The Carnival costumes were all impressive
Jeremy couldn't get over how wild Carnival was
Jan and Leone's beast of a rig and great dinner they made
Patricia was signing more than autographs
Angela, Guillermo, Patricia, Fabian, Juan, Jer, & Stine
Top of Colombia, P.N. Los Navados, 5,118 meters
Plaza de Bolivar in the capital city of Bogota
Museum of gold in Bogota, very impressive!
The trusty Pan-American highway
Our last Pony Malta at the Santuario de Las Lajas
Graham and Lourdes didn't let us go hungry, fresh Tolapio
The view from Graham's garden, looking up at the house
Nothing is nicer than filling up with gas in Venezuela
Jeremy, Marit, Stine, and Nima on top of Venezuela's highest pass.
Parque Nacional Sierra Nevada
Angelo our trusty Italian Mechanic
We found Chavez banners all over the country
ECUADOR AT LAST! As reluctant as we were to leave the paradise of Colombia, March had crept up on us without warning (sneaky leap year!), forcing us to push on in an attempt to beat the Patagonian winter. Although our surfing muscles have grown weak and our tans are fading, the van continues to putt southbound, and our Norwegian travel companions remain!
Filling the surfing void in our lives has been Colombian hospitality, coffee, and the high-altitude, snowcapped peaks of the Andean Cordillera. For a while, we debated telling everyone to stay away from Colombia because it is dangerous and sketchy and no place for Americans to be traveling…thus leaving us to enjoy it ourselves! But alas it is not so. In recent years, Colombia has shed its violent past and is currently exporting more coffee and world class road bikers than the notorious white substance. So we decided to tell it to you straight. Colombia is an incredible country…extremely safe and blessed with a natural beauty that is only exceeded by the unwavering hospitality of the local people. The Colombians are outgoing and generous, almost to a fault, and the country is dotted with clean, modern cities that rival many of their US counterparts. In fact, Nima and I could go on for hours and hours about our amazing experience in Colombia, so I will just let our pictures and the rest of this journal entry do the talking…
We left off in the sleepy town of Minca, where Nima recovered nicely from his Colombian hospital experience with the help of several local ice creams and some Norwegian nursing. A brief drive along the coast put us in the industrial city of Barranquilla, home to the second largest Carnaval festival in the world! Here we would experience the sights and sounds of Colombian partying at its best. However, through some unforeseen stoke of misfortune, Shakira was not in her hometown for the famous Carnaval de Barranquilla, leaving us with a feeling like we had been deserted by an old friend. Despite our visible disappointment, we managed to have quite an amazing time over the next several days amidst the throngs of fiesta crazed Colombians. Incredibly enough, even with all of the hype and thousands of people, we only saw four other gringos during the entire festival!
Immediately upon pulling into the city, we noticed a heavily modified Land Rover rig with South African plates following us in the traffic. Pulling over to the side of the road, we met an incredible couple, Jan and Leone, who are headed in the opposite direction and were about plan their vehicle crossing from Colombia to Panama. In several days we would meet up with them again in Cartagena to discuss our experience with the shipping of our van as well as share some travel stories. But on to Carnaval! Right away, we knew that we were in for a good time when we headed to the grocery store the night before the festivities. Imagine shopping at your local Albertsons on a quiet evening, when all of a sudden an obnoxiously loud parade of dancing, drumming, singing Colombians barges through the entrance and proceeds to march nonchalantly through the isles as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. And thus began Carnaval 2007.
Our first stoke of good luck came when we happened to find the perfect parking spot for the event. A local car wash had closed down for the festivities, and we talked to the owner and got permission to park and sleep inside the gates. Just four blocks away from the main event, we had the luxuries of bathrooms, showers, and a 24 hour security guard! The next two days flew by in a colorful mix of costumes, dances, and parades…assisted, of course, by the local Aguila cerveza. The festivities began on Saturday afternoon on Avenida Cuarenta, the street which was closed off in order to accommodate the thousands of parading Colombians that would soon fill the road. On either side were bleachers as well as standing room designed for viewing the events. The first day was dedicated to the parade, and the second day was a showing of Colombian dances. And let me tell you, there was quite a wide range of skill levels …everything from professional dancers to the local dressed up as Hugo Chavez running around and saluting the crowd. The CROWD! Never before have I seen so many people in one place, and when we climbed on top of some scaffolding to get a better vantage point, our eyes were greeted with a massive, undulating sea of people in both directions. The entire event culminates when the Carnaval Queen parades by, flanked by an entire army of police guards...possibly more of a spectacle than the beauty queen, herself.
