NOTE: Click on a photo to enlarge.

No visitor to Ecuador can see and experience all of the country.  Mary and I saw the activities described in the Part I and Part II of this series. Here are a few more observations in this final Part of our Ecuador series.

In the Banos area, hot springs abound because Banos is at the foot of an active volcano – so active that its eruptions a year or two ago endangered the town and destroyed one road leading into the town. The town is famous for Termas la Virgin, a set of pools. One contains COLD water, one contains HOT water, and one contains VERY HOT (as in lobster) water. The pool area is frequented by both locals and tourists and is the most popular attraction in town.

The admission price is reasonable and the facility is well-maintained and attractive. From the photos, you can see that the two hot pools are a murky green color – due to the high mineral content of the pools. On one of the occasions we bathed there, the patrons were all adults. On the second occasion, however, there were many local children ranging in age from 3 or 4 to teenagers. Many of the children (even those 10 or 12 years old) could not swim. Some moved about the 4 ½ foot deep pool with the aid of swim rings while others simply moved around the pool holding a bar along the edge of the pool for support. There is no supervision or lifeguard. One can readily see the potential for disaster since the water is murky, making it impossible to see someone under water or on the bottom. Nevertheless, everyone had a great time, no one drowned, and no one was sued.

The pool had no warning signs, but a visit to the local zoo did yield a disclaimer of sorts. The zoo was in a fantastic setting on a mountainside overlooking a valley and stream. At the entrance of the zoo was a sign disclaiming liability for your imprudence (see the photo). We met a number of tourists while in Ecuador (most of them European) and few would have known enough Spanish to understand the message.

The only other warning or disclaimer that we encountered in 10 days was a sign limiting a suspension bridge to five people. This warning was in English and Spanish.

Ecuador is a destination that stresses ecology and adventure. Tour companies abound providing one with the opportunity to raft, kayak, bungee jump, and more. One of the tamer activities we saw was one in which patrons rode in a basket across a deep crevasse by way of cable. In the photos, the patrons are taken across for a close-up view of a waterfall.

We hope this series has given you a little feel for fitness, recreation, and risk management in another country.

Part I – Scenes of Fitness and Recreation and Part II – Playground Equipment