Trawled once more through Quito’s old town on Sunday, suddenly more picturesque for the gleaming sunshine, more festive for the little outdoor concert and weekend revellers, and far more enjoyable for the closed roads, empty of all but relieved pedestrians and speeding cyclists.
Still, though, I felt we’d seen all we wanted to see of Quito, and I’d grown tired of the relentless noise and smell of the city, and of looking over my shoulder in fear of all the things we’d been a tad too warned against. We’d heard good things about Baños, and were eager to start the actual travelling we’ve been claiming to be doing.
Thankfully this time we were more successful with our choice of bus – surprisingly, considering the chaotic mess of Quito’s bus station – although we did quickly learn that the Baños Express is not named for any particular efficiency, but for its devil-may-care attitude to speed.
But we also learned that even the most frequent, common bus route, slept through by bored locals, can in Ecuador be spectacular. (Do they just not notice the stunning scenery? Is it so commonplace they’ve stopped being impressed?)
Sadly no thanks to the Cotopaxi volcano we’d been eagerly awaiting, camera in hand and face pressed to window, as the clouds were solidly unsympathetic.
But the dizzying views from mountain roads were still breathtaking, in all senses of the word.
And in the midst of it all is Baños, a colourful little town encircled by looming green mountainsides. And hence popular – it is a town for tourists; created out of hostels, restaurants, and countless tour operators.
Being so exclusively catered for is bizarre… at first it seems perfect, and then somehow wrong, and then it starts to feel like Stepford. But, if you can’t beat them…
We spent the morning scouting for jungle tours – and are heading into the jungle tomorrow morning.
More by circumstance than choice; it was booked for Thursday but for some reason has suddenly been changed. It’s not hardcore, it’s only three days and (as jaded jungle guides keep mentioning) only “secondary jungle”, so no pink dolphins or anacondas. It is, however, no less the Amazon.
So I’m off to freak out for a while…
Our recommendations in Baños
- We stayed at Plantas y Blanco and loved it – the rooms vary, but our private double was spacious and clean.
- There are so many tour agencies, I honestly don’t think it matters which you choose. Shop around a bit, see which has availability that suits you, and trust your gut instinct.
