Loja, Ecuador

This evening we arrived in Loja, Ecuador. Our bus ride was a little different than other buses that we have travelled on so far. Firstly, it was a service that seemed to be provided more to the local Peruvians and Ecuadorians. Secondly, it was our first taste of the Andes. The scenery slowly turned from dry flat desert to lush mountainous terrain. We spent 8 hours on the bus and much of our time was on switch-backs up and down mountains. We made a stop in a small town before reaching the border and a young boy came on the bus selling mangos. We bought five for $0.50 and had a messy mango feast during our ride. The Peru/Ecuador border was located at a bridge in a small town and we had to get off the bus on the Peru side, check-out, walk across the bridge to Ecuador, check-in and then get back on the bus. Crossing the border went very smoothly compared to other stories we have heard about, especially via the coastal border crossing. We also saw some enormous and intriguing green trees. They seemed very capable of withstanding the harsh weather of the desert without any problem; they are everywhere. Now we are in Loja, generally much cleaner than places we have seen in Peru. We have heard that the city is famous for its musicians and its award-winning parks. Our hostal has creaky wooden floors, big white walls, and saggy beds (looks like an old hospital). Tomorrow we are planning to head south to a small place called Vilcabamba, deamed the valley of longevity, to relax before heading north to Cuenca.