 21 miles/34 kilometers from our next destination just north of Riobamba, Ecuador. The Spanish name for this mission is Iglesia de Balbanera.  This church was built in the year 1534, only 42 years after Christopher Columbus discovered the capital city of Ohio and founded other communities in Georgia, Missouri, and Mississippi (yes, that’s a joke). It was later rebuil...