Wow what a day this way. After breakfast in a gorgeous hacienda we took a spectacular route along the gorge of the pastaza river to the town of Banos (Baths) which is right at the foot of the Tungurahua Volcano. Nice have a little wander through this active town and see another very old church where apparently people from all over the world as well as the locals pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Holy Water and also it's the only church in the whole of Ecuador that you are allowed to take pictures in. From there we drive to the Cascades of El Pailon del Diablo (the Devil's Cauldron). Wow what a place, here we are only 1 hour from the Amazon and you know it. It's a lush place and we decend down into the subtropical forest and as we go the sound and force of the waters is huge.

I didn't go all the way down the extremely wet and steep stairs to a lower point below the waterfall but Ray did and got some great pictures. The only downfall of course of going down to see an awesome sight like this is of course coming back up. I think it took us about 25 minutes to go down but at least an hour to come back up. Boy am I glad I gave up the cigars!! I wasn't the only one huffying and puffing thought !!

After all that excercise a well deserved lunch is needed. A beautiful 3 course at another hacienda. From there we drive up the mountain to where the clouds can be touched, alongside the massive Chimborazo, the highest mountain of Ecuador, it's 6310 metres. The whole area around is a protected Faunistic Preserve where Vicunas (little cousins to the Llamas and cute as) graze. We were very lucky to get fantastic views of the snow topped Volcano from almost all the way around on our way to Riobamba.

We finally arrive in Riobamba to stay in another hacienda this one was only about 50 years old but still beautiful. Of to bed early because we have to be up at 4.30am for an early start to Alausi for a train ride !