Doors are opening here in Baños.

Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of being a judge at an English poetry contest taking place between the different high schools in the Canton of Baños. My name had been submitted by my English teacher friend, to the Foreign Language Department of the Tungurahua Education Department in Ambato.

When I received the invitation, I was a little apprehensive and somewhat nervous because I have always felt uncomfortable being in the spotlight of anything. I was assured that I would not be asked to make any remarks unless I was chosen to be the spokesman for the three judges. It was with more then a little trepidation that I arrived at the designated place on the 25th of May. As it turned out, it was a pleasant experience and I was happy that I had been invited.

The group of contestants. The first and second place winners are holding their certificates.

Photo by Alex Hernandez

In addition, the judges received a very large basket of fruit, (about 25 kilos), as a gift for our participation. These baskets were donated by the Patate students. (Patate is a small agricultural center outside of the city proper), We were told during the presentation that all of these fruits were products of their town of which they were very proud.

During the event, I had the pleasure of meeting Lic. Susana Mayorga, the Director of the Foreign Language Department for the Province of Tungurahua. Since that meeting I have met with her in her office in Ambato where we discussed at length the need for volunteer English teachers in the province. I will meet again with her and her associates on the 10th of June when we will formulate descriptions of the kind of help that is most needed. I will have more details next week.

In the meantime….think about this wonderful opportunity to see a new country, immerse yourself in a different culture, while having a wonderful time doing so.

Most Bus Scams Can Be Avoided.

I talked to two visitors to Margarita Ville this past month that related stories of how they were conned on the bus before they left the station in Quito. The young conmen/thieves are alive an doing well at the Quito bus station. A little extra precaution is advised for single travelers as both of these incidences involved women traveling alone.

The first involved a young German girl who was helped by two well dressed young men whom she thought worked for the bus company. They helped her to her seat and when she was seated with her backpack on her lap, one of them told her that she would be more comfortable if she put it under her seat. He helped her get it in position for his partner who was behind her, to cut the bottom and extract her camera. These guys can be charming…so beware.

The second involved a mature lady that arrived at the station by taxi and the driver had helped her get her luggage stored below. She entered the bus and took a seat. A few minutes later a young man approached and asked where she was going and told her the fare was $3.50. She gave him a $10 bill and he said he would bring the change back. He then continued and took money from several other passengers. When the bus left the terminal and was on the road the drivers assistant started through the bus to collect the fares. She told the man that she had already paid and in fact was waiting for her change. His remark was, “You didn’t pay me.” So she had to pay again the correct amount of $3.40. In retrospect, she realized that he only asked money from those that looked like tourists.

This problem can be solved easily if you know how the system works. There are two ways you can buy passage on all of the busses. Buy a ticket at one of the many ticket windows in the main bus station. They will note the bus number, the time of departure and assign a seat number. The second is to board the bus without a ticket and once you are on the road the conductor will pass through the bus and collect the fare. In Quito they never ask for the money before you depart unless you are buying a ticket from one of the many ticket windows.

The overall bus transportation system in Ecuador is good and I have not personally had a hint of a problem.. It is affordable and there is no place that I know of that is not on some route. You can flag a bus anywhere on the street or highway and they will drop you wherever you want along the route. Most of the population here in Ecuador depend on the busses to move around along with their cargo. If you get tired of riding your bicycle, flag a bus and they will hoist it on top, without hesitation or groans of displeasure. It is just part of the job.

Banana Plantation at Margarita Ville

Photo by J. Walker

Although bananas are big business in Ecuador, here in the Pastaza Valley at 1,200 meters in elevation they are not what you would call a cash crop. Here on the property we have about 50 plants which provide more fruit than we could ever eat.

Learning about the care of these prolific plants has been challenging. Knowing when to cut the bunches has been trial and error and I hope by next year I will know a little of what I am doing. If, among the readers of this blog are any banana growers, I would really appreciate any information you are willing to give.

I have learned that in order to have healthy plants you need to separate the shoots. I read where you should to this when they are around one meter high. We have cleared an area where we intend to use for our small plantation. How far apart, I am not sure, but will start with about six feet.

At the present time we have many bunches hanging and are just waiting for the right time to cut them down, which is still hit and miss. I have been told that you should cut the bunch when the sharp edges have become rounded. This is sometimes hard to judge when the bunch is almost 20 feet above the ground, so as a result I have cut several bunches too early and they never did ripen.



Photo by J. Walker

The appearance of the bloom happens overnight it seems. One day there is nothing and the next you have this giant pod. A few days later, the flower starts to open and the individual hands appear one by one. From what I have heard, from this point it takes about four months for the bananas to mature.


Photo by J. Walker

At this point you may now have more information about bananas then you care to know, however I have found it a fascinating process.

Rio Negro....A Walk Along the Rio Estancia.

Just a few kilometers east of the village of San Francisco is Rio Negro, a 70 year old of about 1,000. The first time I visited this quaint little town I looked for the Black River but only found the Pastaza. Although the river is far from clear it is not black. One of the residents told me that there is indeed a Black River a little West of town. Since this town is in the middle of what is known as the Corridor Ecological Amazona and there are plenty of reasons to spend some time and explore the area. There are several restaurants and small hostels for the tourist who would like to spend more time. From San Francisco or Margarita Ville you can take the bus for $0.25 or walk. You can always bus back.

At the east end of town there is a road to the right that crosses the Pastaza and takes you up the mountain beside the beautiful Rio Estancia, taking you ultimately to the a small village by the same name. The walk is a pleasant one with breathtaking views of the Eestancia River with an abundance of the beautiful Sobralia Rosea orchids growing along its banks.


Photo by J. Walker

Three kilometers from the Puyo Highway you pass a Hari Krichner compound and one km further, brings you to a to the beautiful Hosteria Encanto Natural.


Photo by J. Walker

This hostel is a little out of the way but would be a perfect place for a group get together or special retreat where you want to get away from the crowds and yet have all the comforts of a first class resort. If interested you will find more information here.

One kilometer past the hostel you come to a trout farm where you can catch your own trout and have it cooked to your order. Medium sized fish dinner is $2.50 and a large is $3.00.

The best way to make this trip is walking or by bicycle. The walk along the Estancia River is one of the highlights of the trip. I have been told that there are some trout in the river…probably fugitives from the trout farm up stream. The round trip from Rio Negro is about 10 kilometers, and if you don’t cotton to the idea of walking roundtrip you can always taxi up from Rio Negro and walk off lunch on the return. A taxi/pick-up cost $2.00 for the trip.

Sunrise over the Margajita River.

Photo by J. Walker

At the Close of the Day....

Looking west towards Banos, from Margarita Ville we are treated with some beautiful sunsets.

Photo by J. Walker

Short Walks from Margarita Ville.

In a small box canyon up the Margajita River, about a 10 minute hike from Margarita Ville is one of the loveliest watterfalls I have ever seen. It drops aproximately 50 feet into a clear pool. Very few people visit the area even though it is very close to the highway.

Photo by J. Walker


Photo by J. Walker>

At the base of the falls the water runs into a small pool. On a warm day it could be a fine bathing pool.

Photo by J. Walker

Orchids, Orchids Everywhere.

A few days ago while walking along the highway close to Margarita Ville I saw a few new blooms of orchids growing on the side of the cliff and then I realized that the mountain side was covered with them. Hundreds and perhaps thousands in a two or three kilometer stroll.

This is just one of the estimated 4,000 species that grow in Ecuador. I am not sure of the name of this particular flower but will post it as soon as someone enlightens me. What a beautiful sight.



Photo by J. Walker

River Rafting on the Pastaza River

A popular activity in Banos is rafting down the Pastaza. This group has just arrived at one of the put-in points for experienced river runners which is located just a couple hundred meters west of Margarita Ville.


Photo by J. Walker

After carrying the raft to the water the group is ready to go....With or without the guide.


Photo by J. Walker

The Pastaza changes colors depending on the time of day and the cloud cover....From a chocolate brown to a slate grey. Certainly not one of your favorite swimming rivers.


Photo by J. Walker


Photo by J. Walker

Miscellaneous shots around Margarita Ville

One of the many nameless waterfalls in the area.

Photo by J. Walker



Photo by J. Walker

Margarita Ville

Just 25 KM from Baños, (25 minutes by bus), on the Puyo highway, is a wide spot in the road called San Francisco. There is not much there, outside of a few houses, and a general store.

Margajita River

Photo by J. Walker

A few hundred meters past the "City Center" is the Margajita River and a small resort consisting of three A-frame cabins, river fed swimming pool, main house on the highway and an outside restaurant...And just about the prettiest scenery you could ever imagine.


Photo by J. Walker

A month ago I received an E-Mail from a friend of mine who lives in Mexico, advising me that a friend of his, for many years, was bored in Cabo San Lucas and was going to visit Baños. When Lorenzo Walters arrived, I gave him a tour of the neighborhood, so to speak, and when I showed him the property that was for lease on the Puyo Highway, he went a little nuts. A couple of days later he asked me if I wanted to go 50-50 on the place. I guess going nuts is contagious because a week later, we have "Margarita Ville".

The main house and restaurant are on highway level.
Margarita Ville on the Margajita River.

Photo by J. Walker

One of the most popular activities here in Baños is a bicycle trip to Puyo. Since it is 90% downhill it is an easy trek even if you are a little out of shape. All of these trekers have to pass Margarita Ville, and our first order of business is to get flyer/maps in the hands of all of the bike-rental companies with our new name highlighted and offering, Coke, Beer or a pitcher of Margaritas. If they go for the pitcher we may have them for the night. I suggested to one of the outfiters that they sell them a two day trip with an overnight. No need to fly by these natural wonders, that should be seen in two or three days at the least. Hardly anyone bikes the return. They put the bike on the top of a bus and ride in comfort.

Looking up to the main house and restaurant.

Photo by J. Walker


Photo by J. Walker

The sleeping units are clean and comfortable. Each cabin has two levels and sleeps up to six.


Photo by J. Walker

We are not overly optimistic about the overnighters, so we have decided to turn one of the units into an English school for the pre-school children from San Francisco and Rio Negro. There is sufficient room for two volunteers to live in the upper level and have the lower level for a class room. If anyone is interested in this type of volunteer work please let me know.

For continuing information on what is going on at Margarita Ville and the English school for toddlers click here.

Carnival in Baños

The Carnival Celebration was a little tame for the younger generation but just right for me. There were parades and fireworks and a few cultural events. The streets were blocked off for the better part of a week and it was nice to walk around without the traffic. The town was completely full as Monday and Tuesday were national holidays giving everyone a four day weekend.

There were not many water balloons, but there was a big business being made with a special “Carnival Foam” spray. It came in different colors and although it looked pretty bad during the first attack, I found that it disappeared in five or ten minutes and did not leave stains. Before Tuesday was history, I was looking for a store to buy a can so that I at least I could fight back.

t is still a wonder to me, how you can have all of that rowdy fun, mixed with a lot of beer and not have one altercation, at least that I saw, during the entire carnival celebration.

What´s new in Baños

It is official...I am now a legal resident of Ecuador. Shortly after arriving in Baños I realized that if I traveled the world I would probably not find a better place to call home, at least for now, then where I was. The process of becoming a legal resident is extremely simple, but not easy...the frustrations caused by typical bureaucrats, who are the same the world over, made the process an adventure. After eight trips to Quito, I walked away yesterday with my visa, and a wealth of information about the process. I realized, after the second visit that I could have saved a lot of time if I had accepted the services of one of the many lawyers that hang around the visa office, but being the stubborn person that I have always been, I elected to tough it out and do it myself. I am glad I did....I got to know Quito better and I learned a lot about Ecuadorian culture.

After the Christmas and New Years celebrations, Baños has been calm for the last three weeks. The weather has been beautiful....mostly sunny days, a few rainy nights and although the calendar says it is summer, the temperature is about the same as the middle of winter or spring....a little less rain. Three Kings Day, the 6th of January is not a big celebration here in Ecuador as it is in other Latin countries. In Mexico, it is a day for gifts for the children and the special cake with the plastic doll that is baked inside. In Columbia it is a holiday with a lot of people in the streets spraying each other with colored substances, with the festivities continuing with music and booze until the early morning. But here in Baños....nothing, if you did not look at the calendar, you would miss it altogether.

Carnival, however, is just around the corner. It will start on the 2nd or 3rd of February and end at midnight on the 8th. There are many events planned for these days but as yet there is not a firm schedule. There is a custom in Ecuador of throwing water balloons at each other and dropping them from the roofs of buildings, on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Here in Baños the sport has been banned because the tourist do not know weather to get angry or join in. Although the custom is officially banned, according to my friends the young people still participate. When they run out of balloons they may use eggs or avocados or what whatever they can get their hands on. One friend said it is best to stay off the streets unless you want to get wet. I will see first hand in a couple of weeks, just what happens...maybe a raincoat will be in order. It is expected, during these days that the town will be full. If you plan to visit, a reservation might be in order.

Well now that I am a resident, I plan to keep busy on some projects that I have been considering. The first is the library. My first call for books, netted a few, and I thank the donors very much.. I realize that the cost of postage can be several times the book cost so this was not a very practical idea. I would also like to find a way to put a couple of computers in the library and connect them to the internet. It will be a great investment in the future of this community. More on this later. It is a fine line that I have to walk, so as not to offend, and yet make a difference. I have made friends with a number of Bañeros who have lived here all of their lives, some young and some old. I keep remembering the book...The Ugly American....where this physically ugly Peach Corp volunteer changed the lives of a small village in SE Asia by setting about to do his work with the materials at hand. In a short time the locals were asking him how he made the improvements and when he showed them, they copied his ideas. If he had tried to force his ideas on them he would have made a difference, but not without some resentments.

This is a great town to live in, with so much natural beauty that I would hate to see it change. Everything necessary to be happy is here. We have no super markets or shopping malls...but those places just make a person want more and if you don´t have the money to buy the latest gadgets you feel deprived. I have always felt that no mater what you have, it is human nature to want more and herein lies the beginning of discontent. The solution is to get rid of some of your wants and peace returns. And that is what I have found here...the people have a decent life style and for the most part are content. The retired people living on pensions are the group that needs help most. It is sad to see them lined up at the bank to get their monthly $30 payment. Even here it is just not enough.

Welcome 2005

First of all, I want to wish everyone a very happy and prosperous 2005. As always, when I look back on the previous year it seems that it flew by, and yet when I think about all that happened, the adventures and the misadventures, it brings back so many memories that I wonder how it all could have happened in one short year. The past year was not without disappointments, but that is life, and I don’t think I would enjoy the experience half as much without a few, just to keep things in perspective. It was a great 2004 and I look forward to a greater 2005.

Here in Baños, life continues to be an adventure. The Christmas Season started somewhere near the first of November when some of the businesses put up Christmas trees, however, I did not feel the commercial undercurrents that motivates people to spend more than they can afford, even though there were plenty of advertisements on the television.

One might think that the town would be “fiesta’d out” after the eight-day birthday party, but starting Christmas Week, there were parades almost everyday, put on by the different schools in Baños and the surrounding communities. On Christmas Eve, many people go to mass at midnight and Christmas day it is business as usual for most people.

New Years Eve is another story...today I saw many cars and trucks with effigies of someone strapped to the front bumper. When I inquired as to the significance, I was told that these dolls represented someone who had given them problems during the year. It could be anyone....your wife, your husband or a politician. (All in fun I am told). At midnight these along with others, large and small will be burned after a reading of their last will and testament

During the day and night there are many people dressed in all sorts of costumes roaming the streets. During the day they will stop busses and cars with a cord stretched across the street or highway and ask for money. During the night if you are not wearing a costume you will be asked for money by those who are. If you are wearing a costume you are home free, so it could be much cheaper to make a costume and buy a mask.

After living through my first New Year’s Eve in Baños, the words that first come to mind “It’s a Riot”. Some “Barrios” really take the whole thing seriously, making elaborate displays, blocking off entire streets for their own block party.


Photo by Alex Hernandez


Photo by Alex Hernandez

This is my friend and photographer, Alex Hernandez. Anyone that would take a spike in the head so that he could save a few pennies or make a few...deserves at least a dime.

Photo by Alex Hernandez

Walking around town in the early evening, trying my best to dodge the hoards of ghouls who are bent on extracting money whenever they catch you, I realized I had better find somewhere to change my dollars into smaller coins. These are not just children ....these are people of all ages who are definitely young at heart. During my wanderings I saw all sorts of effigies....In front of one restaurant I saw what appeared to be the chef. In front of the market was the likeness of the manager and the butcher. Of course there were likenesses of the local police, the jailer and of course the President. Even Bart Simpson with his slingshot and two of his victims were represented...all awaiting their fiery demise.


Photo by Alex Hernandez


Photo by Alex Hernandez

Around 11:30PM, I went to the roof of the building where I live, which gave me a view of the whole city and waited for the climax. From there, I could hear at least four different bands at various points in the city. Thousands of people were in the streets and fireworks were erupting from everywhere. This went on for about a half hour and at 12 midnight, bonfires were set on every street and the effigies creamated.


Photo by Alex Hernandez

The music continued for several hours before things started to quiet down. It was a wonderful experience and although the booze flowed freely, I saw no fights or wanton disregard for the rights of others.

New Years Day....after a cloudy beginning, the clouds cleared and we had a beauty sunny day....a wonderful beginning for 2005. With the exception of the Santa Maria Supper Market which was closed....business was normal. Because of the long holiday weekend, the city was packed.

The Fiestas de Baños 2004 Are Now History

The 60th anniversary of the founding of Baños is now history. The eight day celebration started with an Albazo throughout the streets of the city at 5:00Am on the 9th of December and finished with a concert and fireworks display in the Palomino Florez Park in front of the City Hall on the 16th. The “Albazo” is a Spanish word meaning, dawn attack, or maybe reveille. Most of the population awoke to the sound of music provided by a band sitting on top of a small bus, as it drove through all of the streets of Baños. From this awaking it was almost non-stop activities for the next eight days.

There were events for all ages and interests. Chess tournaments on the main street; bicycle races from Baños to Puyo, a distance of about 30 miles and mostly downhill; bicycles and tricycle races in town for the kids from five years to eight years old; there were cake sales; art fairs; a volleyball tournament with nearby towns competing; parades; a soccer match between Quito and Baños with Quito taking the trophy. The list could go on and on.

On the seventh day of the festival, Baños was treated to a concert by the Metropolitan Orcastra of Quito. They preformed for more than an hour inside the Basilica. They played a variety of music which included Glenn Millers, In The Mood.

Photo by Alex Hernandez

During these days, although an event would end late at night, with all the trash that is thrown by the crowd, the next morning when you walked down town the streets were clean and looked as if nothing had happened the night before. If they needed a stage for an event, they blocked off the street and with 12, 55 gallon drums, 12 large bamboo polls, a little rope, a few plywood sheets and some canvas, in less than an hour you had a covered bandstand. The following morning there was no evidence that an event had even taken place.

On the first day of the Fiesta de Baños, the 40th running of the Carrera de Coches de Madera. (Race of the Cars of Wood.) This race starts about 20 KM outside of town, at a place called The “U” de Pelileo. There were 42 cars entered for this years race. From this point it is approximately 90% down hill to the finish line in the center of Baños. When there is an uphill grade the drivers must get off and push. When they enter the city they come down a “S” curve, across the Bascun Bridge and when they run out of steam they need to push the car about 500 meters to the last down hill run on Martinez Street at Gonzalo Diaz de Pineda.

An hour before the race the first enthusiast start arriving. And who could be more enthusiastic then kids.

Photo by J. Walker

A fallen tree makes pretty good bleachers-

Photo by J. Walker

The police clear the street anticipating the first cars.

Photo by J. Walker

This is the most dangerous part of the race as the downhill grade on this section of Martinez is about 30 degrees or more.This picture gives a feelins of how steep the downhil grade.

Photo by J. Walker

As the cars cross Pastaza Street they are actually airborne and when the wheels touch down, some loose control and crash into the crowd injuring both the drivers and spectators alike. The race this year was not without injuries. Thirteen people were taken to the hospital...five had broken bones and one had a head and neck injury.



Photo by J. Walker



Photo by J. Walker



Photo by J. Walker



Photo by J. Walker

Although the police are there to keep the crowd out of the way of the on-coming cars, is almost a sport to temp fate as the crowd envelopes the oncoming car. At times accidents are caused because the crowd doesn’t move fast enough. Just like Pamplona....only these are not bulls.

Photo by J. Walker

The race is against the clock and each car leaves the starting point at approximately one minute intervals. Even with this one minute separation some of the cars overtake the one in front. This year, one car was trying to pass on the steepest part of Martinez and clipped the rear wheel and they both flipped. That accident sent several to the hospital.

A few years ago, the city changed the final leg of the race to come down Montalvo Street which does not have the grade of Martinez. The race was completed without accidents and the next year it was moved back to Martinez. As one person told me...”A race without accidents, is not a race.”

Over the years, the all wooden cars have evolved into hybrids of wood, metal and even some with inflated tires. It was interesting to see that the cars with hard wooded wheels had better times then the numatic tires. All of the cars that finished made the trip in from 35 to 49 minutes. The contestants are mostly from Baños but several come from other cities to win the coveted trophies. A very emotional afternoon.


There were two major parades in this years festival.

Pregón de Fiesta...This parade took place in the afternoon of the second day. It started at 2:00PM and ended close to six. For a town the size of Baños it seemed to be a very long parade.



Photo by J. Walker



Photo by J. Walker

Although there were many beautiful children in the parade...this is my favorite.

Photo by J. Walker

Most of the town turns out all along the parade route as most of the businesses close, at least until their child has passed in review. The theme of the parade was the “La Alegria y Encanto de Baños”, more or less....The happy and enchanted life in Baños.

The Military Parade is always held on the 16th. This parade was impressive as each school participated with a band, and all of the senior grades marched in uniforms. The bands were made up of mostly drums. I counted 50 in one unit from one of the larger schools. The students have practiced for the last month for this parade and for the most part they were very good. Close to where I live there is a night college that practiced at least an hour for this event each night, starting around 9:30PM, in the parking lot of the bus station which is across the street from where I live. If you can imagine 40 or 50 drums beating for an hour at this time of night, I was obviously happy when the big parade day came. I watched with special interest when this group passed. They looked stunning in their white uniforms and as they passed I had to admit that all that lost sleep was a small price to pay to view their performance.

It was a wonderful week. Everyone has a great time and if you plan now you can watch the 41st running of the Race of Wooden Cars....live.

My photographer friend....Jessie Walker.

Photo by J. Walker

Jesse Walker has taken many of the pictures that are displayed here on my blog. They are Copywrited and All rights are reserved.

Bird of Paradise

Photo by J. Walker

A Project To Get Excited About

A few days ago, Guido Washington, a young attorney in town, asked me if I was interested in looking at some property he had and hearing about his plan to develop it into a nature park for the tourists. I am always interested in an adventure so off we went.

Our first stop was at the basilica where he showed me the large painting of one of the famous miracles attributed to the virgin of the Holy Waters, where a man was pulling himself across the San Francisco gorge in a small basket suspended by ropes anchored to a large tree on the Baños side. The rope broke and I presume the man plunged into the Pastaza river a hundred meters below. He was saved, according to legend by the intervention of the Virgin.


Photo by Alex Hernandez

From the church we proceeded to the San Francisco Bridge which spans this same gorge only at a higher level. This modern bridge was built in 2000-2002, after the townspeople returned from their forced exile when the government was taking precautions for the safety of the inhabitants, while preparing for the worst. This new bridge replaces the old foot bridge, and will serve as an efficient evacuation route should it ever be needed in the future.

From here we took a small trail that led down to the old foot bridge which is still in service and used by a few locals as a short cut to their small farms to the north of the city.

Below the new bridge is a whole new adventure.

Photo by J. Walker


View of the old from the new.

Photo by J. Walker



Photo by J. Walker


Here is the historic tree that is pictured in 1940 painting in the basilica, that once anchored the cable for the perilous trip across the river. During the construction of the new bridge the tree was almost destroyed but the owner managed to save most of it.


Photo by J. Walker

Trunk of this historic tree.


Photo by J. Walker


The project as I understand it will be to improve the trails on both sides of the river. as well as reconstruct the trail that goes to the left of the foot bridge to a little know waterfall where the Bascun River empties into the Pastasa. The area to the South which is on the right side of the above photo will be landscaped with native plants of various species. The round-house will serve as a snack bar and information center. This nature park will be a place where the locals and tourists alike could come for a hike The hike in and out of the area will be a loop that will take them on both sides of the river.



Photo by J. Walker


The trail construction, at this point is most important. Washington would like to have help in this part of the plan. The problem with trails in this area where there is a lot of rain is to build a trail that will have little impact on the natural surroundings and not be washed away every few months. Trail building is an art...if there are any professionals in this line of work and looking for an adventure, here is your excuse to come to Baños.