November 29: Banos

(1) I was already anxious to get on the road and head down to Banos when a rumor began floating around the hostel about a bus strike. I figured it was best not to wait around any longer. At the station, I somehow managed to find a bus to Banos, despite the general craziness of an Ecuadorian bus terminal and constant explainations that the bus strike was, in fact, a reality. Still, I was assured by one private company that I could get there. Well, they lied. The end of the line was Ambato. There, a group of us (consisting of me, the tall German guy from the hostel, a German girl named Francesca, and an American girl named Kelsey) hired a man with a pickup truck to drive us past the bus blockade that had been formed up the road as part of the strike. Only the shoulder was left open for emergency vehicles - which showed a surprising amount of coordination for Ecuador. Joining us in the back of the pickup, among several more passengers, was this woman - a Banos local who was determined to get back home one way or another. The strike turned out to be a blessing in disguise as we all found the wind and fresh air to be a welcome change from the cramped, stinky, and loud bus (they blast horrible music day and night on those things).

(2) Meet big, German Andre. He and his hair took up a lot of space in the back of the truck, but he did bring a few beers along. We ended up hanging out, often quite randomly, in Banos, Riobamba, Cuenca, and Vilcabamba. See: "My Travels with Andre" in the Essays Etc. link.

(3) After checking into my own room at the Princesa Maria hostel, I strolled around Banos, taking in the scenery of this peaceful (and somewhat touristy) little town. Those of us from the bus, along with some new additions, ended up spending a lot of time together. This included several meals, all of which were exceptional. The best among these were found at Buon Giorno and the Blah Blah Cafe.

(4) The local swill.

Ecuador Home & Sidebar
Previous Day -- Next Day