Baños and the Jungle.

Well---its been a while since the last blog---about time for our travel update. We finally managed to leave Jesus´family home---his mum cried---which made me cry too!!! But, we will visit there again before heading home---so i can get some more Ecuadorian cooking lessons!!!

We spent a couple of nights in Quito with our friend Karina---she is our dear friend who has the cafe in Baños (the infamous cafe where we met!!). Then---off to our beloved town of Baños!!! The final part of the bus trip winds through the mountains, following the river in the valley below. It was exciting to see this beautiful and familiar countryside again, with the crazy volcano Tunguhrahua looming in the background----yes, this volcano is active!!! We were both sitting on the edges of our seats awaiting with anticipation to finally arrive at the bus terminal. How exciting to be back in Baños after so much time!!! And even more exciting to arrive at the cafe and surprise our friends there!! It was a saturday evening---so needless to say perfect to go out and celebrate our arrival---bedtime---about 4am---but lots of fun had!!!

From the minute we arrived in Baños, Jesus began bumping in to familiar faces from over the years living here---actually we couldn´t walk more than a few steps without him stopping to talk to yet another friend!!
At the moment here in Ecuador they are in election campaign mode. Jesus reckons that in 4 years time he is going to come back and run for the equivalent of Mayor of Baños--as he seems to know at least half of the population of the town, and they are all happy to see his face here---so he reckons he would win the popularity vote!!! Even if he doesn´t know anything about politics!!!
Two weeks down the track he is still bumping in to people he hadn´t seen yet!! Today we were at the baths here---and he even bumped in to some people from Sydney that he met doing the film The Ruins last year!!! Can´t go anywhere hey!!!

For those of you who don´t know Baños---let me describe it to you!!! (plus--see the photo at the top!!).It is a small town set in the middle of lush green mountains---and the volcano looming above them all!! At on end is the river running in the canyon below---popular for rafting. At the other end is a large waterfall running down the face of the mountainside. Right at the base of the waterfall are the thermal baths---with soothing hot mineral water that flows direct from the mountains---hence the name Baños---which means "Baths". The area is popular for hiking, rafting, bike riding---and later soothing your muscles in the hot baths!!! Also popular for juice squeezed from the sugar cane. there is lots of stalls selling chopped up cane--the poeple love to chew on it and suck out the juice. They also drink it mixed with alcohol made from cane liquor!!! On the weekend the market here is also popular for the guinea-pig that they cook over a BBQ---a delicacy here in Sth America. (poor guinea pigs!!)

So---what have we been doing here?! Hanging out with our friends, helping in the cafe---Jesus even has an official "Cafe Hood Baños" t-shirt!!! Me--i am helping in the kitchen---surprise surprise!!! Each morning we go for a hike in the mountain as exercise before breaky!!! One way up the mountain to the view where i took the photo above--the other morning walk is up 667 steps the other side of the town!!! Good for the legs!!!

The other day we went on a long bike ride---a popular ride from here in Baños, following "The route of the waterfalls". It basicall follows the main road that runs from here following the river and eventually goes to the jungle. Along the way there is lots of waterfalls, and eventually arrives at the next main town along, where you hike down to the biggest waterfall of them all called "The Devils Cauldron". It´s a pretty spectacular waterfall---they have even made a path that takes you behind the actual fall---and you get nice and wet!!!

Most people ride there, and hitch a ride back on the back of a ute. Us---well, we rode back to Baños as well---which involves uphill climbs that kill the leg muscles!!! Ahhh---thank goodness for the thermal baths!!!

I have also been enjoying taking lots of photos here---it is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. People from all over come here to enjoy the thermal waters, and drink the "sacred" water from the waterfall. So--i have been sneakily taking photos of the indiginous people who come dressed in their colourful traditional clothes!!!

After a week in Baños, we went for a jungle adventure!!! We got a bus overnight to a town called Coca, about 7 hours north of here---in the heart of Tarzan land!!! We were thinking of staying a night in Coca--but changed our mind on arrival. Unfortunately the main towns in this area are a bit depressingly ugly---as they mine oil here, and the towns are built to service to oil workers. Its very sad to see all the oil pipes along the roadsides and to know they are destroying much of the jungle and many of the rivers. But---many parts of the region remain untouched National Parks---and for this reason people go there for jungle adventures!! We didn´t do an organised tour. One of Jesus´many contacts in Baños told us of some cabins about 3 hours further on from Coca, owned by a man from the local community---set about 15minutes down the river in canoe from the village. We cooked for ourselves, went for walks in the jungle, saw lots of birds, tortoises sunning themselves, monkeys swinging in the trees, fished for pirhanna--and slept all alone in the jungle!!! Only way out---down the river!!!

During the day a guide came and took us for a walk to a humungous tree and showed us some of the jungle plants and their uses. There was a canoe for our use---so we paddled up and down the river and tried to catch fish for dinner!!! One of the days we were happily paddling and fishing and Jesus saw something swimming across the river about 100m from us. We soon realised it was a rather large Caimen (alligators that live in the rivers here!!) We paddled a bit closer--but not too close, as our paddling skills weren´t good enough for a quick escape if need be!!! That night the owner and the guide took us on a caimen spotting adventure---as they come out at night. You go in motorised canoe---and with torches you can spot them from ages away---their red

eyes poking out of the water. We had a really large one swimming right alongside the canoe---a bit of an adrenelin rush!!! They even tried to catch a small one for us to see---but it got away!!

We spent 3 nights there---and got to eat fish fresh from the river to out frypan. Que rrrico!!! Yum!! Even ate pirahhna that we caught!!

When i did an organised trip to the jungle i remember that we swam and bathed right at the entrance to the cabins---so i was saying to Jesus (before the caimen spotting!!!) that surely we could swim in the river as relief from the jungle heat. Just as well we didn´t---i didn´t know that caimen could grow so big!!!

Next stop---another small jungle town called Misahaulli. This is a cute little town complete with a "beach" on the rivers edge---here it is safe to swim!!. A nice relief from the jungle heat. The town basically consists of a small centre square---where the monkeys roam---playing in the trees, playing with the people and stealing your food and drink bottles if you are not careful!!! They even know how to open the drink bottles. Very cute!!

From here you can take canoe trips down the river--or just enjoy walking in the surrounding jungle. Ahh---a relaxing life!!! We spent 2 nights there--before heading back to Baños to spend Easter there.

For now---i leave you with a couple of the photos i have taken of the indigenous people here--i have taken millions---i love their colourful clothing!!!

Next stop and next blog---the coast!!
Until then---lots of love

Llamas Bailando xxoo