On the evening of the first night, we met up with a Barranquilla local, Jaime, who happened to be enjoying the Carnaval on his break from university in Bogota. Also fluent in English and German, Jamie became our official Colombian tour guide for the remainder of Carnaval as well as when we arrived in the capital city of Bogota. We spent the second day of Carnaval in the stands with Jaime’s family, watching the parade and participating in the official sport of spraying as much silly string as possible in the faces of everyone else in the crowd. Although Barranquilla first appears to be another big, dirty port city, we were shown another side with Jaime as our VIP guide. From upper class neighborhoods to bars and restaurants, one night we even walked to the end of a historic pier that protrudes more than a kilometer into the Caribbean. With the hospitality of Jamie and his family, we were assured that upon our return to Barranquilla someday, we would have a warm welcome. If we could sum up the Carnaval de Barranquilla in few words, it would probably come down to crowds, costumes, silly string, parades, and general mayhem. So after two long and exhilarating days of the Carnaval festivities, it was time to push on and head back to Cartagena, where we would show Marit and Stine around the historic old city before moving on to Medellin.
In Cartagena, we would also await a package from my parents regarding a potential air traffic control job upon my return to the States. Since Nima and I had already spent four days in Cartagena waiting for the van, we knew our way around the city, and the plan was to give the Norwegians a tour of our favorite restaurants, ice cream shops, and coffee vendors. First things first, we joined up with the South Africans, Jan and Leone, in their luxurious parking spot on the waterfront behind the Hilton Hotel. Here, we would spend the next three nights waiting for my package to arrive and talking with the South Africans about life on the open road. Their vehicle, a heavily modified Land Cruiser, sadly puts the van to shame, and it features 4-wheel drive, HUGE tires, a freezer, shower, satellite phone, and even a level system that indicates when the rig has found a perfectly flat sleeping spot. Now in their late fifties, Jan and Leone have been to 108 countries, and on their current trip they have been traveling for over four years! Thus, several late nights were spent talking about everything from travel nightmares and rice cooking techniques to South African politics. We also managed to exchange quite a bit of information about our travels, since they are headed north into Central America and we are southbound for Patagonia, their starting point. In fact, by using one of their contacts, we are now comfortably parked at a beautiful farm in the mountains of Ecuador owned by an Australian named Graham. Anyway, while the girls explored the old city of Cartagena, Nima and I decided to spend our PayPal donation money (thanks Luke and the Assadi family!) on four “new” tires, all in very respectable condition. We also got the steering realigned and the wheels re-weighted, so on our way out of Cartagena, we were tracking straight and true. Thanks to the hospitality of Luz, Luz senior, and Jaime (who previously gave us the Cartagena tour), we were provided with a secure parking spot and breakfast in bed while we waited. Finally, after two days, my paperwork arrived and we pointed the van south for Medellin.
Former home of cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar and painter Fernando Botero (think paintings of FAT things), Medellin is a modern and bustling city of two million, with a safety record that has dramatically improved from the late 80’s and early 90’s. A clean, modern metro system whisks passengers to any number of locations throughout the city for a moderate fare. After walking around the city center for several hours, we contacted Patricia Ariza-Velasco, the sister of my Westminster College Spanish teacher, Deyanira! Happy to hear from us, she informed us that she was currently in Bogota, but would love to have us stay at her apartment with her two kids until she arrived the next day. At the apartment, we met Fabian and Juan, both studying to be lawyers, who gave us a more than warm welcome and made us feel right at home. After exchanging music and taking the much needed shower, we decided that we would all head to the airport to meet Patricia’s flight from Bogota the next day. Accompanied by friends Guillermo and Angela, we drove into the mountains past vibrant green farmland and imposing mountains to meet the flight. More than excited to see us, Patricia took us out to a delicious and gigantic feast of bandeja paisa, the local dish which was probably enough food for several days. Patricia is a magistrate in the Medellin court, and we quickly learned that the study of law runs in the family blood. From the restaurant, we spent the rest of the day driving to small pueblos in the hills outside of Medellin, learning about the local culture and eating way too many sweets like strawberries and whipped cream, a local and personal favorite. The day’s events culminated when Patricia got up on stage at an outdoor restaurant and sang a song with the band…the green mountains and cascading waterfall providing a dramatic backdrop. Finally, after sunset, we headed to a local lookout point where we were treated to an incredible panoramic view of the Medellin valley. On top of the absolutely unforgettable VIP tour, they refused to let us pay a dime the entire day…Colombian hospitality! Thank you Patricia (and Deyanira) for the incredible time! Unfortunately, due to a lack of time, we headed straight towards Bogota and were unable to return to Bucaramanga to meet the rest of Patricia and Deyanira’s family. Sorry Deyanira…next trip!
