ECUADOR - My June/July 2003 Trip Journal -- by Donna R. Carter
Page Nine
~^~ Papallacta / Pifo ~^~ Friday ~^~ July 4, 2003
I got a call from Sonya, asking if we could change the plans for Sunday's trip to Quisapincha... and leave Saturday afternoon and stay the night in Baños.
"Well," I figured, "That's fine. Cool! I'll be in Baños twice on this trip." And then it occurred to me: I forgot that Baños is right at the foot of Tungurahua (a volcano which is currently at a stage of Yellow Alert for eruption, and constantly smoking) IF it were to have a large eruption, the entire city of Baños would have 5 minutes to clear out or be completely buried by lava.
hmm..
~*~*~*~*~*~
We (the class) went out to the hot springs in Papallacta today. We took the OMS Dorm van (Tim Stuck driving) and Tim & Ruth's Blazer (Michio driving). I went in the van, front seat, with the video camera hanging out the window.
It was, unfortunately, overcast, so Antizana was not visible at the continental divide. But, despite the fog on the páramo, the trip was beautiful, and I videotaped most of it. Everyone in the car was joking and laughing at all the pictures I was taking. I took a picture of the fog... dedicated to Matthew, for encouraging me to take pictures of every single detail of every little thing... and laughing the most at me for doing exactly that.
We arrived at the Termas at about 11:00 and got locker keys and changed. The pools were delightful and relaxing. The surrounding mountains, reaching so high into the clouds, were an incredible backdrop. I didn't want to leave. I kept remembering things from having lived there in the mid-60s as a very young child. Papallacta is the one place in the world that is dearest to my heart.
I took several pictures of the Termas, and, with the camcorder and camera, I hiked up a ways past the pools onto an overflow riverbed that was moist and cool, and I got some great video shots overlooking the river... I picked a few flowers and ferns to press, and a patch of moss to bring back with me (if it's not confiscated in customs - although I intend to microwave them to "kill" any bacteria before I leave, so at least I can have that on my side if questioned.)
It was heavily overcast and raining while we were there, but when you're sitting in a warm (or hot, depending which one) pool in the middle of surroundings like this, it just doesn't matter if it's overcast and raining or not.
I think it was about 4:30 when we finally got out of the pools and ate, and then we drove back, stopping in Pifo for a few minutes on the way.
How great we got to stop in Pifo! A group of people who lived there were having a 4th of July celebration which we briefly crashed (I forgot it was the 4th of July!) I lived in Pifo for a few years when I was very young as well after a couple of years in Papallacta. Our family would live a few months in Pifo and then go back to Papallacta for a few months.
Last time that I was in Pifo, 5 years ago, I took a picture of the house I used to live in, but I wasn't able to go inside. This time, the people who lived there just told me to go on in and look around. It was a good thing to do. To walk in and intimately know the floorplan, and recognize, even after 33 years, the stairs, the wall in my upstairs bedroom against which I would sit and read and listen to my music box for hours on end... wow. It was a rather powerfully emotional moment. I took a picture of the room, and the wall I used to sit at.
As we left Pifo and drove into Quito, my back and shoulders started itching and I realized that despite the heavy overcast and rain at the Termas, I had gotten yet another sunburn. I wouldn't know how bad it was until later, because my sunburns always show up much later than the burn actually occurs. Unwisely, I hadn't bothered with sunblock: It was raining, for heaven's sake! "Oh well," I told myself, "It's been a long time since pale me had a tan."
I got back, and at the guest house, several Americans had gathered and were singing patriotic songs in the Reimer's home, which is attached to the guest house by an office. The Canadian tour group supping in the dining room began singing Canadian patriotic songs in reply. I waited until they were finished with their conversation and blurted out the Ecuadorian National Anthem from the loft upstairs. Everybody cracked up and those who knew it, joined in.
The next morning I'd be going to go to Michio & Anne-Marie's house for breakfast: The last get together of the classmates until the planned reunion in 2005, which will be held in Chicago (the last week of July, in 2005).
Current Temperature: 59 ° F Wind Speed: N/R 9 mph
Feels Like: 59° F Visibility: N/R mi
Current Conditions: Partly Cloudy AM Barometer: 30.24 in. F
Humidity: 72% Sunrise: 6:15 am
Sunset: 6:22 pm
Page Nine Picture Gallery I apologize that haven't figured out how to get the last gallery picture to bring you back here, so please, when you finish with the gallery, use your browser's "back" button to bring yourself back to this page, and the link below to go on to the next. Thanks, and sorry for the inconvenience!