Relaxing in Baños
Trip Start
Jun 07, 2008
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6
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Trip End
May 01, 2009
Baños,
Ecuador
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Thurs 19 June. According to the guide book Baņos is only 3.5 hrs from Quito... errr well Iīm sure it was more like 5 hours when we finally arrived at the bus terminal in Baņos.. I had the very good fortune of meeting a girl from Holland on the bus who spoke fluent Spanish, what excellent luck and she bargained some rooms for us at a hostel at $4 a night with en-suite bathroom and cable TV, and a window with sunlight, the total opposite of the place I had in Quito.. So with accommodation sorted first call was to the hot spring baths for which Baņos is famed, the Ecuadorian equivalent of Bath in England. Total bliss soaking in the hot pool then plunging into the freaking freezing cold pool, I think we were the last ones there when it closed at 10pm! Such a different place to Quito you can walk across the whole town in about 30 mins and people smile and say hello to you, unlike Quito where you hardly dare make eye contact with anyone
A devil of a nose
.Friday 20 June. I decided it was about time to put my new hiking boots properly to the test, there not really built for just walking about in towns they need a bit of dirt under the foot for a proper trial. So I took to the hills behind Baņos and walked up to Bella-vista a high point above where the hot baths are to the East of the town. I very wisely decided to undertake this trip at the hottest part of the day so after about an hour of exhaustive scrambling and climbing up the pathway I made it to the top. I tried to get some pics of the route but they really couldnīt do it justice. But of course I discovered how unfit I really am in these conditions as local after local passed me in full length trousers and sleeved tops AND not even breaking a sweat, unlike me who looked like Iīd just stepped out of the shower (with my clothes on).. A lovely cool breeze greeted me at the top so I stopped to enjoy it and the wonderful view, until I had recovered enough to make the decent.
Sunday 22. Sunday, the usual day for adventure of course, so I booked up a morning of Canyoning, which basically involves abseiling down waterfalls. Although it was raining most of the time it was excellent fun if not a bit cold as you will see from the pics you get a bit wet. We went down three waterfalls about 10 mins out of town at the Chamana Cascades. Starting on a 4 meter drop then a 5 meter then straight onto a 45 meter drop.... eerrr what? So pics enclosed here of that. Unfortunately there is only one pic of me at the top of the 45 meter drop as my camera memory was full (thats another story for another time). The other people I was with took some pics for me a really nice couple from Ecuador, and we arranged to meet up in the afternoon to go to some other place where you go on a zip line or something, anyway not sure what happened but I didnīt see them in the afternoon so I have no more photos of me on the big one.
Another Banos view
. but I did do it... Monday 23. There is a usual route people take from here to a town called Puyo which is about 40 Km away, its mostly downhill from here so you hire a push bike for the day and cycle there stopping to marvel at a series of waterfalls on the way. Well I was feeling a bit tight and lazy so I got the bus about half way to a place called Rio Verde which has this waterfall called The Devils Nose nearby. So I checked that out after having to wait for a load of uninterested school kids to be herded to it, they were more interested in trying to get a reception on their radios than looking at the devils nose, which was funny and as most of them were staring at this strange gringo in their midst too. From there I walked about 3Km back along the road towards Baņos where I got to another feature waterfall Manto de la Novia, a very precarious crossing of the river valley in this cage thing suspended on a wire to get to the top of the waterfall on the other side of the valley. That was enough waterfalls I think for this week so caught the bus back to Baņos.
Lazy day today, catching up on this and buying some bite cream from la farmacia as some nasty somethings decided to start feeding on me in the night, oh well the first of many no doubt. Tomorrow I will leave Baņos and head to Riobamba only about an hour away from here. So, more from there dear friends... hasta luego..
Comments
Wet wet wet
Hey what an action man you have been. Dutch girls, hot baths and bite cream?! Are you sure you would not rather be safe at home?! You have taken some good photos - glad everything going well, it looks fun.
Re: Wet wet wet
I hope not wet like Marty Pello! Sadly the hot baths are behind me for now, but I think Iīll carry on and see what happens...!