Today Kathleen and I struck out on a hike north of Baños, Ecuador. Maps we examined, and people we talked to told us about trails on the south side of town to get a look at Volcano Tungurahua (Toon-hoora-hoo-ah). Instead, Kathleen and I took a road that zig-zagged up the side of a mount on the north side of town concluding that the view of the volcano would be better.
By mid-morning we crossed over the Rio Pastaza and up a road that was a steady upward climb for nearly 5-miles. However, the views of the volcano were great along the way. 
Tungurahua came back to life in 1999 after an 80-year dormancy. In 2007 a significant eruption doused towns to the west with ash. While we were looking at the over 15,000-foot stratovolcano, steam belched from the summit making huge clouds.
At the top of our climb we had a women tell us to take a road that went down the mountain side on the opposite side we had come up. We did so, and found the road to be more pleasant as we encountered nearly zero traffic.
At the bottom of the mountain, we still had another 2-mile hike back into town. Fortuitously, a taxi came by and we were able to ride into town. Looking at a map later, we determined we had hiked nearly 9-miles.We finished our day with a fine meal and then watched the Ecuadorans vacation in Baños.
The square in Banos is just like I remembered. Thank you for the trip down memory lane :)
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