Quito, Day 3 - 16 December 2021

Galivanting thru the Galapagos & the Amazon

Day 3 - Quito to Papallacta Hot Springs, Ecuador - Thursday, December 16, 2021

Up at 6:20am.  Regular routine getting to breakfast & bus by 8am.  Then 1 ½ hour drive to the Papallacta Hot Springs.  Unfortunately it got cloudier & rainy the further we went up the mountain.  No views to speak of, but no problems either.  

After we got our keys & checked in, we went for a walk with Delfin.  He doesn’t slow down for nothin!  It was cool & drizzly.  George was definitely not happy that we were getting soaked.  Did about a mile – huffing & puffing due to the 11,000’ altitude.  Saw a Masked Trogon and mate, a Rufous sparrow, & a Glossy Flower Piercer.  Cool!  Also a Shining Sunbeam Hummingbird!!!!  Turned back before we finished the hike, but too cold & wet.  He said we had at least experienced the Cloud Rainforest.  Lots of water at the headwaters of the Napo. 

Then back & we went in all 6 of the Hot Pools - well, one was a cold pool & we skipped it after watching a few folks step in & then hurridly jump back out!  I have included a few pictures of the pools from the internet as I didn't take my cell phone out in the pool area.  Each pool had a different specialty - all had some sort of alcoves to get under a valve individually or a lounge area cut into the rock.  Wow!  Awesome!  

Enjoyed a marvelous lunch & we shared lots of talking & pictures & got Delfin’s What’s App.  Also introduced him to Merlin.  Then everyone else drifted in & had a nice lunch.  We had a steak (perfect), French fries, red cabbage, & a green salad.

Drive back we snoozed through the rain. Short meeting about 6:30pm to prepare for tomorrow’s Amazon flight. A little computer work after finishing the repacking & then posted a little on FB. TV about 9:15pm & bed about 10:30pm.  Tomorrow is a long day with flight to Coca for our 3 nights in the Amazon!!!