Our destination is Vilcabamba, a village in the southern historical and scenic region of Ecuador, aka The Valley of Longevity. In the 70s a spotlight was shone upon this village and speculation grew about the inhabitants living extraordinarily long and actively healthy lives up to 130 years.

Ecuador is unusual in that you can choose any climate you prefer by where you go in the country. Laying along the equator translates to no summer and no winter. There are typically wetter and drier seasons, though. Vilcabamba has more moderate rainfalls that generally pass rather quickly and give way to its glorious sun.

We will be feasting on Gourmet Organic Foods served morning, noon, and evening. Ecuadorian cuisine is diverse. The variety springs from the different altitude and associated agricultural conditions. Most regions in Ecuador follow a three course meal of soup, a course that includes rice and a protein, and then dessert and coffee to finish, though traditionally dinner is their lightest meal.

The music of Ecuador has a long history. Pasillo is a genre of indigenous Latin music. In Ecuador it is the “national genre of music”. Through the years, many cultures have brought their influences together to create new types of music and dancing, well, it’s just what you do when you hear that seductive Latin rhythm!