Agua, Agua, En Todos Partes

We arrive in Baños, a super popular Ecuadorian tourist town, to some surprises - the steep rugged mountains that surround the town and a cool wind gusting.

Baños is an adventure destination that attracts the young and bar-hopping crowd.  We pick a really comfy family-run hostel outside downtown.  We aren’t interested in zip-lining or bungee jumping, but the waterfalls, or cascadas, are a definite lure.

A driver takes us to the incredible waterfalls, or cascadas, just outside Baños.

Ben, who was so brave on the dinky rope swing, balks at first at my suggestion we take this gondola over the first waterfall.

Perhaps he is thinking about this painting in the cathedral in Baños (one of many depicting disasters and miraculous salvations).  In 1889, Paulino Gavilanes was crossing the canyon over the River Pastanza in a 
cage strung on cables, when the cables failed and he fell 200 feet into the river below.  His miraculous survival was attributed to his supplications to the Virgin Mary.  

But I persuade him to fork over $4 so we can ride suspended out over the Pastanza and see the waterfall below.

It looks quite sturdy, don’t you think?

We do get an amazing view right over the waterfall and share the gondola with a family with teen boys.

Back safely, Ben then goes to inspect the operator and his gears.  Maybe better after than before.

Next we are off to Pailon del Diablo, or Devils Cauldron, for the mother of all waterfalls.

The immensity of the water pounding over the sheer cliffs is astounding.

Look closely at the middle of this photo and you will see the people on other side, hundreds and hundreds of steps down the cliffs.

As incredible as the water volume is now,

as we walk the hundred of steps back up to the top, our driver points out that the volume a few months ago was so great all these rocks were covered and the waterfall was closed to visitors, for safety reasons.

Back to the Baños cathedral, it was the most interesting place for us in the town.  We’ve not seen so many paintings devoted to convincing parishioners that miracles really do happen.  This is pretty persuasive considering Baños sits at the foot of an active volcano.

The inscription on this painting reports that in 1797 Baños was covered by a volcanic eruption as was the town of Riobamba.  Then in 1886 another apocalyptic eruption occurred.  But the Mother of God never abandoned them.

So this church represents a very special refuge for the community of Baños.

But just in case, there are plenty of signs around town pointing the way to safe zones in the event el Tungurahua decides to blow.  We don’t make it to any of the famed spas in Baños - they are closed when we show up and we just decide to skip it.  However, we have our cosy hostel and the sound of the roaring river below our windows.  Nice time to curl up and be lulled to sleep.