Quemado de Guines – Hotel Elguea and spa - 60 km
Since my accommodation was an hourly rental, breakfast wasn’t
provided. However, I was offered coffee and a couple of bananas
before setting off. It rained heavily throughout the ride, and when I
reached the turnoff leading to a hot spring, turning in was a no-
brainer.
According to legend, a slave who had contracted a severe skin
disease was banished by his owner to what is known as Banos de
Elguea. Later, the man returned cured entirely, and a bathhouse was
built on the spot.
I biked the eight kilometres along the path and arrived at the hotel
completely drenched. The government-run hotels were huge but
usually without anyone in sight, and the goats roaming the garden
looked up in surprise at someone disturbing the peace.
The bedroom I stayed in was spacious and cosy and I had no
complaints about it. The thermal baths were in a separate building
and the water was quite hot, approximately 50°C. Feeling hungry, I
decided to have lunch first as the restaurant prices were reasonable.
Afterwards, I went to the baths, but the soak was brief as the water
was too hot to bear.
After repacking my panniers, I had a beer before dinner since I didn't
have much else to do. There were more people in the dining room
this time, as some of the workers from the electrical company who
were working in the area were staying at the hotel. Despite having a
menu, there was only one option available, which was similar to the
one served at lunch. The only difference was that chicken was served
instead of beef, but everything else was the same.