Biking Banos to Puyo

Okay, I had an absolutely incredible day today.  First, I woke up, as I had planned.  EXACTLY as I had planned.  I'm not as flaky as I thought.  

Following waking up, I had a steam bath.  This is pretty funny.  For $2.75, you get taken into the steam bath area next to the rooftop terrace.  It's all enclosed, with several small rooms.  You are placed in a wooden box, where you sit and a cover is slid on to the top, with only a small hole for your next to fit through.  And then it gets HOT.  And WET.  You sit there for a few minutes, and just as you're about to pass out, they take you out, and you soak a towel in a bowl being fed by a stream of frigid water for a second before running it up your right side.  Then left.  Then center.  Then right.  Then left.  Then back.  Super cold.  Then repeat.  In one of the repetitions, you replace the toweling with siting down in a running bath of frigid water and rub your abdomen in a circular direction with two fingers for a few minutes.  At the end, you are sprayed off (right side first again) with a hose like a jailor might do to a new inmate.  

It actually felt wonderful.  After that and some delicious breakfast, I bought a pair of socks (that makes two pairs, which is better than one), a plastic poncho, and some water, and headed on a biking voyage through the mountains with Alex, from London, who is now a good friend, and Ferne, from Australia, who is also now a good friend.  It was SPECTACULAR.  Here are some of the pics.  The waterfalls were gorgeous, and the views unparalleled.  After 25 kilometers, though, Alex's chain broke.  So, I bought a five foot piece of rope off of some guy in a nearby house for 50 cents, and tied a lead from my bike to his.  We put Ferne on the bike at the end of the rope, and I towed her to some of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen.  After another 25 km, though, I was dead.  My legs just wouldn't work anymore.  So we had a beer overlooking yet another spectacular section of the river as the sun set, and then caught a bus passing by on the way back to Banos.  

Honestly, it was one of the most wonderful experiences I have ever had.  Again, full of laughs, smiles, and at least for me, love.  I think I'll wake up tomorrow too.