We stay at Patagonia Camp known for its Mongolian style yurts. Glamping at its finest. Our tours start each morning from here – designed for the activity level of each one of us.
Butterfly farm Mindo Cloud Forest
Here is the tucanette – green in profile – see him? — at Casa Divina Lodge.
Mindo to Quito – driving back through the ecosystems!
A very special place in the world.
Photo by Karen Powell of Sante Fe, New Mexico here at a house in Cusin for 2 weeks.
Church in Otavalo from the rooftop lounge of the newly renovated Hotel Otavalo.
Happy New Year!
Friends and Travelers!
Wishing each of you peace and well being through 2019!
Now in the short days of the winter season, we look back on the travels of 2018 – and plan for future trips!
2018 offered us so many pictures and memories. We took four groups of friendly travelers – several of whom are family; each of whom became a part of a traveling family for just a few days.
In January, we explored Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands; in March we traveled south from Lima Peru to Arequipa and the spectacular Colca Canyon, then to LaPaz Bolivia vía Lake Titikaka wrapping up the tour at the citadel of Machu Picchu.
The Colca Canyon – Peru – a day’s drive from Arequipa
In the Fall, it was our fourth tour to the Dordogne Valley along the Vezere river, France. The caves were particularly mysterious – challenging imagination and intellect!
In October, a new group dared to take a New New View of northern Spain – from Bilbao to Gijon then on to a parador in Santiago de Compostela.
The group shuffled participants and continued on through the south of Spain – Corduba, Grenada, Ronda to Seville!
It was a rolling exploration of beautiful countryside, exceptional architecture with large tasty meals. We heard stories of Jewish, Moorish and Christian cultures, walked through extensive gardens and palaces ending in the museums of Madrid!
New View Tours – Michael and Ramelle – are pleased that you have each been such great travelers; nimble and quick to understand new and different circumstances, open to opportunity and able to maintain a shared sense of humor. Thank you for joining us!
Looking out to 2019 – we can only imagine what will happen in the US of A, let along the entire world. But New View is in full force planning what WE will do! Our tour to the High Andes of Ecuador heads out in early January.
The Patagonia Tour is lined up for the first two weeks of February. These trips are filled now. We are quietly honing the details with our hosts on the equator and below!
May 2019 will be a new New View Tour to the Czech Republic. We travel from Prague to Vienna. Details are falling into place for a visit to the “crossroads of Europe” where we find 13 UNESCO sites to choose from. Inspired by classmate/friend Peter Heimann, a resident of Vienna, we will track the origins of the Moravian peoples; explore the castles of the medieval times, taste the food and see the multiple cultures through history in this pastoral countryside.
Fall 2019 the travels to Europe continue with revised and renewed itineraries: France in late September to include the Chauvet cave. We meet up in Toulouse and end in Bordeaux! This trip will be in its fifth year – with appreciation for the help from Nancy Dawson and inspiration from Trena McNabb who provided us with their insights and interests in this pastoral region of Southwest France.
October 2019 Spain – a new view! will start in Madrid continue by high speed train to Seville to see gardens with Sally Duque, our American friend; then on to Ronda where we only had a taste of the rich history here – it was a favorite haunt of Ernest Hemenway! Then we discover Malaga on the Mediterranean coast. Our visit will include a stop with our hospitable Berkshire summer friends, the Mulvilhills who winter in the Escorial, another prince’s palace outside of the capital city!
Thank You All
for your encouragement, and your many positive messages that invite us to
continue to design tours and
Enjoy them with you!
Happy New Year 2019!
Ramelle and Michael
The legacy of the Moors is here – perfectly proportional rooms arranged around a water source/fountain, geometrical designs including calligraphy with repetitive message from the Koran line the walls and ceilings – and floors! Rebuilt by a Christian king, added crests and crosses and their own features. The gardens remain in symmetrical patterns – so extensive that several acres are maintained by the city of Seville. The farther inside the compound, the more sophisticated the designs so their wealth not displayed publicly – thus huge bare exterior walls!
