Through the hills to Baños

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On Thursday we left Quito and got a 4 hour bus journey to Baños, literally meaning ´baths´. The scenery here is more fantastic than where we were before. Baños is a small town situated at 1800m, with luschious hills surrounding it. For the last few days we have been hiking, along paths with donkeys carrying tomatoes, banana trees looming above and bulls in the way. A few times we had to take a small detour up the hill to evade these onlooking eyes....!

Yesterday we walked around the other side of town to the Mirador del Volcan (Lookout for the Volcano). This volcano is still on red alert from 2000 when the whole town had to be evacuated. Sometimes, if you listen carefully, you can here a quiet thunder and then large amounts of black smoke break out from the top!

There are hot baths here, hence Baños. You pay to go in and it is just full of Ecuadorians...I did not expect to see them in swimming gear! It is so easy to make assumption on what you have seen before.
You can just sit back and watch the waterfuls cascading from above.

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Photos

Bridge to the hills
This was at the beginning of our first walk

Waterfalls
Waterfalls from underground.

Having a rest
Will looking very serious.

Baños
The bus station at Baños.

Keep Out!
The Ecuadorians way to keep thieves out.

The Volcano
Blowing of some steam.

Butterfly Land
I have never seen so many butterflys in one place...obviously this is just one...

Framing the cow
I think this is a great picture.

?
How did they get the cables from here to there?

Walking
Me on a bridge

Baños
View over Baños

Baños
Another fantastic view

Walking
With the sheep.

Just because i'm sensible.
Don't mock me.