El Baño en Baños, Ecuador

Photo Album. Baños is a quaint town located in a dramatic Andean valley with creature comforts all around. It's the first truly touristic city in Ecuador we have visited thus far. Our hostal, Plantos y Blancos was a highlight. Baños literally means 'baths' in Spanish due to the healing natural pools in the town from the giant volcano that towers over the town only miles away.

Our hostal has an early morning steam bath that Andy and I experienced three mornings in a row. It is a natural body cleanse that originated in Chile. You sit in a hot vapor box for 4 minutes with fresh eucalyptus leaves like a steam room, except your head sticks out. Then, you wipe your legs, arms and back methodically with a cold towel all the while following an attendant. You alternate this process five times, each time opening all of your pores, extracting the toxins, then closing your pores before the toxins have a chance to seep back in. There is also a time in the middle when you sit in a tub with freezing cold water and massage your intestines for about 1-2 minutes. Lastly, a cold jet spray. Afterwards, I felt revived and full of energy (and pooped like a champ) and clearer skin.

We enjoyed a 35km bike ride (oi) along la Routa de las Cascadas (Avenue of the Waterfalls). Oh my, Ecuador is a beautiful place! The highlands (Andes mountains) much more than the coast. No mosquitoes here, either. It rained everyday there but I didn't mind.