Un bus de trois heures à travers les montagnes nous a conduits dans la petite ville thermale de Banos. Banos est touristique mais charmante, encastrée au milieu de montagnes très vertes et connue pour ses piscines d´eau chaude naturelle et ses cascades. Ce fut donc un séjour assez "remise en forme", meme si certains bains publics n´offrent pas toute la propreté ou la modernité souhaitées...Parmi les activités proposées, il y avait tour en camionnette locale sur la route des ravins et des cascades qui entourent la ville (photo 1), rando en haut des collines pour atteindre la croix du sommet et prendre des photos panoramiques (photo 3), diners animés par des joueurs de flute de pan et interviews surprises par des étudiants en anglais (photo 2). L´un des "spas" nous a fait découvrir les joies des saunas individuels chauffés bizarrement par un tuyau de vapeur qui s´échappe sous nos pieds...(voir les têtes qui dépassent des cubes ha ha, photo 4)...séances entrecoupées par des pichets d´eau glacée que nous versaient sur la tête la jeune employée de la piscine (ravie d´entendre nos hurlements)...Ca parait atroce mais ça donne un bon coup de fouet pour poursuivre la journée, un peu comme les suedois qui se roulent à poil dans la neige...
A few hours south lies Banos, a little town sandwiched between mountains and renown for its thermal baths (Banos means bath in Spanish). The pools were on the whole a little gribley, we kept finding hairs floating around so didn´t stay very long. Nonetheless I really enjoyed Banos, we voluntarily did a couple of walks up hills and past waterfalls and spent most evening in my favourite pub in the world (north London in appearance, cheap Pilsner in big bottles, music I like, free pool and table footie, what more could I ask for?). The highlight was the steam baths we endured; time spent sweating profusely was interspersed with having ice water thrown over us by a torturer. We travelled to Banos with our perpetual travel buddies Rob and Emma, who are neighbours from Twickers. So yes, that means we have two new friends, and therefore we will of course be having to let two old friends go to make room, but don´t panic no decisions have been made yet.
Pictures:
1. Banos tour bus, Frenchie sitting on it.
2. Being interviewed for Ecuadorian TV.
3. Banos from up above.
4. Steamin´.
A few hours south lies Banos, a little town sandwiched between mountains and renown for its thermal baths (Banos means bath in Spanish). The pools were on the whole a little gribley, we kept finding hairs floating around so didn´t stay very long. Nonetheless I really enjoyed Banos, we voluntarily did a couple of walks up hills and past waterfalls and spent most evening in my favourite pub in the world (north London in appearance, cheap Pilsner in big bottles, music I like, free pool and table footie, what more could I ask for?). The highlight was the steam baths we endured; time spent sweating profusely was interspersed with having ice water thrown over us by a torturer. We travelled to Banos with our perpetual travel buddies Rob and Emma, who are neighbours from Twickers. So yes, that means we have two new friends, and therefore we will of course be having to let two old friends go to make room, but don´t panic no decisions have been made yet.
Pictures:
1. Banos tour bus, Frenchie sitting on it.
2. Being interviewed for Ecuadorian TV.
3. Banos from up above.
4. Steamin´.
