Sunday, January 4, 2026

Peru & Ecuador - Part 7

Our first full day at Kuyana Lodge began with breakfast. All meals were included with the pricing at this lodge. All of the food we had was delicious, so compliments to the chef there. The food is locally sourced, and she found unique ways to use what was in season and available.

breakfast
Following breakfast we did a hike onsite to a waterfall. As in the previous night, there was a loose interpretation of a trail, and it was steep and slippery. Keeping us company on the hike was the local monkey, Ramona. She is a rescue animal, as her mother was killed by poachers. Ramona was quite the character, and liked being carried more than walking. The waterfall was very pretty, and though our daughter continued up the hill with the guide to see the upper waterfall, we chose to wait by the lower falls once we heard we would have to pull ourselves up the hill with a rope.

morning hike
After lunch we walked around and explored the grounds a bit. Again, we were the only guests there, so we had the place to ourselves.

around the resort
That evening we took part in a cooking class, presented by our guide. First we went into the jungle to find leaves that would be suitable to cook the fish in. We had a choice of cooking a whole fish or just a filet. Then we learned about cocoa beans and how chocolate is made. First the beans were roasted, then we removed the shells. Next the beans went through a grinder, and finally the cocoa was placed into a pan and cooked. He added a sweetener to make it so the cocoa was not so bitter. Once the fish was done, that became our dinner, and the chocolate sauce was spooned over some fresh fruit for dessert. It was delicious!

cooking class
We went back to the cabin following dinner. And again we had no hot water. This was definitely getting old.



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