Beautiful Baños

Fact: Ecuador has used the dollar since 2000 which unfortunately makes it more expensive than most of South America. 

While in Ecuador I basically spent 1 week in Baños and 9 days in the Galapagos. (I had 3 days where I was in & out of Quito, but managed to see practically nothing while I was there as I usually was arriving after dark.)

Baños has it all: great biking, hiking, rafting, canyoning, bungee jumping, paragliding, volcanoes, bakeries, and AGUAS THERMALS! I booked 3 nights knowing that I would probably stay longer. I ended up staying a week & completely canceled my plans to go to the coast (also because the rainy season came a bit early...)

Baños has 2 main heated bath stations and other hotels that are more exclusive with aguas thermales. Both the public baths cost $3 to get in. You also needed to wear a swim cap which was an extra $1. In my 7 nights, 8 days I went 8 times. I also thought it was interesting because the temperature of the pools varies depends on the volcanic activity. There was one night I was there that the hottest piscina was 47.C / 116.F

The small pools on the corners are cold pools. The only way you survive is dipping back & forth between hot and cold. 

Correlations to hot & cold springs that I have learned over the years:

1. There is research called Balneology: “treatment of disease by bathing.”

2. Benefits: treat chronic digestive diseases, constipation, diabetes, gout, liver complaints, various forms of relief from arthritis, fibromyalgia, skin diseases like psoriasis, and eczema, and high blood pressure.

3. What actually happens while you are in the pools: your blood pressure drops, your circulation goes up, and your metabolism kicks up a bit. 

The other public bath was a bit of a hike (about 1.5 mile) outside of the city center. I did a morning hike and bath session twice. 

Waterfalls, waterfalls, waterfalls

 

This is just some fun garden art & a trash can outside a delicious bakery in town. 

It's not a matter of if, it is a matter of when I will return back to Baños...

Hot Springs & Wanderings

Next to my family/ friends, the thing I miss the most is a hot bubble bath. 

These are solar paneled baths. They last about an hour to an hour & 1/2. They are individually heated with all different size pools depending on how many people are in your fiesta.  

This is the vista (or view) from our bath 

The 2nd location is called Fuentes. It was a 45 minute drive outside of Xela. The water dripped down from the volcano like a leaky faucet & the closer you drifted to those rocks the hotter the water was. As I was situated in a nice nook between those rocks it felt like I was a queen on a throne. 

The 3rd place I explored was the hottest & most like an actual bath from home. It reminded me a lot of Hot Springs, Arkansas

Wanderings: 

El Lago Chicobal 

1. The earth is not man's man is of the earth.

                     We only have one. Take care of it!

This is a sacred Mayan volcanic crater lake that had Mayan altars connected to your horoscope all around it. There were flowers & other offerings at many of the alters. When I was there, there was even a service going on by woman dressed in traditional Mayan cortes. Fun Fact: I learned that in May this park is closed to the public to honor all the native locals who can have sacred time on the lake without extranjeros. 

This hike was called: "Caminata de la Muela" The hike of the molar. Looking up at these jagged rocks you can see where it got it's name.  

It felt like we all were birds in nests perched with the most beautiful view of the city. During my time in Xela, it did not take me long to realize what a thriving city it is. 

It obviously has a very different feel than San Pedro & the lake as a whole. When I returned back to San Pedro, one of the first questions the sisters asked me was did the women wear "cortes?" (i.e. the traditional Mayan clothing.) There is a distinct separation of the people who did & who didn't. There were definitely a lot more women who were not wearing the cortes in Xela. 

When I travel I am always drawn to the smaller cities for many reasons. I think because on some level I feel more connected to the people and usually the lifestyle is more tranquilo also. In Xela, I realized how lucky I was to have my family here in San Pedro. The other family was nice enough but were busy with their lives & never really engaged in conversations with me. As soon as I returned back to San Pedro my family lit up, whisked me to my room, braided my hair, and asked me all about my adventures. 

Who can resist KIM.KISSES?