L'avenue des Volcans - Lasso/ Latacunga/ Baňos/ Riobamba

Departed at 9:00 am from the hotel after a copious fantastic local breakfast. Took a 4*4 from the Hacienda to Lasso, where we waited on the Panamerican road to catch the bus to Baňos. Those buses are just amazing: they hardly to stop to let you in or out!!, they play very loud Ecuadorian music or film, and they have various sellers of water, food, fruits, papers, etc who jump in an out at the each simili stop!!

After 2 hours of crazy fast drive, I arrived under a beautiful sun in Baňos (quite lucky as it is normally tropical foggy), which is a nice city at the door of the Amazonia and at only 1,820m in altitude. A very lovely bath/ thermal city,

surrounded by cascades with extraordinary views!

Then, retook one of those incredible buses to go to Riobamba in 2 hours. The whole ride was beautiful (except for the cities) as mountains and/ or volcanoes were nearby all the way and the sun was shining.

Was welcomed very nicely at the hotel and, when I asked for the famous ‘narriz del Diablo’ train that I intend to take on Wednesday, they tell me it’s sold out!! Remember, this is the one where you sit on the roof with your 'Peruvian' hat! Anyways, that’s were it helps to speak Spanish (and being friendly, obviously!) as, after begging and praying, the receptionist took me to see one of her friends at the train station who found ‘a just cancelled’ ticket J!Nobody else could get one! Viva el Espanol!... However, before you get disappointed, you will not get the famous picture, as they are now not allowing to seat on the roof any longer for security reasons… Anyways, I will still live the grandiose landscape and vertiginous virages, émotions garanties!...