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August 10th 2014

Published: August 10th 2014

Hola Amigos! This Blog will document a 15-day adventure I took recently with my good friends, La Familia Simonello (no, that's not salmonella!) Julia, Michael (hubby) & Michael (son, age 12) were repeat visitors to the coastal hotel I manage here in Ecuador, but they hadn't seen much of the rest of the country. I planted a seed when they came last November, setting forth ideas for an itinerary whi... Read Full Entry

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Jill Sare

Sra Sare

I first came to Ecuador in the late 1980's to teach English in Quito. I fell in love with this country, the natural beauty, the warmth and generosity of the people. I went on to work in international education on nearly every continent, but Ecuador kept calling me back. This Chicago girl has a "latina soul"! I've now been back in Ecuador, living here as a permanent resident since 2006. I have done all different kinds of work, from private teaching to teacher training to working with American volunteers as a driver/interpreter to filling in as a substitute hotel manager. I like to keep my sched... full info

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Santuario de Banos

The cathedral square glows at night. I love the blue lights on the church spires.

Candy Vendors

Hundreds of stalls, all selling the same things! These decorated dulces are at my friend Berta's shop. I met Berta at the hot baths; we were commiserating about toenail fungus (yuk) !

Guava Paste Candy

Berta's son runs the candy-making operation. Bags of sugar added to pureed yellow guavas and stirred constantly as they cook in big copper cauldrons. Heavenly smells!

El Salado Thermal Baths

PVC Pyramids hold flip flops as bathers submerge themselves in the healing mineral waters. Ahh! It's a heavenly experience!

Banos Cemetery

A morning stroll amid the gravestones yielded some stellar photo ops! Set up on a green hillside, you can see the whole valley below and glimpse the waterfall between the crosses.

Cabellera de la Virgen

The Virgin's Tresses - a delicate waterfall seen from all over Banos. Here Michael and Julia gaze romantically upward.

Public Laundromat

These "pila" washing stones, fed by the waterfall's run-off, serve a variety of uses: kids race paper sailboats down the stream along the to, here an indigenous woman washes her feet (after washing her hair)...and folks also use them to wash clothes!

Puente del Amor

We three are posing on "the lovers' bridge" in Parque Palomino. Behind us, the municipal building clock tower tells the correct time twice a day!

Morning Market

A stroll around the Banos market plaza netted this fabulous foto - she's about 4 ft tall!

Schoolboy Statues

This interactive sculpture was created by art students from the technical high school. (No, we did not paint the red lipstick on him!)

Fun at the BIB

Julia & Jill play dress-up in the "Imagination Corner" at the Biblioteca Interactiva de Banos.

Lions & Tigers & Bears, OH MY!

The newly arrived African Lions are housed at the Banos Acuario in a spacious enclosure high on a hill above the San Martin Gorge across the street from the Banos Zoo.

Leon Macho

The male lion proudly shows off his luxuriant mane. He appears to be quite content with his new home.

Gakking Female

We watch on in awe as the female tried to hack up a furball. She was right near the fence, so it was most fascinating and impressive to get a good glimpse inside her mouth!