Wet, even when not bathing
Trip Start
Jan 20, 2004
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30
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Trip End
Feb 01, 2005
Baños,
Ecuador
Thursday, May 20, 2004
After leaving the fantastic hospitality of my host family, I found myself jumping onto a moving bus with my backpack on and being whisked off to Baños. My backpack soon became a seat for an army dude, Edison, who had been squashed onto the bus. It proved more comfortable than standing.
Within 2 hours of arriving in Baños I had checked into the great Hostal El Oro (recommended by Lysann) and then wandered the lively Saturday night main street. I managed to crash a wedding at the Basilica, just in time to hear the bride and groom say "Sí, quiero" and then kiss
01 Suspension Bridge
. The Basilica was packed with people, and I left when they started to do the big religious thing. I then got tooted at by the driver of a tourist train very similar to the old Chicken Train at Humpty Dumpty, except it was a big rhino, painted in orange and covered with lights and including a massive horn. This machine careered around the streets of Baños in a very crazy way and I kinda wish that I had gone for a ride.... But there was the parade of little kids, about 3 years old, who were following a marching band. The little girls were dressed up as little Miss Universe's, holding bouquets of flowers sprayed with glitter and being accompanied by teams of football boys in uniform. I had a feeling Baños was going to be too much for me...And then the rain set in
The next morning I had breakfast with my Argentinian roommate, Silvia, and Mano from Germany. We spoke solely in Spanish so it was great to practice, although the conversations were very simple and there was a lot silent spaces as Mano and I aren't very fluent.
It was cloudy and rainy so we checked out the local market and then took our rain jackets out for a walk to a nearby waterfall that ended in a spectacular whirlpool. Then it was time to eat and then we needed a bit of a siesta (although they don't have siesta's in Ecuador)
02 Pailon del Diablo
.Mano left the next morning and Silvia and I decided to risk the bad weather and ride towards Puyo on mountain bikes. As we were coming up a big hill after walking across a suspension bridge and behind a waterfall it started to rain and we got wet. We waited at the top for it to stop and then took off on the Avenue of Waterfalls again. We had to go through a tunnel which was one of the scariest things. I kept thinking that a truck or bus would come up behind us and flatten us, so we pedalled flat out through the pitch black tunnel, muddy water dripping on us, hoping that we wouldn't hit any invisible potholes. Once we made it into the sunlight we needed to stop and pinch ourselves.
There were stacks of waterfalls, and the road was continuously being repaired. We crossed a bridge at Rio Verde where the single lane of traffic was banked up on either side while the very dodgy and unsafe looking bridge got welded back together. We stopped to go down and see the amazingly spectacular Paílon del Diablo waterfall and whirlpool. It was a thunderous, ferocious waterfall that fell into a small round cavern sending up spray and mist a long way up. We then climbed back up to the road for lunch and as we were wet and tired, we decided that 22km was far enough and that we would catch a bus and load our bikes on top. We timed it to perfection and the long line of traffic started moving as soon as our bikes were on the roof.
Old friends
Back at the hostel I ran into Elise and Jonathan, my French friends. It was great to see them again and Jonathan came out for dinner with Silvia and I that night as Elise was sick
03 Las Nubes
. Of course we spoke in Spanish, and as I was walking down the street ran into Paul and Joe, the Canadian doctors I had met in Quito at Hostal Centro del Mundo. It was interesting to see them again at the end of their trip.The next day was raining as well, and the clouds were low over the mountain, so I skipped the planned walk up to the Mirador del Virgene and just hung out in the hostel playing pool and chatting. I had wanted to go rafting but then decided that I might do it in Peru instead.
Again, the next day was wet and rainy, but I went with Elise and Jonathan to the El Sagrado hot springs. They were fantastic, and we sat in the warm pools, with the rain falling on us. It was mostly old people sitting and soaking, until a group of school kids came up with their floaties and inflatable rings on. They made lots of noise in the big pool, so we headed for the tranquility of the hottest bath where the oldies were sitting quietly. It was so hot and lovely!!! I thought that the baths would be really grotty, but they weren't and the water tasted quite sweet. NO! I didn't drink it! But when it gets on your lips you can taste it!
We were saturated by the time we got back to the hostel and in need of another shower as it rained the whole way back. At dinner I think, now on reflection, that Simon from one of my Spanish classes back home may have been in the same restaurant. How freaky if it was and I had have spoken to him!!
My last day in Baños, por supuesto, dawned bright and clear. I was convinced into going up to the Mirador del Virgene before leaving by an English couple who had been the day before. I almost didn't make it to the top as the steps started to get a bit much for me, but I persisted and had a great view of Baños and the surrounding mountains, before the swift descent, shower and bus ride back to Quito.
Things I Learned
* Ecuadorians don't board the bus at the bus terminal. They hang around outside in groups where the buses slow down for the conductor to yell out the destination and herd people onto the bus.
* Es siempre un baño en Baños.
* Baños is a great place to meet other people.
