After my first full week of interning at the hospital, I got a fabulous invitation to join 5 Washington girls from the CIMAS Spring Local Development group in Baños for the weekend. I met them there a little after 1 pm on Friday and then we grabbed some lunch and found a super cheap and comfortable hostel. Then we hiked up to a viewpoint across the valley from the town to the east to catch views of Volcan Tungaragua (it's the most recently active volcano in the country) while it was out of the clouds. We headed back downhill and then ate dinner at a typical place serving some fine Ecuadorian food. We hung out at our hostel for a while before checking out the bar scene at night and looking for good places to dance!
Abby, Raine, Lisa and Elizabeth from the viewpoint we hiked to, with Volcan Tungaragua in the background
Lisa takes such ridiculous candid photos!
After a minimal amount of sleep, we woke up at 6 am so we could make it to the early opening of the thermal baths in town. Abby riled us up and the 6 of us turned out to be the only gringos bathing at that hour, but the pools were full of locals, who already knew how great the water feels in the morning! Switching off between the hot and cold pools was a great way to wake up! Afterwards we grabbed smoothies in the market and breakfast across the street and then Raine, Abby, Lisa and I rented $5 bikes for the day and headed out on the road to Puyo.
We stopped by lots of super beautiful waterfalls, but the highlight was definitely Pailon del Diablo (Devil's Cauldron). Because it was raining lightly for most of the day we pretty much had the entire place to ourselves!
After eating the most amazing empanadas on earth and checking out the falls, Raine, Abby and I rode part of the way back because the rain had let up a little. At about 5pm we ended up catching a bus that took us back to Baños and we all took a much needed shower! Elizabeth and Sierra had gone to get massages so we ate some International cuisine and then went out dancing at the lively Baños bars again.
Getting ready for some hardcore biking!
View of the valley we biked down
Very wet biking chicas!
Abby with the Pailón!
Lisa and me...reunited in Ecuador!
On Sunday Abby and I were the only ones who made it to the hot springs in the morning, and it was throughly relaxing! After breakfast Lisa and I went on a brief hike before they all left on the bus to Quito and my bus to Tena headed out shortly afterwards. Even though I was sold seat #30, it was occupied in Baños and they told me I couldn't sit there for another hour until it was vacated in the next town. However, there was one seat left on the bus, and that was right in front, next to the driver, with a magnificent view of the road-side scenery! And that's where I rode most of the way back to Tena!
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