Mountain Scenes

Friends: the Bishop of the Cotacachi ward seemed reluctant to find us much work to do for the members of his ward, us being old and decrepit and all. We decided after a week to move on to Banos. We have been there before and love the town and thermal baths. We also like hiking in the mountains that surround banos. (the N in Banos has a squiggle over that means it is pronounced Banyos).

While heading for a mountain path we encountered some people coming to town driving a mule loaded with tomatoes. It had just left the path which is an access trail to some houses, green houses gardens and orchards that are on the mountain side.

The next couple pictures are of houses on the mountain side. Every here and there water gushes out of the mountain. People try to build near these springs, but some run plastic pipe for long distances from them and most all have running water in thir homes and most also have electricity. Here and there are houses of cement and brick where every bit arrived on the back of a mule. No sense bringing an empty mule back from market.

The last picture shows a black cloud rising up from Tungurahua volcano. The actual top of the mountain is hidden in cloud. We watched 5 eruptions from the next mountain. It mostly spews smoke and ash, and if you can get a glimpse at night, some molten lava. It rumbles and booms and reminds the people of Banos that it is there. In 2006 it produced enough lava that it blocked the road to Ambato and the town was evacuated for 6 months till things settled down.

Pete