Oh, Holy Waters

Health fads come and go, but one wellness tradition that I am grateful has endured since ancient civilizations is good old-fashioned hot water. One of our last stops in Ecuador was Banos de Aguas Santos. This Holy Water Bath town sits peacefully in the shadow of the “Black Giant,” Ecuador's largest active volcano, Tungurahua.

Banos has been a holy Catholic site and is presided over by a mountaintop statue of the Virgin of the Holy Waters. Banos is blessed by huge, green hills, usually cased in fog, cascading falls, and... hydro-thermal hot springs. Public pools were first established in 1928, though Ecuadorians have been flocking to these holy waters before then to alleviate pains and cure diseases.

Virgin of the Sacred Waters' view of Banos

In following the theme of health and relaxation, spas and health centers have popped up on every block. Our hostel even had their own steam room and Banos de Cajon (Box Baths), my new favorite thing. The steam boxes are made of wood with a simple bench inside and a spout that spews vapor through fresh eucalyptus leaves.

One sits in the box and is enclosed entirely except for the head. The intensity of the steam can be adjusted by a lever on the inside of the box. Ryan and I experienced the boxes three mornings in a row, with the assistance of a friendly bathing attendant...

He would close us into the box for five-minute sessions, interspersed with a lymph-stimulating cold towel slapping technique, a cold plunge with intestinal massage, and, finally, a rather painful hose down. The process is said to alleviate body pains, reduce blood pressure, control weight, reduce stress, increase blood circulation, remove toxins, and provide overall rejuvenation. While it was not the most relaxing forty minutes I have ever spent, I did indeed feel rejuvenated, albeit slightly disappointed that I lost much of my hard-earned tan from all the exfoliation. Moral of the story: sacred, steamy waters live on in our generations-long search for vitality!

View from the Cajon