We're still trying to figure out how we went from a morning of sitting in hot springs to an afternoon with six Ecuadorean grandpas--all the while sticking to the twenty words we actually know in Spanish. By the end of the day, we convinced ourselves we were fluent. Because how else in the world do you have hours of conversation with people who don't speak a lick of English? The gift of tongues is real people.
We started out at the hot springs perfectly placed on the side of the mountain beneath a massive waterfall. The hot springs themselves were less than enticing, especially with dozens of people crowding the murky waters. Everyone's bathing suits were quite questionable in the areas of opaque material and physical support. But the swim caps. Those swim caps reallyyyyy did their job holding everyone's hair in place. And I'd argue we rocked ours pretty well.
When we first arrived we stood around watching everyone else for a good fifteen minutes trying to figure out what we were supposed to do. When in doubt, do as the locals do. First we showered, then we took the plunge in hot water that smelled like pee. I was expecting a sulfur smell--you know, like most natural hot springs. As far as how organic these hot springs were, I'm not sure. Given the smell, I don't want to think about it too much. We couldn't even see two inches below the surface. #winning
We eventually gravitated towards the hottest pool. Minutes after we got in, three old men offered us glasses of water. We listened to our mama--don't accept drinks from strangers. We politely declined. And from there, a conversation was sparked. Don't ask how we got as far as we did, but this is what we gathered:
1. The indigenous people are striking tomorrow and it's going to be dangerous in the cities. We won't be able to get anywhere. But the airport should be fine.
2. The men are from a town called Ambato--an hour away. They come to the hot springs every Wednesday together.
3. We wanted to try frittatas and they just happened to know the perfect place. Not weird at all.
4. They wanted to take us to lunch.
5. We were all leaving in 30 minutes. Deal.
And in true Heidi Kate fashion, we couldn't turn them down. We looked at each other and said, 'You feel good about it? Yeah, I feel good about it. We'll just make sure the car doors are never locked in case we need to bail.'
We eventually gravitated towards the hottest pool. Minutes after we got in, three old men offered us glasses of water. We listened to our mama--don't accept drinks from strangers. We politely declined. And from there, a conversation was sparked. Don't ask how we got as far as we did, but this is what we gathered:
1. The indigenous people are striking tomorrow and it's going to be dangerous in the cities. We won't be able to get anywhere. But the airport should be fine.
2. The men are from a town called Ambato--an hour away. They come to the hot springs every Wednesday together.
3. We wanted to try frittatas and they just happened to know the perfect place. Not weird at all.
4. They wanted to take us to lunch.
5. We were all leaving in 30 minutes. Deal.
And in true Heidi Kate fashion, we couldn't turn them down. We looked at each other and said, 'You feel good about it? Yeah, I feel good about it. We'll just make sure the car doors are never locked in case we need to bail.'
Twenty minutes later, off we went.
We sat in the front seat of a truck with Carlos.
It didn't take two minutes for us to confirm he had a wife, kids and grandkids. For some reason that was enough reason to believe we weren't with a crazy? If he had grandkids, he had to have a heart, no? We also asked multiple times how far this restaurant was. He kept saying 'cerca cerca, no problemo.' Isn't that what they all say? I took a picture on my phone of all three of us--just in case I needed to throw it out the window for evidence of who had taken us. Down the windy road we went. Kate and I were still familiar with where we were, which somehow made us feel okay about it all.
We sat in the front seat of a truck with Carlos.
It didn't take two minutes for us to confirm he had a wife, kids and grandkids. For some reason that was enough reason to believe we weren't with a crazy? If he had grandkids, he had to have a heart, no? We also asked multiple times how far this restaurant was. He kept saying 'cerca cerca, no problemo.' Isn't that what they all say? I took a picture on my phone of all three of us--just in case I needed to throw it out the window for evidence of who had taken us. Down the windy road we went. Kate and I were still familiar with where we were, which somehow made us feel okay about it all.
And then. In the distance. We saw 'fritada'. Oh the relief. And as we were told, we pulled up to the other car with all six abuelos getting out. We finally realized we were onto something good.
We walked into the one-room restaurant. Kitchen and two tables included. And within minutes we were all sitting down eating fritadas. Still couldn't tell you what they were, but they were good.
We walked into the one-room restaurant. Kitchen and two tables included. And within minutes we were all sitting down eating fritadas. Still couldn't tell you what they were, but they were good.
That's when our walls began to drop. And our Spanish maybe even improved as we struggled through an hour of conversation and laughs. Mostly courtesy laughs and Kate saying, 'Just go with it Heidi.' Somehow we communicated that Kate did luge in the Sochi Olympics...just picture a massive game of charades. And once they figured out she was an Olympian, the applause broke out and so did the cameras. They all wanted a picture and a signature.
We kept telling them they were our Ecuadorean abuelos...as if voicing the relationship made us feel safer as we dined with six retired men named Carlos, Francisco, Jorge, Enrique, Roberto and Galo.
We kept telling them they were our Ecuadorean abuelos...as if voicing the relationship made us feel safer as we dined with six retired men named Carlos, Francisco, Jorge, Enrique, Roberto and Galo.
The afternoon ended with an invitation for us to go back to their homes to meet their families an hour away in Ambato...but we figured we'd already tested our luck once. Twice wasn't in the cards.
And that my friends, is how you get inducted into the Wednesday Abuelo Hot Spring club.
And that my friends, is how you get inducted into the Wednesday Abuelo Hot Spring club.