Living La Vida Loca

By the time we got to our last stop in Ecuador we agreed we were ready to head home.  Not that we didn’t thoroughly enjoy our time in country – we did. We both felt that we’d seen and done so many different things –  encountered amazing wildlife in the Galapagos, experienced city life in Quito, explored small villages, climbed volcanos, and met people from around the world – we were sated (for now).  So our last stop was at a place that was truly relaxing and very special.

Just an hour or so outside Quito, still at altitude in the Andes is Termas de Papallacta  – a resort famous for its thermal hot springs. The hot springs that feed Termas Papallacta arise from deep geological layers through fissures up to the surface.  The source temperature of the thermal baths varies between 86°F and 158°F. At the pools the temperature ranges from 97°F to 100.4°F.  The pools are interspersed throughout the garden-like grounds with small, cozy casitas sprinkled all around.  The grounds are overflowing with beautiful local flowers and trees, and the mountains surrounding the property are breathtaking.  We even woke up one morning to the sight of one of the tallest volcanos capped with snow just peeking out from behind our casita – apparently a sight rarely seen with such clarity.

A real highlight of our brief stay was a walk we took along the river that runs through the property – obviously bursting with the runoff from winter snow.  The hiking path meandered right along the rushing river and in some places crossed it on wobbly wooden bridges.

Along the path was a fabulous organic garden as well where the herbs and vegetables served in the resort restaurant came from.  We also came across some of the most unusual blooming succulents and trees – colorful and strange shapes abound.

This bit of time to relax, pamper ourselves a bit (we did get massages the last day), and reflect on this adventure was perfect.  The trip had been a terrific patchwork of urban, rural, and seafaring moments…times of solitude and times of group socialization…and most of all, time to meet new people and learn about different cultures – that seems to be the thing we both find exhilarating.  And in the end, after 33 years of hanging around together, we still have fun being the two of us crazy people with wanderlust in our bones.

Stay tuned for whatever’s next!