Quito to Banos

Saturday was my first day in Quito.  To adjust to the altitude (9,500 feet) and rest after a long day of travel, I spent the day exploring the area and meeting fellow travelers at the hotel. The hotel was in Old Town, which has narrow cobblestone streets, colonial architecture, and several plazas.

On Sundays, Quito closes the streets around Plaza Grande to cars and buses. Locals and tourists flock to the area by foot and on bike. As I walked to plaza on Sunday morning, I stopped to watch street performers, look at crafts for sale, and eat breakfast at a café. It was a great way to end my short stay in Quito.

Plaza Grande - Quito, Ecuador

After checking out of the hotel, I took the 3.5 hour bus ride to Banos. As I missed the non-stop bus, we stopped at several small towns along the way to drop off and pick up passengers. The bus systems in central and south American are the main mode of transportation to get from town to town. I have traveled a lot on these buses, and am still amazed how this is part of every day life for so many people.
 
The decent into Banos was amazing. It begins high in the Andes on a winding road that declines 3,000 feet to the town. At the beginning of the decent one cannot miss Volcan Tungurahua, a massive active volcano that is constantly spewing ash into the sky. Banos is situated at the base of the mountains and volcano.

 

Volcan Tungurahua - Banos, Ecuador

When I arrived at Fundacion Arte Del Mundo, known as La Bib by the locals, I was greeted by Hanna and Mayssam, two volunteers from Australia.  After I was shown my room, I went for a walk to town. I stopped for lunch and ate outside on one of the main streets and immediately got a feel for the town. It is a mix of locals, tourists and backpackers.

I returned to La Bib and met Karl who runs the foundation. He came to volunteer five years ago and never left. Karl had planned a welcome dinner at a friend's house that is built into the side of a mountain.  The house overlooks a river and has a great view of the volcano. Before dinner we hiked up the mountain to look for lava erupting from the volcano. Although it was cloudy we could see the glow from the lava.  Dinner was chicken cooked over an open fire pit.

It was the perfect way to start my two month stay in Banos.