Story: In Banos: life happens when you're making travel plans.

In Banos, viewing smoking Volcan Chimbrozo is best done from the top of the hillside that overlooks the city. This volcano came close to erupting in 1999 and has been smoldering ever since. Our hike up was motivated by a wonderful view of a city that was surrounded by foothills on either side. We reached the top and realized that this was the same location where we viewed the volcano from last night. ( A bus took a group up to this spot but we couldn’t see anything except for a smoking cloud. I think the whole trip was an excuse to drink and be entertained by the dollar-seeking fire stick juggler brothers.) A few glances at the peak yielded the same results as last night and were even less spectacular without booze.

Donna (life, travel partner) and I were thirsty and decided to have a seat at the beat up concession stand at the top of the hill We struck up a conversation with a local named Raul, who was visiting a relative in the area. Raul spoke pretty good English and knew a lot about the history of the volcano. He told us of the tense times around the time of the eruption.

We were about to leave when Raul put a plastic bag of groceries on the table in front of us. He asked us if we could deliver them to this woman and her children that lived off the trail on the way down. I was a bit leery of the type of response we would get. I envisioned Donna and I knocking on someone’s hut, with our broken Spanish and delivering a mysterious bag. We looked at each other and decided with a shrug to do the good deed. We finished our drinks and said our goodbyes and took the bag, when Raul said “No, I am coming with you.” He gathered his things. “Oh, I’m sorry I misunderstood,” I said. I gave the bag back, not wanting to offend him.

We walked down the trail together and he explained to us how the woman had four young children and could use the food. He does this every time he visits. We walked off the trail and onto the slanted hillside. A tiny tin shack became visible as the path veered left. A small dog began to bark. Raul approached first. The woman came out and Raul greeted her in Spanish. We shook her hand and smiled. Raul handed her the groceries and she accepted them with a smile. A quick wave from her and we walked to her home. It was divided into two areas: sleeping and cooking. A “101 Dalmatians” towel was used as a doorway between the rooms. Standing by the doorway was a young girl about 7. Then, one by one, two more girls appeared from the sleeping area.

It was around dinner time and she was tending to a large pot cooking over an open flame. Raul spoke with her and told us that she was happy we stopped by. I got the 'ok' to take pictures. I snapped a few shots of the girls and they seemed to pose almost too perfectly. I felt like he had done this to other tourists, but I put that thought aside and took the experience as it was.

They worked very hard for what they had. She showed Donna and I these huge limes she had grown that were about the size of a mango. Raul also showed us her passion fruit and I realized that she had a pretty large garden mixed in with the natural vegetation. She gave us a few limes and I gave her a handful of change, which she accepted. Raul explained to us that she made a living buy selling her harvest in Banos.

The sun was setting and we hinted to Raul that we should probably get back to Banos. It was so satisfying to have met this interesting family. They invited us into their home, gave us food and expected nothing in return. This was just a day of Ecuadorian life, but it was way more interesting than our intended destination. Trying the path off the main trail is a lesson we can always learn from.