Baños, Azuay, Ecuador
Banos, a city from which we were scheduled to depart on three different occasions but just couldn’t seem to leave! When our hotel could no longer extend our stay we moved to another and once there, we moved our departure three different times! The self proclaimed ‘adventure capital’ of Ecuador, adrenaline seekers flock to Banos for the array of activities it offers, mostly from above or within its deep cavernous valleys.
The city of Baños, settled among lush green hills, near snow-capped volcanoes, rapid rivers, and hot springs, it’s no wonder it is considered a backpacker’s paradise. Surrounded by volcanoes, most of which are active, gives the city an air of mystery that somewhat unnerves you; a welcome characteristic for those seeking serious adventure!
The town's full name is Baños de Agua Santa, “The Holy Water Baths”. The name gives tribute to the town's famous patron, the Virgin Mary who is said to have appeared at a nearby waterfalls from time to time. The city’s gothic basilica, Reina Del Rosario De Agua Santa was built to honour the Virgin Mary and is a local pilgrimage site.
Paul and I visited the basilica and were surprised to see several women walking on their knees through the centre isle leading to the high alter. Hands thrown toward the heavens, palms open, they slowly shuffled along, reverent, all looking quite sorrowful, lips moving wildly in prayer.
I had witnessed this act of prayer in other places of religious significance, most notably Rome, Our Lady of Lourdes and Fatima and it always strikes me with a great deal of wonder.
What is the conversation of their heart and mind at that very moment? What are they giving praise or penitence for? Are these people happy or sad in this moment? Are they spiritually lifted? Filled with wonder, I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel ‘moved’ by the actions of these women, but I have no idea why.
Considered a holy wonder, the “Holy Water Baths” that pepper the city, are heated by volcanic activity. These therapeutic waters range in temperature from 18-55 degrees celsius and are believed to be holy & blessed water by the locals. Each day, hundreds of people, tourists and locals alike, gather at one of the many pools in town, to soak and soothe aching muscles after a day of adventure and activity.
Paul and I did the same one evening after a day of exploring. The cool evening air was a welcome contrast to the heat of the water. Every person wearing the required cotton swim cap, we all looked like scantily clad legos hanging about, with nothing else to do! We moved from one pool to the next, trying out the various temperatures and chatting to people along the way. It was a relaxing and surprisingly social way to whittle away an evening.
The following day, Paul and I rented a couple of mountain bikes and pedalled our way toward Pailon del Diablo Waterfall, also known as Devil’s Cauldron! This was an exciting day for us both as the destination had been on our bucket list for a while now, though we had no way of knowing that the journey would be as exciting as the destination!
We pedalled some 18km past a series of waterfalls, each one offering an adrenaline activity more intense than the one before.
Where the beauty of each falls was not enough for some, you could find people zip-lining, canyoning, bungee jumping & water rafting, into and across the valley.
Paul and I stopped on the side of the road to admire each waterfall in all their majestic glories. While there was some temptation to ‘up the ante’ with action packed adventure sports, we opted for more civil activity. Locking our bikes onto some railing, we hiked down into the valley to Manto de la Novia Waterfall. Twenty five minutes later, where the cliffs met the water, we found an old suspension bridge and walked its length to the opposite side of the valley.
Just beyond the bridge we were met by a lovey woman no more than 30 years of age. With a beautiful smile, she welcomed us to walk to the base of the waterfall, enjoy its beauty and return for an icy cold beverage before hiking across the valley and back up the mountainous path. We did exactly as she advised and what a treat it turned out to be.
Retreating from the sun under the canopy of her little cottage, we sat and chatted. Around us, hanging from the edges of the roof, were small bird feeders filled with sugary fluids that attracted the most beautiful hummingbirds. As we sat marvelling at their ability to hover, our hostess encouraged us to follow her to the side of her home. Motioning that we should be quiet and tip-toe, we did as she asked.
In the rustic garden alongside the woman’s home, she pointed and quietly whispered “watusa”.
She gently scattered some corn on the ground as this wild creature slowly, skeptically moved toward it to eat.