The relatively simple exterior of the Alcazar.
Gardens inside the fortification leading to the dwelling area.
Ceiling patterns of this domed room represent half the world! we are looking up to the perfectly proportioned sky – from the platform of the flat earth!
The horseshoe arch was the Moorish way of building. The patterned walls are squares of plaster – painted blue in sections.
Looking up at the bedroom of the king’s daughter – who was of course a princess!
baths built into the lower level of the Alcazar – fed by fresh spring water.
Here are the exterior gardens….
View to the bell tower built during moorish – under renovation.
Because we are united for the love of neighbor… Merry Christmas, may God bless his noble and generous heart to all who are a fundamental part in the development of our children.
Visit the pastoral Vezere & Dordogne Valleys to explore midieval towns, pre historic caves painted, carved and scratched with images, and fortified castles along the Dordogne River.
Bordeaux is an excellent starting point to walk the streets full of restaurants, cafes, shops with nooks and crannies to explore. Find the Cathedral, the Opera House and so much more. The Musee D’Aquitaine covers the world of pre-history and traces this unique city at the confluence of shipping and river trade. A short travel along the Vezere valley to the small town of Les Eyzies and the valley where caves are clustered. Be sure to have reservations with a guide in English. Their flashlights will focus your eyes to reveal the sculptural carvings nestled in and about the limestone rooms. Some caves are filled with art, others are harder to decipher as they are scratched in obscure places, as if to be hiding behind stalactites.
The pictures, etchings and relief sculptures are all dated by radio carbon analysis that suggests enormous time spans between the different caves only a few hectares apart; Laxcaux 19,000 and Roufignac 38,000 years ago – in the same valley!
The caves are open seasonally because of the weather. The new contemporary museum Lascaux lV is open all year round. It hosts a perfect reproduction of that cave with technologically perfect replicas of cave spaces in the galleries. The real caves: Font-de-Gaume; Rouffignac, Les Combrelles and Cougnac still have to close in the winter months.
Coming up for air, explore one or more of the castles on the Dordogne River including Beynac and Castlenaud constructed by an English and another by a French king. This makes for a nice contrast during a week”s visit – some for the outside and some time for the underside.
And it is the countryside of France. Formal gardens open to the public abound. Choose the spring or fall months known as the shoulder seasons to avoid crowds. By booking in advance, you will be fine. We are glad to put you in touch with well trained local guides.
All year, the story of local cuisine is world renowned: oysters, foi gras, walnuts, prunes and fine local wines pair with duck, pumpkin, a fresh salad or special dessert! Try it all!
The tour begins and ends in Bordeaux – at least 5 nights.
We suggest spending an extra day early to acclimate to the European time zone.
Activity level – Moderate. Travelers will enjoy the trip if they are able to walk comfortably and transport their own roll-along suitcase.
Trip limited to 8 travelers in a group. Fewer is better these days.
Learn why D0rgd0gne was named among the best places in Europe!
5 Days – Add-on tour to Cuenca
Refresh and Renew in the High Sierra mountains on the equator. We suggest
three destinations over ten days that offer beautiful decor, excellent service, delicious food from local gardens and magnificent scenery in the most bio diverse country in the world. Start at restored http://Haciendacusin.com gardens in abundance in this complex of a 1602 hacienda surrounded by small houses converted to guest rooms.
Villages and mountain retreats abound in the landscape of volcanic peaks surrounding Otavalo; visit the unstoppable renowned markets; choose as much hiking as you like through spectacular landscapes. Dine-in at the hacienda or explore local restaurants featuring fine Andean cuisine. We schedule horse back riding on the property, or try a bike ride. Lago Cuicocha or guinnea pig lake features unique islands that look like floating guinea pigs in the middle of deep green/blue waters still bubbling from sulphur rising; enjoy the drive to the raptor preserve to see recovering birds of prey, some are trained to make free flights off the property over the Peguche valley. It is an amazing demonstration of eagles, hawks, owls; there are condors to visit. The attractive town of Cotacachi is a center for family leather shops, and good restaurants now that it has become a center for retired Americans. In Peguche, be sure to visit the weaver’s studio to find the work by craftsmen maintaining the traditional back strap loom weaving process.
