Kellie unfolds herself from the truck. She's slept the last 5.5 hrs, but it's probably done her body good. She's also now amiable to taking the Z-pack and within 12 hours, it will prove to a good decision. We will also find out the following day that she doesn't recollect talking to us at lunch the previous day, and that she only thought she slept for 1 hr or so in the truck. Perhaps the best $100 spent on this trip. Had she pushed much more I think we'd end up picking up little itsy bitsy pieces, and that's never a pleasant task for anyone.
Tomorrow is day 8, another rest day! Banos here we come. The word Banos means "Bath" and seeing that word everywhere sort of becomes a subliminal message. We are attracted the public hot springs like a bug is to a light. The hot springs are heated from the active volcano, Tungurahua, which has been in an eruptive state since 1999.
![[IMG]](https://blaster11.smugmug.com/Vacation/ECU16/ECUD9/i-7Mfx5J4/0/L/P2120033-L.jpg)
Every Ecuadorian within 50 miles has descended on this place. As I peer from the street, all I see is water so opague you can't possible see the bottom of the pool. The irony runs deep about now. My riding gear could probably stand up on it's own from all the road girt and grime, and yet somehow, I perceive these people as more dirty than I. Heck, Blaster and I have taken to locking the riding boots in the bathroom so the smell of funk doesn't permeate the room at night. Yet, we've been watching the kids head off to school in their Catholic plaid uniforms, with whites so crisp that it would make a Polar bear cub look dirty.
First we enter the baths, and have three choices. Either produce a hair cap, buy a hair cap for a $1.5 or rent a hair cap for $0.50. Having plumb not packed a hair cap, we indulge and buy a hair cap. The pools have no filters anyhow, they are just flushed and refilled 2X daily. And the pools are too crowded and shallow to really swim in anyhow, so the hair cap requirement is a bit of musing for us. Nonetheless, it is draconically enforced.
We enter the baths and there are 3 pools--a cold water, a warm and a Jacuzzi hot one.
![[IMG]](https://blaster11.smugmug.com/Vacation/ECU16/ECUD9/i-TshZdzh/0/L/P2120034-L.jpg)
Despite the relative chaos of the place, it's filled with rules, rules and more rules. It's unfortunate for us that we will learn them one by one as the pool guards correct us at every turn. The first problem we encounter is that you cannot leave anything on the deck, except shoes in the cubby holes. I can't decide if it's more problematic to leave my wallet in my check bag or to risk it on the pool deck with my flip flops. Soon enough, we've popped into our swim gear. I feel like a superstar as my swim gear passes muster. Keith, however, will need to rent a swimsuit. His cotton material is decried as not suitable for such a fine establishment. He returns a short while later with a pair of lycra rental trunks. Boy, to think of the cross section of Ecuadorian DNA that might be in those; Science is neat!
As I glance across the malay, I feel a bit like Goldie Locks and the 3 bears. The first pool hasn't nary a person in it. And there is good reason for that--it's about 50F. The second pool in the yard, and the largest and the most enjoyable temperature, is completely infested. Infested in the sense that every little kid is being suspended by a parent in there. I have no idea if there are chlorinating this mess or not, but I am convinced there is no cure for that much kiddie urine. The last pool, while a bit steamy, only allows adults. The pool is only about 2.5 feet deep, but feels like a nice hot Jacuzzi. For some reason unknown to me, an Ecuadorian woman goes doggie paddling by in the hot Jacuzzi. I have no idea why she is trying to swim, she could easily just stand up and wade but she reminds me much like the puppy being raised by adoptive Gorillas. She just doesn't look to be in her natural environment.
At this point, I drop my ache body in the hot spring. Remember the water is a opaque, apparently from the volcanic mineral mix which is suppose to cure what ails me. The establishment even goes so far as to placard the mineral content of the holistic 'healing' water. Somehow I take solace in knowing that that mineral content of hexavalent chromium is contained at 0.01%. I have no idea what a safe concentration might be (or if there is one for something on toxic as that), however, all I can recollect is that is the same chemical from that made the PG&E electric scandal (Erin Brockovich movie). We long over stay the recommended 5 minutes in the hot spring. Soon enough, time to leave and see what else town has to offer.
Tomorrow is day 8, another rest day! Banos here we come. The word Banos means "Bath" and seeing that word everywhere sort of becomes a subliminal message. We are attracted the public hot springs like a bug is to a light. The hot springs are heated from the active volcano, Tungurahua, which has been in an eruptive state since 1999.
Every Ecuadorian within 50 miles has descended on this place. As I peer from the street, all I see is water so opague you can't possible see the bottom of the pool. The irony runs deep about now. My riding gear could probably stand up on it's own from all the road girt and grime, and yet somehow, I perceive these people as more dirty than I. Heck, Blaster and I have taken to locking the riding boots in the bathroom so the smell of funk doesn't permeate the room at night. Yet, we've been watching the kids head off to school in their Catholic plaid uniforms, with whites so crisp that it would make a Polar bear cub look dirty.
First we enter the baths, and have three choices. Either produce a hair cap, buy a hair cap for a $1.5 or rent a hair cap for $0.50. Having plumb not packed a hair cap, we indulge and buy a hair cap. The pools have no filters anyhow, they are just flushed and refilled 2X daily. And the pools are too crowded and shallow to really swim in anyhow, so the hair cap requirement is a bit of musing for us. Nonetheless, it is draconically enforced.
We enter the baths and there are 3 pools--a cold water, a warm and a Jacuzzi hot one.
Despite the relative chaos of the place, it's filled with rules, rules and more rules. It's unfortunate for us that we will learn them one by one as the pool guards correct us at every turn. The first problem we encounter is that you cannot leave anything on the deck, except shoes in the cubby holes. I can't decide if it's more problematic to leave my wallet in my check bag or to risk it on the pool deck with my flip flops. Soon enough, we've popped into our swim gear. I feel like a superstar as my swim gear passes muster. Keith, however, will need to rent a swimsuit. His cotton material is decried as not suitable for such a fine establishment. He returns a short while later with a pair of lycra rental trunks. Boy, to think of the cross section of Ecuadorian DNA that might be in those; Science is neat!
As I glance across the malay, I feel a bit like Goldie Locks and the 3 bears. The first pool hasn't nary a person in it. And there is good reason for that--it's about 50F. The second pool in the yard, and the largest and the most enjoyable temperature, is completely infested. Infested in the sense that every little kid is being suspended by a parent in there. I have no idea if there are chlorinating this mess or not, but I am convinced there is no cure for that much kiddie urine. The last pool, while a bit steamy, only allows adults. The pool is only about 2.5 feet deep, but feels like a nice hot Jacuzzi. For some reason unknown to me, an Ecuadorian woman goes doggie paddling by in the hot Jacuzzi. I have no idea why she is trying to swim, she could easily just stand up and wade but she reminds me much like the puppy being raised by adoptive Gorillas. She just doesn't look to be in her natural environment.
At this point, I drop my ache body in the hot spring. Remember the water is a opaque, apparently from the volcanic mineral mix which is suppose to cure what ails me. The establishment even goes so far as to placard the mineral content of the holistic 'healing' water. Somehow I take solace in knowing that that mineral content of hexavalent chromium is contained at 0.01%. I have no idea what a safe concentration might be (or if there is one for something on toxic as that), however, all I can recollect is that is the same chemical from that made the PG&E electric scandal (Erin Brockovich movie). We long over stay the recommended 5 minutes in the hot spring. Soon enough, time to leave and see what else town has to offer.