Goodbye, Colombia

I feel really sad leaving Colombia. We've been here so long it feels like we're finishing a holiday.

We planned to stay here two weeks. We stayed six. We still didn't do nearly all we could have.

The land itself is a stunning place of mountains, valleys, beaches, jungles, remote villages, quaint towns, vibrant cities and most importantly, beautiful, friendly people.

They dearly love their country and take a great pride in showing off its fresh, new face to the world.

We'll try to pass their message on to everyone we meet and hope this has been a good start.

It's difficult not to resort to guidebook hyperbole, like what I just done, but it is a country best to be breathed in and bewitched by, rather than blogged.

It is bigger than you imagine, better than you could expect, and totally, totally different to what you think you know.

Ecuador has a lot to match up to.

Amazing Saddles

From Cali we bussed down to Popayan, another small colonial town which we used as a base for a couple of trips and adventures.

Fertility symbols, I expect.

A truck ride up to Coconuco and some very smelly hot springs, which Kim and Kiwi Douglas went in.

Disgusting.

His missus Hannah was preggers so had a great excuse not to take the plunge. I just stood in a far corner trying to stay downwind - it was rank.

Muncipal.

Then we jumped on our mountain bikes for a fantastic 30 kilometre ride, mainly down windy hills and hairpins back to our hostel, with hot chocolate, cheese and cheese scones en route. Apparently, it's a popular combination.  I'm not convinced, but they were nice separately.

Chocolate. And cheese?

Then it was on to San Agustin for three days away in the beautiful countryside.

Wide load.

Four hours over the hills, in the rain, in a packed mini bus, on what was largely a very potholed, muddy track, I am amazed we got there in one piece.

We were 'met' at the bus stop by Christian, who got us into a taxi to present his sales pitch (think Armstrong from Manaus). Anyway, it worked and we bought two great trips and a bus transfer from him...

The Parque Archeologique was a fascinating site, which we were guided around by Marino, a lovely local man.

This face is very familiar... ?

Members only (look closely).

 The park comprised three main areas where tombs and stone sculptures had been buried (and later excavated) under barrows.  Mainly representing gods, guardians, mythical animals and shamen, some dated back to 3,300 BC.

As the similar Stonehenge story goes, no one knew who put them there or where they went to, as the tribe (or clan) disappeared from history, not having written anything down to give us a clue, the useless buggers.

God knows what they'll do if they win the damned thing.

Back in town we caught the Colombia-Ivory Coast game. Cue a town full of men, women and children on scooters, cars and trucks going around in convoy for several hours with horns blaring, vuvuzelas hooting, flags waving and general hysteria.

Meanwhile I was trying to watch the England-Uruguay debacle. It's a good job they didn't understand what I was screaming at the TV. It might have taken the shine of their celebrations.

That night, staying at out-of-the-way idyll Hostel de Japones, we were treated to a late-night droning-on session by a bunch of stoned Antipodeans above us until 3am. No sleep til 4.

Hostelier Libardo.

Next day we were in the saddle for a six hour horse ride around the farms and fields in the area, again with Marino as our expert guide.

We lost a horse at one stage and I stuck my finger into a barbed wire, but otherwise it was an incredible day out in the country, particularly at Chaquira, where we experienced unbeatable views of the valleys and rivers below us.

Than it was back to Popayan on the same road, in the same conditions, this time entertained by some cute little local girls who were fascinated by Kim and me. We didn't know why, and they weren't telling.

Ipiales tomorrow, Ecuador by Tuesday...


San Agustin >>>

Parque Archeologique - UNESCO site

Popayan >>>

Super Cali. Fragile expectations. We're atrocious

NB Keep an eye out, as I will be putting up a few posts in quick succession to get the blog up to date!

"Parque Del Perro". Dog shown smaller than actual size.
(No, really, it was such a crap statue, it is smaller than the real dog.)

We caught up with Aliz again in Cali, where we watched the Colombia-Greece game with her Colombian friends Claudia and Carlos and their two lads.


It was all a bit mental. When they won 3-0, Columbia was just warming up.

Putting the dampener on it all were the government, who had chosen this weekend to hold the General Election second round of voting. So, the country was dry after six pm and all of Sunday - great.

Carlos, before England sent him to sleep

We repaired to Claudia and Carlos' lovely pad for a disco snooze which turned into a salsa session for all concerned (okay, except me) and a cool-off in the pool before heading back for the England game.


I should have taken it as a bad omen when I dropped my vuvuzela out of the taxi window.

Sure enough, the telly signal was off ar first due to rain, the locals really weren't giving England nearly as much support as we had given them (surprise, surprise) and the cafe we were in closed at half time, so Kim and I were obliged to jump a cab and go back to catch the second half elsewhere. You know the rest.

Sunday came around and we took a walk around Cali. It was pleasant enough, with some nice buildings, a couple of parks and a river, but seeing "the salsa capital of South America" on a dry General Election Sunday was never going to show the place in its best light.

Still, on now to Popayan, a different and more adventurous prospect altogether...

MintowtWatch in Cali

More pictures plus some cracking birds in Cali central park

Pictures of Lili

NB Keep an eye out, as I will be putting up a few posts in quick succession to get the blog up to date!

 La Casa De Lili

Salento, yet another picturesque Colombian town.

Aliz and me

We arrived with Aliz, who is proving to be a brilliant travelling companion - she and Kim are free to go out and shop, get drunk, etc, while I happily sit around reading and relaxing.

The Hostal De Lil is owned and run by bonkers lady Lili, who insists on a big "Buenos Dias", a hug and a kiss on the lips several times a day.

It is a great hostel, and more like her home, really. We watched Fargo on the big telly and it was great.

Lili's kitchen

We took a day trip to the amazing (yes, amazing) Cocora Valley. A muddy (we hired wellies) six hour hike filled with some great flora and fauna, birds, butterflies, lots of 'tame' humming birds at the Casa De Los Colibri and magnificent views of the valley itself, stunning in the late afternoon sun and lined with the tallest wax palm trees. It had to be seen to be truly appreciated, but here you go anyway...

Into The Valley

Lovely bunches of coconuts here >>>

To get out of the valley and back to the jeep home we had to pay off four urchins holding the key to the lock - it would have seemed churlish to just climb over the gate and give them the finger, so we handed over our 70p each and went on our way. The whole day cost under a fiver, so we weren't really complaining.

Horsing around.

A pleasant morning stroll took us to a small coffee farm where we were given a short guided tour by young Carlos, then back to town for the World Cup kick off.

Carlos and Kim

See all the action here >>>

As Aliz had gone ahead of us to Cali, we watched the Brazil game with our Italian hostel-mates, a truce for now.

It was all going so well...

 
Next day, we too set off for Cali, after a big kiss and hug from Lili...