Cusin, Ecuador
For our first four days in Ecuador, Jackie and I stayed at Hacienda Cusin. This Cusin dates back to the 17th century. It
remained in the same family for four hundred years. Recently it was acquired by an Australian.

The picture below is one of many buildings in the Hacienda which encompasses 30 acres. Stay here and you will not be
disappointed.
Below is the room where Jackie and I stayed. It was a stand alone building. Walk up the stairs on the right and you have
a view from the top including chairs in an enclosed area. Look out the window at your own private garden.
This is the road up to the entrance of Hacienda Cusin (below). In the small villages of Ecuador, most people walk or ride
the bus. The buses are nice and cost very little. One need not worry about trimming the grass along the roads. Herders
make sure every available inch of vegetation is grazed by cows, sheep, or pigs. Most of the herders are elderly and
female.
Jackie and I spent one morning walking from Cusin to
San Pablo and through other villages. These are some
people and vistas we encountered.
The staff at the hacienda were very helpful. When I remarked to the owner's niece that I wished there were Ecuadorian
food on the menu, she told me to ask the kitchen to prepare us the national dish of Ecuador, guinea pig. This is a
picture of Jackie and me with the guinea pig. Unfortunately, only after we had taken the pictures and divided the food
did I discover the fully cooked guinea pig head, so it does not show up in the picture.
The only interruption to the peace and
quiet at Hacienda Cusin were two male
hummingbirds fighting.
For those who are
curious, the Guinea Pig
was very tasty. It was
very flavorful--tasting
like a cross between
chicken, rabbit, and
pork.
The word for guinea pig in
Spanish is Cuy. The
Ecuadorians love it.