La Gruta

Today we spent a few hours at La Gruta hot springs.  We decided to get an early start and beat the crowds, so we walked up to el Jardin, bought coffee and pastries, and found two taxis to take us to La Gruta, about 12 km away.  When we were almost there I saw some police activity – federal police officers with giant guns, and I asked the taxi driver if there was an accident.  He said that there wasn’t…that they were just checking documents. 

In the next moment we realized that there was an accident, and I said something I never thought I’d have to say in Spanish, or in English for that matter – “¿Está muerto?”  The answer was – yes, the young man who had been hit by the truck and was laying next to the road was dead.  It was impossible to un-see it at that point.  Very sad.  On the way back I noticed several signs warning of accidents, and a footbridge over the road further down, so my guess is that it’s not uncommon for people to get hit crossing the road there. 

La Gruta was really nice – a series of pools filled with water ranging from warmish to hot.  One of the pools had a tunnel leading to a round masonry enclosure that was like a sauna and pool combination.  It was really relaxing and not crowded at all.  The bathrooms and changing rooms were clean, and there were lockers available.  We had lunch in the restaurant and the food was great – the chicken nuggets and fries got Adlani’s stamp of approval, and my chicken quesadillas with a side of guacamole were delicious.  The rice was so good we had to order seconds. 

We will definitely go back to La Gruta while Ben is here – hopefully with a less eventful drive.

This sign says, “For health and safety all people without exception must wear a swimsuit.”  This means you Larry.

Norah was very proud of her fruit arrangement for dinner: