Papallacta is a tiny village 67km from Quito so it can be accessed as a day trip or an easy overnight trip. We caught a trolley bus in Mariscal (on 6 de Decembre ) and rode it to the end of the line to the bus terminal Quitumbe. The new terminal is very modern and efficient and we were able to purchase a ticket (direction to Baeza or Tena) for $3 each. The ride was much longer than we thought/were told and was about 2.5 hours. Other tourists that we met who had come for a day trip were very disappointed about how long it took and would likely not have made the trek otherwise. The only other option is to arrange a driver but we were being quoted $70 and the bus was a fun experience with a barrage of salespeople and musicians entertaining us at each stop.
We decided to splurge and stay at the infamous Hotel Termas de Papallacta (over $100) which was quite possibly the most amazing hotel we have ever stayed in. Imagine staying in a beautiful adobe style cabin with private hot pools all around that are available to you 24 hours of the day! This was luxury to the extreme. The grounds alone were spectacular with an amazing backdrop of the lush landscape and soaring mountains and the rooms were cosy with thermally heated floors that felt like a dream.
After a quick bite to eat we walked down to the pools that are also available to the public (~$8 entry fee including lockers and change rooms) and found tons of pools varying in temperature from really cold to extremely (almost painfully!) hot. As dusk fell the setting became more beautiful and we were dazzled by the natural surroundings and the luxurious pools. Our attention was quickly captured by a group of hysterical people running from the hottest pool to the coldest one and they decided that we must partake as well. The coldest pool was intense enough to have us all scream out loud although they figured since we were Canadian it shouldn't be too bad for us! They underestimated the extent of our wimpyness!
Ecuador has been amazing in so many ways from the culture, rich history, and beautiful vistas but it's really the Ecuadorian people that stand out. We have never met so many lovely and hospitable people on our travels before although we have met incredible people all over the world. For example after spending only twenty minutes talking with a couple from Quito they were offering us a ride back to the city if we needed one! The next day when we returned to the pools before checking out we met Andrea and her family who encapsulate the generosity of Ecuadorians perfectly. They were not only enjoyable to hang out with but genuinely wanted to help us maximize our trip and by the end of our time we had a perfect itinerary planned and a warm goodbye of, "mi casa is su casa." The next day we received an email detailing that they had called a contact in the Galapagos and explained that we were their best friends and to please take care of us (unfortunately we missed this email until we were already in the Galapagos) and the email was signed, "your Ecuadorian family." These people are stunning and I can only hope that Canadians are as welcoming to travellers.
Josh speaking Spanish has undeniably been a huge asset! He will say that he needs more practise but he is complimented everywhere he goes and everyone is surprised that a Canadian speaks Spanish! I've been trying to learn from him and my experiences but mostly end up saying, "hablo poco Espanol pero entiendo mas" (I speak a little but understand more) so they know that I'm listening as much as I can. It's difficult to say but I think maneuvering Ecuador would be harder without at least a working understanding of some simple phrases and we are undoubtably having a richer experience as a result.
Beyond the wonderful locals we have met we are connecting with many travellers from all over. Talking with people about their countries is always eye opening and it's always interesting to learn their insider perspective. We enjoyed meeting a couple from Argentina who discussed the current government as being very socially oriented but also about how the effects of the economic recession are still being felt and many professionals are unable to "legally" work and earn a living "under the table" so to speak. They have recently discovered oil but the only way to retrieve it is through frakking and there are obvious concerns there of course so in general economic growth will be slow. I was suprised to learn that they are not allowed to buy US dollars unless they have a plane ticket in hand! We were convinced however that Argentina needs to be on our upcoming travel list soon but it always has been because our decision this time was between Ecuador and Argentina.
After the public pools we headed to the low key bar for a drink and I ordered Canalazo which is a sugar cane based alcoholic drink that is served warm with cinnamon- que rico (how delicious)! There we met Alla, an epidemiologist from the States, and we enjoyed bantering about health care models around the world, the pharmaceutical industry, and the student loan pressure college grads have to contend with in the States. She said she was eager to talk to us as she was on a tour with her family for her father's 50th birthday and being an independent traveller the tour was a strange experience for her. It was interesting to hear her perspective on the States and I can't stress enough how fortunate we have been in meeting so many fascinating people.
Since we had 24 hour access to the private pools in front our of cabin we thought it would be remiss not to use them again that evening and we stayed in them until past 1am! It was a perfect experience laying in the steamy water with the raindrops falling softly on our faces as we looked at the stars. It was such a magical feeling that even Josh was silent! Nothing makes me feel more at peace than connecting with the outdoors and that peaceful feeling has stayed with me since then. Very rejuvenating!
In the morning it was so difficult to leave that we decided to stay after checking out and hang out in the hotel and around the grounds. We had hoped to go for a hike in the beautiful mountains but the pouring rain prevented us and without the facilities to change we didn't want to catch a chill. The staff at the hotel were so sweet to us as we lounged around and even gave us coffees on the house. We planned that evening to stay in Tababela which is the nearest town to the airport since we were flying out to the Galapagos the next day. It is only an 5-8 minute drive to the airport but the town is very small as Josh and I discovered when we went for a walk and could not find anywhere to eat so had to settle for our homestay's supper (totally fine but strange environment.) I'm not sure if I would recommend staying in Tababela unless it's for someone flying into the airport and leaving the next day. Since Quito is only a 40 minute ride away with the new infrastructure I would have preferred to stay there.
Off to the Galapagos tomorrow! This could easily be a dream come true vacation and we are so excited!
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