In the 19th Century, German scientist and explorer, Alexander Humboldt spent 4 years in South America measuring temperatures, collecting botanical samples and recording in massive detail the diversity of species here. As an early scientist, he noted the impact of the colonialists on the environment, he mapped the temperature at various altitudes. Because he was right here, on the equator, he was able to prove that cold rises!
We have copies of Nan Magazine, Issue 34, that we will gladly send out if you are interested in a new look at the routes and discoveries of Humboldt in this his 250th anniversary.
Garden at Las Palmeras Inn
Otavalo Market
Then transfer to the west of the Cotacachi volcanic mountain to stay at El Refugio de Intag, a naturalist paradise for bird watching and hiking. Visit a coffee plantation, enjoy hot springs, and explore this unique environment – the cloud forest of Intag. It is a contrast to transition to the bustle of the city of Quito, a World Heritage city since 1978 featuring monuments, museums, stunning churches and cultural energy in a thriving metropolis. We suggest you retreat from the city’s bustle to the homelike setting of Casa Aliso, a hotel in a restored home in the finer contemporary section of the city.
Dinner at El Refugio with owner, Peter Joost
Rooftop View of Otavalo
Quito – La Compania is a Jesuit church started in the 16th century
Three worlds in ten days!
Choose to join our group experience where we provide plenty of activities and also time for personal exploration. Mornings will have time for yoga on most days. Practice with Michael Pulitzer – a gentle Kripalu style class for all abilities.
Estimated Land Cost: $2040 per person, double occupancy – 10 days.
We suggest a tour to the Galapagos Islands for 4 nights or 7 nights. More info? just ask!
Ramelle@newviewtours.com
View of Cuicocha (guinea pig) Lake from the trail
Above: Cuicocha Lake overlooking the guinea pig islands.
Below: Experienced bi-lingual guide, Christian introduces back strap weaving at the workshop home of Luz Maria and her father, Miguel. They are preparing the wool for carding before spinning before dying and before the weaving.
Luz Maria and her father, Miguel Andrango in their garden – April 2018.
Moorish walls are made of brick – the stone in the foreground would be added later.
The low walls were where housing was originally. This was an entire community on a plateau built to defend the area.
Horse shoe arches and brick walls – plain on the outside – do not show off your gold and silver (but just wait until you see the patterns inside!)
The details are done in plaster and follow repetitive geometric patterns so the restoration can be reproduced with a good understanding of what was original.
Close up – the favorite letters say God is great – there are only 35 sayings repeated multiple times in the entire castle.
Tiles in patterns of squares and pentagons
Hil and Phil!
The travel group south of Spain!
Gardens! very little blooms this time of year!
Grenada means pomegranate! a luscious fruit and symbolic of the richness of this region.
Tourist collapse pose!
Patterns on walls, halls, ceilings and yes all the paths are in patterns – circles connecting to circles that make triangles and pentagons.
Fountains are fed by a sophisticated irrigation system. In the 10th century there were pools for bathing in every small house. The water comes from the mountains and is still very clean.
Peter Levin finds a great view of the Alhambra!
Streets are deliberately narrow to catch the bad guys who might dare to invade!
Finished a lovely evening Marina, Stephen, Sally, and William, bringing Yale Hill together in their home outside Madrid with other Berkshire friends and travelers Hilary and Phil, and Beth and Peter and their daughter Courtney and DL. Hats off to Marina and Stephen for their great hospitality as we adios to Spain Hasta luego
Installation entitled Egeria (after a woman traveler from the 1st Century) drapes throughout the entire building structure. Created by a Portuguese artist, this monstrous project weaves like a vine, no it’s roots, no it’s a flower, no ….well yes it is amazing textile of quilted fabric by Joana Vasconcelos who also has a retrospective collection in a pod of galleries on the ground floor. Impressive!
Follow us 