I'm so thankful that Michael found this place! If you ever find yourself in the Andes Mountains in Ecuador, you must stay at the Black Sheep Inn (BSI). It's a fabulous eco-friendly establishment started by some Americans in 1996. I knew it would be great after our first inquiry experience. We had a wonderful exchange with Juliete who helped us with our reservation. We told her our story and she even checked out our blog! She went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable at the BSI. Because of its location (near a small town called Chugchilan), all meals were included and all meals were vegetarian! I was beyond excited to not have to plan, cook, hunt or gather for six days!
We were greeted by Edmundo. He runs the place and I'm still mad at myself for not getting a picture with him. He explained how the inn worked. We could pay extra for soda, beer/wine, cookies and snacks. We marked it down on an honor system type tally sheet and you submit your payment for those items when you leave. All water, coffee and tea was included and available all day and night. He had sandwiches waiting for us when we arrived. They were delicious home made buns with local cheese, lettuce and tomato. We always received cookies, carrots and an apple with our daily packed lunch.
Edmundo then helped us with our luggage and showed us our room....way up a hill. It seemed like 100 yards. I couldn't make it without stopping. I felt defeated when an older gentleman came up and picked up the backpack I was carrying and walked the rest of the way up. You could seriously feel the effects of the altitude (over 10,000 ft) here. Our room had four beds, so there were no fights and Maeve and Liam even had a choice of the loft or bunk beds. The toilets were compost toilets, so no flushing. The shower wall was made from old bottles. Everything is recycled or composted.
Our room
Great way to recycle bottles
The 'black sheep' greeted us on our bed
Maeve and Liam loved this place immediately. They were able to run around and explore on their own....not something they have been able to do for quite a while. They found the dart board, short-cuts to the room, the zipline, and their favorite...the two cats from the property that they named Sunshine and Cocoa. This provided hours of entertainment for them.
Liam getting an internet connection just outside the lodge and hanging out with his pal Sunshine that he wrapped in his jacket. They both look pretty happy.
Our room to the right and a spot for evening bonfires
Our view.....
A beautiful sunset from outside our room
Our rooms were separate from the main lodge where we ate or just hung out. This was the only spot with an internet connection. My blogging updates certainly slowed down as I had limited time to work and it was very slow downloading pictures. The lodge was a great place to meet new travelers and share stories. We all ate dinner together at 7 p.m. every night, so we always had new people meet. We love meeting like-minded travelers. Often the kids stole the show by sharing their stories and making fairly successful attempts to embarrass their parents.
Michael and Liam working peacefully upstairs in the lodge
Upstairs in the lodge....the main table where we could work or play games
'Cocoa' outside the main lodge
Edmundo explained our options for daily excursions and hikes. There was plenty to see and do and I was thrilled that we booked six nights here.
The other entry to the lodge. The kitchen is to the left and the 'gym' is above.
Part of the lodge and then above is where they hang laundry to dry...about half way up to our room
This begins the walk to our room. We turn right and go uphill, the bunkhouse is straight ahead.
Maeve on the path to our room between all of the stairs. I only made it about 4 times the entire stay without stopping and gasping for breath.
The wobbly bridge to the zipline. We never tried it and never saw anyone else try it either.
The best spot to swing and enjoy the view.
Guess you can't enjoy a good view everyday:(
