Baños, Ecuador - Pushing to the Extreme

Canyoning

I looked it up in the dictionary.  "Canyoning" (barranquismo in Spanish) is travelling down canyons using a variety of techniques that may include walking, scrambling, climbing, rappelling and swimming.  We used all those techniques and more.  It wasn't my idea, but preferable to the alternate - jumping off a bridge with a large rubber band attached to my ankles.  Tomas, our half-Ecuadorian, half-Italian guide put us at ease with his sense of humor.

Baños, Ecuador - La Ruta de Las Cascadas

aka "The Waterfall Route"
You can rent a bike for the day and pay either 5, 7 or 10 bucks, helmet and lock included.  I decided on the 5 dollar bike without consultation and started an argument.  Dodo's not very comfortable biking in traffic and she wanted the 10 dollar bike, which she considered safer.  After a bit of discussion, the point was noted for the future.  We then left town, heading downhill towards the Amazon jungle.

Baños, Ecuador - Up

and More Up
We finally got good weather, enough for us to be overly ambitious.  First, a hike to Bella Vista, a lookout point over the town then a bike ride later in the afternoon.  Bella Vista is marked by a large white cross - you can see it if you look very closely in this photo.

Baños, Ecuador - Deeper in the Andes

Named for their Hot Springs
The town of Baños sits in the Pastaza valley like a scar, an ugly contradiction to the gorgeous surrounding landscapes.  Each dirty street, crumbling building and cinder block hostel is a tiny cut that bleeds the place of any charm or potential.  We were led here by a former colleague from Ecuador who said it was secondary in all of Ecuador to the Galapagos islands.  I can only imagine he was joking with me at the time and is still laughing.

Quito, Ecuador - Adios

I Will Miss You, But Not Too Much

We did manage to get outside of the historic district - the rest of Quito looks different.  Uglier, in fact.  It's quite an ugly city, truth be told.  A bit too chilly for my liking as well.

Quito, Ecuador - Night Eats

Floresta Night Market
Floresta is a neighborhood northeast of the historic district.  There have a well organized night market in one of the small parks there.  After our volcano cycling day we were hungrier than usual and stepped outside our house and flagged a cab there.

Quito, Ecuador - Cotopaxi

Biking a Volcano
Cotopaxi is 30 miles south of Quito and stands 19,345 feet tall.  The only mountain in Ecuador that is taller is Chimborazo, another volcano 40 miles further south and 1,000 feet taller.  On a clear day you can see Cotopaxi from Quito.  It's almost perfectly conical and capped by a glacier that starts at 16,500 feet.  We signed ourselves up for a day tour - one in which you drive up to the edge of the glacier in a 4x4, then bicycle down into the valley below.  We were to ride approximately 25 miles.

Quito, Ecuador - The Teleferico

Blocked by a Storm
We took a gondola lift from the eastern edge of the city up the side of Pichincha volcano to 13,000 feet.  We'd hoped for clear views of the city but our timing was a bit off - a storm was beginning to blow in as we took off.

Quito, Ecuador - The Basilica

Lawyers Ruin Everything
The largest neo-gothic basilica in the New World is two blocks from us.  It was commissioned in 1858 and took 50 years to complete.  We walked over this morning for a look.

Quito, Ecuador - First Impressions

Shock to the System
In just one short flight we went from warm Colombia to cold Quito.  I exaggerate - it drops down to the upper 40's at night then quickly jumps up to 70 after a few hours of sun.  First time this whole trip that I am not in shorts and a tee shirt.  Quito is 9.000 feet above sea level - I felt it immediately.  My ears filled up within an hour and I cannot hear a damned thing.  We are in the old town, looking south onto a small hill nicknamed "el panecillo" which means "the bun" as in a bun you eat.

Cali, Colombia - Adios!

Adios a la Jefa, Tambien (Goodbye to the Boss, Too)
We said goodbye to our host and landlord, Yeimi.  She sat reluctantly for a serious photo since I'd been joking with her, calling her boss.

Cali, Colombia - Food

We Tried to Try it All
You can eat like a king in Cali.  This meal for two with drinks, soup and main course was less than five dollars.

Cali, Colombia - Come to Jesus

Ascent of Cristo Rey
He stands 85 feet tall and looks down on Cali from a peak on the western edge of town.  Our landlord recommended a bike ride there and suggested we use Benjamin, a friend of hers who rents out bikes and serves as a guide.  No fixed price, you make a donation and he uses some of the proceeds to buy books for the local school children.

Cali, Colombia - Maintenance

The Best Two Dollar Workout
In our quest to be in tip-top shape for the Macchu Picchu hike, we hit the gym every night at 6pm.  Down the hill from us is a gym that offers classes for two bucks.  I still cannot believe the prices here.  Slightly different workout every day, but damned hard regardless.