Baños de Agua Santa, Tungurahua Province, Republic of Ecuador The people Baños de Agua Santa, in the Republic of Ecuador, staying at their summits the Tungurahua volcano, erupting since 1999. We decided to visit a close after seeing his ashes (Figure 1) from the plane between Quito and Loja, where we went to the 1st International Workshop on Geological Heritage, Mining and Metallurgy.
Figure 1. Eruption of the Tungurahua volcano, Tungurahua Province, Ecuador.
To reach the village Baños de Agua Santa from Quito have to reach the bus terminal, we recommend you use the trolley (we were gratified by their efficiency, runs 24 hours). Upon arrival at the modern terminal Quitumbe pay $ 3.50 and get ready to enjoy 4 hours of Andean landscapes.
amazing how organized you are the people of Bath to receive tourists and risk-based volcanic. There seems to be a good plan in early warning, we assumed for its well-marked evacuation routes throughout the town (Fig. 2).
Figure 2. Signaling the evacuation route to the volcanic risk people
tourist offer is 100% nature: hot springs, waterfalls, views, and climbing the volcano, some companies offer climbing and rafting. We went to its famous hot springs and for $ 2 to enter these hot pools that make you forget any problems in the world, hence we started to climb to the Mirador de Bella Vista, where you can observe the volcano. The view of town from the climb is spectacular: a long valley, well embedded between these volcanic mountains (Fig. 3)
Figure 3. Valle de Baños de Agua Santa
The climb is not easy, is very steep and have to be a little in the way, after an hour of walking we reach one of the lookouts. To our surprise, although the last tourists that we are in the way we said it was quite cloudy and there was a volcano, when we arrived and discovered stunning displays, we saw it erupt (Fig. 4)
Figure 4. Tungurahua Volcano Eruption, June 14, 2010
A site with tremendous potential for geo-tourism practices and geoconservation, working in education on geological hazards, community involvement in tourism strategy and be a potential Geopark.
We were very pleased with the visit of Tungurahua, we hope to return, although in better shape.
Roiger Lopez and Jesus Salazar
are now available for free download, all papers presented at the 1st Workshop Presentations Heritage International Geological, Mining and Metallurgical where FGDV was present. 
The reserve protects a typical tropical dry forest, but also houses one of the most impressive treasures paleobotanical the continent: a petrified forest Cretaceous trunks more than 65 million years turned into stone and preserved until today, surprised at the similarity to a real trunk, even preserved growth rings, giving valuable information on climate and atmosphere at the time, and due to impurities of iron and magnesium (mainly) who were part of its fossilization have very similar colors and shades to the trunks are not fossilized, a wonder of geology . ; 
local government in partnership with the ministry tourism has generated amazing results in the petrified forest Puyango reception facilities for visitors: A museum paleontological and mineralogical components of the area, a cafeteria and totally made of wood trails to avoid contact with fossil logs. It is beginning to implement another route to some waterfalls that are within the reserve, near the Petrified Forest, to diversify tourist proposal. 
Venezuela Geoparks Foundation appreciates the invitation and acknowledge the effort and advances geotouristic Puyango Petrified Forest, National Geopark future of the Republic of Ecuador. 
