Hostal Estrella Andina, Alausí – A Night When Stars Fell and Time Stood Still in the Andes

 Into Alausí — Embraced by the Andes

Tucked away in southern Ecuador, Alausí is a small, peaceful mountain town. It’s also known as the departure point of the famous Nariz del Diablo (Devil’s Nose) train.

It takes about five hours by bus from Cuenca. I smiled quietly to myself as I looked out the window—cloud-veiled mountain ranges unfolded before me, and children ran freely under tall palm trees.

Every time the bus curved along the winding roads, my heart would skip a beat, whispering, “Wow... I really am in South America.”

🚂 The Devil’s Nose Train — Where Thrill Meets Beauty

True to its fearsome name, this train offers an exhilarating ride. It slides down steep mountain cliffs like a giant dragon wrapped in chains—twisting, gliding, seemingly being pulled into the depths.

That breathtaking moment made me understand, at last, why it’s called The Devil’s Nose.

The ticket costs around $33, and along the way, passengers are treated to a performance of traditional local dance.

🌬️ Coffee, Wind, and the Warmth of Strangers

The wind brushed through my hair like soft fingertips. I took out the coffee I had packed in my lunchbox. As I sipped, it warmed me from the inside—cliffs below the train stretched into the distance, and the sky above bloomed with endless blue clouds.

Beside me, a couple read a fairy tale to their child as they ate sandwiches. The child laughed and looked out the window. I felt quietly invited to their little family table.

A few seats ahead, an elderly man pointed slowly to blurry letters in a poetry book. Most of the compartments were empty—the silence made it feel less like a train and more like a traveling home.

🛡️ Travel Insurance — A Lesson Learned the Hard Way

Years ago, I injured my wrist while traveling. The hospital bills were overwhelming, and ever since, I never travel without insurance.

Just last year, I burned my hands and feet with a falling kettle. That trip was hard. So this time, I bought a 30-day mid-range plan (about $35) that covered theft, accidents, and hospital visits.

Luckily, I didn’t need to use it. But knowing I had it—especially while walking steep markets or riding trains—brought a peace of mind I wouldn't trade for anything.

🍲 A Bowl of Potato Soup in the Market

I still remember how my heart stirred when a kind woman smiled and asked, “Are you traveling alone?”

With the warmth of soup settling in my stomach, I walked deeper into the market, slowly and quietly.

It wasn’t just soup—it was kindness in edible form. A silent affirmation: you’re not alone here.

🍖 Sizzling Hornado and a Bite That Melted the Fatigue

One alley was filled with the sizzling sound of hornado—roast pork grilled whole. Crispy outside, juicy inside. I took a deep breath, then a bite.

The meat’s savory juices ran down my throat, and with them, all my tiredness melted away.

The vendor served me pork with yuca, chili sauce, and salsa cruda. The flavors burst in my mouth—salty, warm, comforting. It felt like someone had untied the knots in my chest.

🌽 Mote and Humita – Simple Bites, Deep Memories

Next door, a vendor was selling steaming yellow corn called mote. Slightly sweet, perfect with grilled cheese or pork. It tasted like the land itself—rustic, grounded.

Nearby, little banana-leaf parcels were stacked on a wooden tray. They called it humita—a soft corn dough filled with cheese and onions, steamed to perfection. One bite, and it melted on my tongue. I returned for it again and again during my stay.

🍹 A Sip of Sunshine – Exotic Fruit Juice and a Moving Market

At the far end of the market, vendors poured golden juice into glass bottles.

It was made of maracuyá (passion fruit) and naranjilla. Tart, fresh—like drinking citrus sunlight in a tropical storm.

That day, it wasn’t just food that nourished me. It was the hand gestures, the scents, the eye contact, the warmth. All of it was a meal.

As I sipped juice from a paper cup, walking toward the market’s entrance, time slowed down—like a quiet frame from an old film, still flickering with life.

🛏️ Lodging – A Cozy Afternoon at Sunset

As the Andes glowed gold like half-closed eyelids, I arrived at a guesthouse near the station for $15 a night.

The room was small and warm. With few tourists around, the stillness felt like home. The old window, slightly faded, let in a kind of gentle peace.

That night, I heard dogs barking and a guitar playing faintly. In the morning, I awoke to birdsong from distant hills.

When I opened the curtain, I saw a tree soaked in dew—and a red bird perched quietly on a branch. It felt like a moment outside of time.

☕ After a Midnight Storm: Silence in a Morning Café

The night before, thunder cracked the sky, and rain poured like the heavens had split open.

But by morning, all was still.

I sat in a café near the market. A coffee cost just $1. Its rich aroma rose toward me, and I slowly breathed in the world’s silence.

🌌 Coffee with Starlight and Scribbles

The stone pavement outside was still wet from the rain. The clock on the café wall seemed frozen.

Few people were around. I sipped the stillness itself.

At the airport, waiting for a taxi, I drank coffee slowly—as if it carried starlight about to pour from the sky.

The night before, I had stayed awake, drinking hot tea infused with lightning and rain. Now, in the quiet, it felt like I was drinking morning wind.

I opened an old notebook and scribbled in Harman’s wild, free style—lines like hot coffee pouring into blank pages, filling the white space of my heart.

🤝 A City That Feels Safe, Even When You're Alone

Alausí felt surprisingly safe for a young woman traveling alone. Avoiding late nights was enough—the locals were mostly calm, kind, and respectful.

At night, instead of going out, I stayed in with hot tea steeped in starlight—watching the sky burst with silent brilliance outside my window.

Reading, writing, flipping through the photos I took that day, I ended my nights in warmth and peace. That quiet time—unmoving, unspeakably still—was something only those who’ve lived it will understand.

👵 A Small Kindness

As I stepped out of the café, an elderly woman softly asked, “Are you cold?” Then she offered me her hand warmer.

Something gentle and warm bloomed quietly inside me.

🏁 Closing Thoughts

With only a light backpack and a travel insurance plan, I found myself in Alausí—a place where time paused like a distant star, a place where hot tea, scribbled notebooks, and the scent of market spices wove memory into meaning.

The train’s whistle, the scent of rain on stone, the quiet cafés, and the familiar market stalls—they’ll return to me, someday, unexpectedly. And when they do, I know I’ll long to go back.

Alausí is one of those places you never really leave behind.

💰 Travel Cost Summary

Item	Price (USD)
Bus (Cuenca → Alausí)	~$5
Devil’s Nose Train Ticket	~$33
Accommodation (1 night)	$12 – $20
Potato Soup (1 bowl)	$2
Coffee (1 cup)	$1
Travel Insurance	$20 – $40 (depending on plan)