There before our eyes was the most curious creature; about the size of a small fox, a round chunky bottom similar to a pig’s; black beady eyes and the short, wiry hair of a squirrel; sturdy hind legs held its tailless back end close to the ground while delicate rabbit-like legs positioned its front, more slender matter much higher; its mousy head with pronounced snout, it was the most unusual creature we had yet to see! We smiled in wonder and whispered back to the lady,“wa-tu-sa.” She nodded in affirmation and seemed as delighted with herself as we were with her!
When we finally made it back to the top of the mountain, I really didn’t think the day could get much better...but then we found Devil’s Cauldron. OMG!
The Pailon del Diablo, or Devil's Cauldron, is a tributary of the upper Amazon River Basin and a legendary waterfall in Ecuador standing some 80 metres tall. We were lucky enough to visit twice, once after a rainfall when the strength of the falls was so powerful that it felt as if the mountains around us were shaking from their core.
We visited the falls from two separate entrances, each providing a beautiful and unique perspective. Each entrance has a series of steep steps, slippery pathways, suspension bridges and more but the reward of panoramic views of the falls makes the tramp getting there so very worth it!!
The “old” entrance also offers a path that leads you behind the fall.
To get there, you must crawl on your hands and knees through a cave-like space some 40 feet in length. The space is nothing more than a crack in the rock. Naturally, Paul shimmied himself along while I stayed behind to take pics of the whole affair...we each have our lot in life I suppose! Thoroughly pleased with ourselves and with darkness setting in, we paid a man with a truck $2 to take us and our bikes back to Banos...now that, was a great day out!!
Natural beauty comes in all manner of shapes and sizes in Banos and on the Sunday, we were privileged to see another of its wonders! As part of the 75th anniversary celebrations of the canonization of the baths of holy water, we purchased two obligatory plastic stools and alongside thousands of others, we lined the streets of Baños to enjoy the wonder of its people. A 6 hours long street parade of music, song and dance! My word! It was a beautiful sight to behold! People of all ages, shapes, sizes and abilities; hour after hour; group after group! Such extraordinary talent!
Before finally turning in our room keys we had one final stone to upturn; a day visit to the Ecuadorian Amazon jungle. Near Puyo, Ecuador we found the most remarkable and enchanting pieces of this bit of the Amazon.
Hola Vida Ecological Reserve amassing some 225 hectares is dedicated to the conservation of the environment. Here we traipsed behind our guide through dense jungle growth for several hours. Along the way we met strange creatures such as giant land snails and tiny spotted snakes.
We watched ferns curl up in retreat as we passed alongside and we learned how phosphorescent plants when bound together, can act as a lowly lit torch at night. We picked hearts of palm and ate their roots, leaving its fern end to spray apart and place on our heads to protect us from the sun. We found clay in a stream and used it as a natural exfoliant on our skin. We also squeezed bright orange sap from the green root of another plant and rubbed it on our nails, a demonstration of the healing powers of natural medicine, in this case a treatment for nail fungus.
Later, we visited an exquisitely delicate waterfall in a remote part of the jungle that looked like the set of a romance movie. We had the opportunity to swim here for a while before heading to a traditional Quichua indigenous community where we had an unlikely encounter with a monkey who turned out to be quite the nuisance but quite friendly and playful as well!
We rounded off our day at the home of a lovely man and woman who taught us how to harvest the cocoa plant, to suckle it’s delicious fruit and to roast & shuck it’s beans. From this, we made pure chocolate by agitating the raw ground bean on a banana leaf! We drank freshly made hot chocolate and warm cheese bread fresh from the open grill!
Banos was certainly a city of wonder and its rich flavours in cuisine, people, culture and raw beauty is something we won’t soon forget!
Pam
2019-12-28
Merry Christmas.
linda
2019-12-28
So glad you are having a great time
Stephanie
2019-12-29
Wow! What an incredible adventure! Merry Christmas to you both! Xo
Susan
2019-12-29
What an incredible read this was! My fav post yet! Your appreciation and love for this shine through every word! Miss you and love you!
Patti
2019-12-30
Awesome adventure... Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Aunt Madeline
2019-12-30
As you write and I'm reading, I feel like I'm on an adventure with you. So beautiful and amazing. Merry Christmas and many blessing in the coming New Year 2020. Hugs.
Aunt Theresa and Uncle John
2020-01-06
Wow! Another AMAZING adventure! I can understand why it was difficult to leave that area. Continued safe travels to you both and many continued adventures in 2020.