hacienda zuleta

hacienda zuleta cordia lutea - yellow geiger tree?

We made a short day visit via congested highways and a bumpy dirt road to Hacienda Zuleta, self-described as a “17th Century Luxury Eco-farm” in northern Ecuador, about 2 hours northeast of Quito.  They grow almost all of the food that they serve, with one exception being rice.   They’ve got a giant worm-composting area for treating compost and manure.

We did not spend more than a few hours here, but it was a beautiful, beautiful place.

dog at hacienda zuletawelcoming dog, on bench

 

hacienda zuleta receptionreally nicely done interiors

 

hacienda zuleta rosesroses everywhere

 

hacienda zuleta geraniumsgeraniums.  I don’t really like geraniums as plants but they worked really well in this bright walkway.

 

hacienda zuleta libraryroses in the library

 

hacienda zuleta

 

hacienda zuleta dogsleeping dog.  look at those paws!

 

hacienda zuleta cordia lutea - yellow geiger tree?I think this is a yellow geiger tree – cordia lutea

 

hacienda zuleta churcha small church

 

 

hacienda zuleta flower

 

hacienda zuleta cheese factory coatsthere is a small cheese factory at hacienda zuleta.  these are labcoats for their tours.  milk is sourced from their own cows and they buy additional milk from local families in the village.

 

bizcocho in cayambeon the way back to Quito, we stopped in Cayambe for bizcocho.  they were buttery and crumbly and more savory than sweet with a hint of anise.

 

bizcocho in cayambebizcochos calientes, as the neon sign indicates

 

ridiculous sunsetas we continued south, we were treated to a ridiculous sunset over the western andes