Saturday 17th January 2025: To Banos

Today's a moving on day as we head for the spa town of Baños. So we're going all Race across the World style on long distance buses, except we don't do rucksacks, but cases instead.

Spotted this outside our flat today. (Ours is the one above the shop.)

It's a reminder that Cotopaxi is a very active volcano. Since its foundation in 1534, the town has been destroyed 5 times - the last time in 1877.

In recent years, notably in 2015 and 2022, Cotopaxi has belched gas and had some small eruptions. But for the time being, its peaceful. In Quito we met an English lad who had just scaled it.

Dodgy electrics in the bathroom.

The clouds had moved back on in and we set off for Banos.  We had barely reached the corner of our street and a taxi was there.

At the bus terminal, there were several buses going to Ambato.  The driver asked us which district and we explained that we wanted to go to Banos and he nodded.  Our cases were loaded on and we boarded.

Unusual name for a school!

Again where the coach picked up seemed a mystery.  Even on the motorway slip road.

The sign says "Don't destroy the seats."

New investment in infrastructure.

Selling roses by the wayside.

Other wayside sellers

There's vegetable growing everywhere.

Climbing up to Ambato.

Somewhere in the outskirts of Ambato, the bus assistant signalled for us to get off.  It was in a random suburb, not even a shop in sight.  He told us to wait here for a bus to Banos.  We were a bit dubious but even as he spoke another bus pulled up and we got on board.

It was packed and the usual sellers boarded and sold biscuits, snacks etc, despite signs saying you weren't allowed to eat on board.

We reached the Terminal at Banos and caught a taxi to where were are staying. The host had given us the WiFi code in advance, so when we got there, we could pick up the number for the key box from WhatsApp.  From door to door was less than three hours and cost $9 altogether.

Our flat is in the centre of town.  It has a large ground floor lounge/kitchen which is clean but sparsely furnished

Upstairs are two large bedrooms, one with four queen beds and one with two.

One the roof there were two balconies with a sink for washing clothes.  From our balcony we could see and hear the Waterfall of the Virgin, a tall waterfall.  Opposite was the Crystal tower, an odd building like a very short CN Tower.

The owners wanted payment in cash which they asked to leave in the key safe.

Just round the corner there was a veggie/vegan restaurant.  Kevin ordered pancakes and Joan ordered a burger which she thought was vegan.  She had asked for vegan cheese.  It came with a fried egg, which was quickly given to Kevin.  It was very filling and gently spiced but she ate the filling first but then when she bit into the bread she realised it had butter on it.  She checked with the waitress who confirmed it had butter on it.  But then the waitress changed her story when Joan pointed out she was not only vegan, but lactose intolerant.  (From the reaction later, it definitely was butter.)

Kevin, meanwhile, has some nice pancakes with a fried egg thrown in.

Banos town is quite compact and full of local and foreign tourists, like us!  It sits in a basin with steep slopes at about 1,600 metres asl.  It's a spa town with hot springs and is also the gateway to the Amazon.  Sadly three weeks isn't sufficient for us to go down to the river basin.

The Church is the sole stand out building, but it's had to be rebuilt many times because of earthquakes.

We called in at the supermarket for rations.  Here's some super healthy rice cereals.

Most wine is $5 to $7 dollars but home favourite Casillero del Diablo was a whopping $16.70.

Cactus leaves.

Dragon fruit

One of Joan's colleagues at BCVS used to live and work in Ecuador, and has asked us to bring  back some Guava jam.

Little road trains run around the centre.  This dinosaur one was driven in a rather precarious manner.

Street stalls near the Virgin Hot Baths.

The hot baths.  (We're going to a different one outside town)

The Waterfall of the Virgin.

Concrete troughs installed in 1943 for the towns people to use the clean spring water.

One of the really weird things about Ecuador (but which totally makes sense when you think about it), is that there isn't really a twilight.  Kevin and I independently have both noticed as it seems to be either light or dark. Dusk and dawn last about 15 minutes.   The sky last night at dusk was an amazing purple.

We sat on our balcony watching the road trains go by and young people in the Crystal Tower opposite take shots for their Instagram accounts or TikTok.

 

We even posed for one ourselves near the waterfall but we weren't as glamourous! Most of these artificial photo opportunities cost money.  It reminded us of the wooden cartoons at the seaside where you stick your head through.