Tungurauha and Banos

Tungurauha is an active volcano with a height of 5030 m. When I was in Cotopaxi I met an American couple who told me they had met 2 vulcanologists who told them the Tungurauha was expected to erupt this week and they were going there to film. Reason enough to go there too. I read in the Lonely Planet that the village of Patate was a good place for observing the volcanoes (there are more there) so I took the bus to Patate and chose a litttle hotel recommended by lonely planet. i asked if I could have a room with volcano view. Well, you cannot see the Tungurauha from there at all. My room's name was Chimborazo (the name of the highest volcano in Ecuador, 6310 m. high). I could see in front of my room, when it wasn't cloudy,  approximately the last 10 meters of Chimborazo's  6310 m.. So the next day I went to Banos, a little town at the foot of Tungurauha with a marvelous view all around, only you cannot see Tungurauha from Banos. I asked at the tourist office if it was about to erupt and they said NO. The owner of the hotel where I stayed said it was in eruption, but it wasn't a strong eruption. Well, no photos of erupting volcanoes in my blog this time, sorry. 

I made a little trip from Banos to some neighboring waterfalls. We passed a pretty canyon

At some of the waterfalls you could cross to the other side with something similar but much more primitive than a cable car.

The scenery is beautiful, it is just a pity it was clouded and raining. When I finished the tour the rain stopped and the sun came out! 

It is amazing where people build their houses

The nicest hike was to a waterfall called Pailon del Diablo. We went down a lot of stairs and 2 hanging bridges

and arrived close to the top of the waterfall. 

with beautiful wild orchids on the way

and here near the top of the fall

there is such a dense vegetation all around on these mountains

When I came back I made a little stroll through Banos and then took a taxi to hotel Luna Runtun, 

an outrageously expensive hotel at a beautiful location on a mountain above Banos from where you have a wonderful view of the town. 

and then I took a taxi to the mountain on the other side of the valley, from where you can see Tungurauha in all its majesty. Here some pictures I took on the way up:

Here Tungurauha is still hiding under a scarf of clouds

and here the valley as seen from the other side

 the higher you get, the more you see of Tungurauha

Sometimes a veil of fog pased by, giving it a mystical look.

the scenery up there is fantastic.

as the clouds kept moving I realized there is actually smoke coming out of the crater.

on the way , another look at the valley direction east. Only about 45 minutes by bus from Banos you get to the Amazonas jungle!

From the hotel to Bano, about 18 km., I had a ride with the owner of my hotel. We were there in about 20 minutes. Back with 2 busses it took 1,5 hours. the hotel is at a very quiet location, but the owners have 4 dogs that barked the whole night. I couldn*t believe that they didn't get tired of barking. When I told the owner I had hardly slept that night because of that dog concert, she admitted she hadn't slept either. One female dog in the neighbourhood was (what do you call it?) and that drove all the dogs crazy. 

That was yesterday. Today I made my way to Guaranda and hope to see Chimborazo tomorrow, Please pray for me that there be no clouds! Just now I am hearing some dogs bark outside, I hope it will not be a night like the last one! Seems all female dogs in Ecuador get (what do you call it?) at this time!