Expat Life: Anniversary Celebrations in the Valley of Longevity

When the stars sometimes don’t align, you just have to pivot.

We achieved quite a milestone in May — 15 years as expats here in Cuenca, Ecuador! Wow, has it really been that long?

Ironically, we were in the U.S. visiting family at the time, so we decided to postpone celebrating until we got back to South America.

As it turned out, that visit unfolded differently than we had originally planned.

Our son needed surgery, and early June was the best time for him to schedule it. Cynthia remained behind to help him during the first few weeks of his recovery, while Edd returned home to oversee some repair work in the apartment.

She arrived home at the beginning of July in need of some R&R, and Edd was grateful for the relief from single life.

You see, we’re not used to being apart for long periods, which made another upcoming occasion even more special.

Our 54th wedding anniversary!

We decided to celebrate both occasions with a getaway focused on rest, relaxation, and reconnection (hey, we’re writers who love alliteration 😉).

What better place than beautiful Vilcabamba, Ecuador’s famous “Valley of Longevity?”

Actually, “infamous” is a better description. Back in the 70s, a Harvard researcher spent three years there and published an article in National Geographic claiming the clean air and water, good diet, and low stress helped locals live as long as 127 years.

Turns out the elders were merely having fun with this serious outsider, showing him birth and baptism records of their parents and grandparents.

Oops.

Still, all those attributes of the area are spot on, and the scenery is absolutely spectacular.

So off we went to Izhcayluma Eco-Resort, a 5-hour van ride from Cuenca.

At least that’s what was supposed to happen. You know that earlier reference to the stars not aligning? Well…

A massive landslide from recent rains totally blocked the road to Vilcabamba.

After sitting in the van for a long time hoping the road would be cleared, it started getting dark. We and the four other passengers agreed the best plan was to turn around and backtrack for an hour to the town of Saraguro, where we would be able to get a hotel room and some dinner.

(Sigh)

By the next afternoon one lane had indeed been cleared, so we finally arrived and promptly extended our trip to make up for the lost day.

From then on those three “Rs” mentioned above were in full swing.

Our room was actually big enough to accommodate four people, but we didn’t mind having the extra space.

And the view from the large, private terrace was lovely.

Amenities at the resort include al fresco dining,

outdoor/open-air activities since it doesn’t get cold there,

a gorgeous pool with lush landscaping,

and a bar with drinks priced for copious consumption (there goes that alliteration again).

The yoga studio was impressive, and we showed up for the complimentary yoga classes offered each morning.

We visited the spa numerous times because the packages and individual treatments were so affordable.

Mostly we just hung out, enjoyed each other’s company, and even played some games we brought with us.

After a final stroll through the grounds admiring the breathtaking surroundings, it was time to head back to Cuenca. Or so we hoped. 🤞

As you can see, the road was far from “back to normal.” But thank goodness we made it home with only a few delays.

Thanks for joining us on our memorable dual anniversary celebration. Here’s to many more! 🥂🥰