After several days of nonstop ecotourism, we slowed down a bit today to enjoy the idyllic sights that surround us on all sides. We’re in Baños, a small community that rests in a valley in the green Andes Mountains. We see the green mountains in all directions, in addition to a powerful river that provides electricity and a myriad of waterfalls. It drizzled this morning but by the afternoon the rain disappeared as the clouds gave way for some sun as we enjoyed our second-to-last day in Ecuador.
We began the day at 9 a.m. with a ride on a chiva bus.
The chiva bus took us on a tour of the area outside of Baños. It was raining lightly but the views from the chiva bus made the experience enjoyable. Here are some views from stops we made along the way.
The highlight of our Chiva bus ride was a short hike down to the Pailon del Diablo waterfall, the most impressive waterfall in this area.
Video descending
Rocco’s reaction to the waterfalls
After hiking out, we stopped for empanadas for lunch. Sra Bailey and I found this little restaurant called Sabor de Mercedes when we were here in 2015. The owner made some of the best empanadas we have ever had, so we had our fingers crossed it was still there. It was. We ordered chicken, ham, cheese, vegetarian and fruit empanadas for lunch and enjoyed them on the chiva bus as we drove toward the Luna Volcán pools.
The Chiva bus dropped us off at Luna Volcán, which overlooks Baños. We spent almost two hours in the hot waters with stunning views below.
Afterward, we boarded the chiva bus again and returned to the hotel for about 90 minutes to rest and shower before dinner. Charlotte, Josie and Chloe wanted to get in a quick run, so we went out for a 1.6-mile run around Baños.
We decided to visit an Italian restaurant for dinner for some pizza and pasta. Our guide Luis and our driver Guillermo joined us, and we surprised them with our thank you cards and tips. Michael presented both with our gifts.
We stopped for an ice cream on the way back and had about an hour before calling it a night. Several of us played Uno … including Ryan, who won three times tonight.
Wednesday is our last day here … it has gone so fast. We are volunteering at a senior citizen faculty tomorrow and will help prepare a meal for them, in addition to playing some games and teaching them a couple of dances. Afterward, we’ll have a couple of hours for lunch and to explore Baños before departing at 3 p.m. for Quito.
I’ll try to update the blog before we leave for Quito if we have time or perhaps at the airport to post some pictures of our volunteer work.
Thanks for following our sojourn through Ecuador. It has been an unforgettable trip and a privilege to show the kids this beautiful country.
¡Hasta luego!
Spartans in Ecuador 2019 
Justin thank you so much for taking us along with you (virtually)! What an amazing journey!
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