Days 13 & 14: The Banos Adventure

by Frank Aguilar '15

Although our Ecuador trip was primarily for service, our two weeks of hard work earned us a well-deserved vacation at the popular tourist destination of Banos, Ecuador.

In case you Spanish students are wondering, this name does not refer to an elaborate restroom, but in fact describes the Baths of the Holy Waters (Banos de las Aguas Santas) attributed to the Virgin Mary, who protects the inhabitants of this village from the mighty Tungurahua volcano above. It lies four hours to the east of Quito, much closer to the jungle, but Mr. Quinn assured us its relaxations and attractions would be well worth it.

It was a long journey indeed, requiring us to wake up very early to catch our 6:00 AM shuttle to the bus terminal in downtown Quito. There, the next phase of the voyage began, when we boarded a “Greyhound-esque” bus to hurtle us across the Ecuadorian land. Some of us were lucky to get a few hours of sleep, ignoring the loud music that blared incessantly.

We managed to come to Banos before lunchtime, and many of us were dying to sample the local cuisine. But first, we had to find the hostal, La Posada del Arte, a wonderful place run by Chicagoans Jim Redd and his wife Marshia. Apparently we arrived a little early, as only a few of the rooms were ready, but that didn’t prove to be a problem on our empty stomachs. We ventured into the street for food and were greeted in turn by similar stories: that we were just a bit too early for lunch. So we circled back to enjoy La Posada’s comida, fueling for a big bike ride ahead.

Down the Valley of the Waterfalls

We next set out to acquire bikes for the ride to El Pailon del Diablo waterfall, a much-heralded local attraction. Unfortunately, David and Will were unable to join on for the ride, but JQ sweet-talked the outfitters into getting a chiva “party bus” to carry them to our destination.

While Will and David were intrepidly sightseeing on river-spanning cable cars, the rest of us took to the roadways down a valley of waterfalls. We had to keep our heads down as trucks barreled by, but when we looked up we saw beautiful mountain views that never seemed to end. Before we knew it, we were at the entrance to the waterfall -- and played a waiting game for our chiva pals. The game turned out to last about two hours, but the joy in seeing Will and David was proportional when they did arrive! With all of us together we made our way down a trail through thick Ecuadorian forest until at last we reached the waterfall.

"Dios Existe!"

Words do not do justice to the immense beauty and power of God’s creation, which captivated us all. To say the least it gave us great backdrops for photos. Perhaps the best part was crawling through a tunnel right beside the falls that brought us to an observation deck right behind the cascade itself. We got a little cold and wet, but no one regretted it after witnessing the miraculous water roar right over our heads.

After sharing this incredible moment together, we struck back for the hostal. As it was nightfall, though, we forewent the cycling in favor of a ride in the bed of a military truck, making us all feel like a combination of Indiana Jones and Che Guevara. Having returned our bikes we changed into our trunks and made straight for the much-discussed hot springs. The waters were warmed by the volcano and were the perfect thing for aching muscles after a very long day, with the clear sky above and the cool night air around.

Guerillas in training.

Yet the day was not done there, as we still had burgers in store at the “Stray Dog Pub.” These were delicious, and evoked both awesome conversations and reminders of home. The food was so substantial that some of us couldn't even finish, but you may rest assured we all walked home satisfied and ready for bed.

Brandon, Mike, and David sally forth.

Luckily we got to sleep in, and after a last-minute rearrangement substituted for our white-water rafts some stalwart steeds. Horseback riding turned out to be a great experience; while few of us had ridden horses before, some took to it naturally -- and some not so naturally! -- with gorgeous views and a feeling of freedom coming readily to all. Once after a hike we were surprised to discover our horses had gone! The stallions got loose and roamed back to the corral as the handlers dashed after to get them. Luckily we were reunited with our mounts before too late, and made our checkout in a timely manner. Catching the bus turned out to be a less timely affair and we caught a ride an hour later than we planned. Nevertheless, we did make it back all in one piece -- restored after our adventure, relieved to see our rooms, but suddenly aware that this was, in fact, our last night in Ecuador.

Mounting the trail.

Jared D'Sa, Lone Ranger

We treated ourselves to American fare at KFC in the nearby mall. We ate mostly in silence, perhaps aware of this concession to consumerism, but perhaps all the more anxious to go home and share memories of our incredible Banos adventure.