Our next stop, Los Nevados National Park, was put on brief hold due to a critical van malfunction! At some point in Medellin, we lost the grease cap to the front right wheel, and all of the wheel grease had leaked out, leaving the bearings dry and causing them to seize up. Luckily, at the time of the incident, we were in Manizales, a beautiful mountain town where we were offered help by just about everyone who happened to pass by (each one recommending their own personal mechanic!). Finally, the next morning, with the help of several locals, we were back in business with a new bearing and grease cap. Then commenced the dramatic climb into the Andes up to about 4,000 meters where we made camp at the Termales de Ruiz, a secluded hotel with beautiful hot springs! Under a full moon and in freezing cold temperatures, we enjoyed the thermal baths (which we had completely to ourselves!) for a good four hours before falling fast asleep in the mountain air. The next morning, we drove up the steep, rocky road to the national park entrance, where we picked up our mandatory guide, Fabian, and ascended into the park. Shrouded in fog, the almost lunar landscape gave the whole place a decidedly otherworldly feel. The barren topography is void of vegetation and dominated by sandy slopes peppered with volcanic rock. The crux of the park is the snowcapped Volcan de Ruiz, which rises to 5,319 meters. Miraculously, our trusty van reached her highest altitude yet, 4,850 meters (about 14,550 feet), where we left her and continued to hike up to 5,100 meters. Here, the sky broke and we had an excellent view of the glacier as well as the surrounding volcanoes against the bright azure sky. Good to be back in the mountains!
Recharged by the alpine experience, we winded our way through the mountains (and many military checkpoints) towards Bogota, the country’s capital, where we arrived the next afternoon. Upon entering the high valley, we turned northbound to the mountain town of Zipaquira (similar landscape to Park City, Utah) which is famous for its underground cathedral made of salt that is carved into the mountain. Inside the cathedral, a series of passages leads through several smaller chambers that finally give way to a gigantic room where church services are often held. Very impressive!
Our next stop was to meet up with Jaime, our new friend from Barranquilla, and have him give us a local tour of Bogota the following day. We were allowed to park outside of his apartment, and his family welcomed us with the traditional Colombian coffee and the “mi casa es su casa” attitude. Although Bogota certainly has its problems with crime, overcrowding, and pollution, we arrived to find a clean and modern city bustling with life. Many of the buildings downtown are extremely well maintained, and the pedestrian walkways with trees and fountains give an extremely welcoming feel. Especially impressive is the expansive Plaza Bolivar, filled with pigeons and dominated by a towering cathedral with the green mountains in the background. The Universidad de los Andes is located on a hill at the east end of the city, and is not unlike the University of Utah in Salt Lake. The next day we took a steep, hour long hike to the top of Cerro Monserrate, where there is a imposing white church and an absolutely incredible view of the city. On the way up, we met a local couple from Bogota who pointed out different landmarks around the city and provided great conversation during the walk. After peering down on the massive city of over 10 million, we descended the cobblestone stairs and headed to the Museo de Oro (Gold Museum), which held an impressive collection of gold artifacts. Although Bogota is certainly a place where we would like to spend more time, we were eager to continue on and check out Colombia’s third major city, Cali.
Home to Pablo Escobar’s rival drug gangs and terrorist activity in the early 90’s, we decided to check it out before cruising to the border of Ecuador. Before arriving in Cali, we passed through a beautiful valley filled with fertile farmland and flanked by lush, green mountains shrouded in a thin layer of clouds. We spent the night outside the police station in a sleepy town called Ginebra, where we were in the perfect position to view the lunar eclipse sitting directly above the church at the main plaza. The next morning we took a few photos with the local policemen and then pushed on to Cali, where we spent very little time. Although it has a pleasant central plaza and park, we found Cali to be slightly dirtier and more run down than the other Colombian cities…certainly not on par with Medellin or Bogota. So after taking a brief walking tour of the city center, we made the two hour drive south and camped in the beautiful colonial city of Popoyan. Well maintained and extremely clean, the cobblestone streets and whitewashed buildings made for a good background for a night of sipping coffee in the central plaza. Walking around the lamp-lit streets at night gives the eerie feeling of walking through a maze, since all of the streets look disturbingly familiar with the white walls and perfect grid system. Another day’s drive put us in Ipiales, the border town with Ecuador, where we would make the crossing in the morning. But first, one last thing in Colombia! We visited the Santuario de Las Lajas, an incredible monastery built into the side of a steep gorge which is split by an iced tea colored river. Spanning the river is a huge, double arched bridge, and the whole scene feels like something out of an old knight movie. Well, after almost a month in Colombia, we finally made the big move and crossed the border into Ecuador. We decided that Colombia was definitely our favorite country of the trip thus far, and a place that we will certainly return to some day. Plus, that will give us another excuse to try and find Shakira.
Our crossing into Ecuador was without incident (assisted by the two smiling Norwegians in the back), and we were soon on the road in yet another country that uses the US Dollar as its currency. Although it will be hard to compete with Colombia, we have been treated thus far with good roads, breathtaking mountain scenery, and lax police checkpoints. And a very generous Australian! Jan and Leone, the South African couple that we met in Cartagena gave us the phone number of Graham, whom they recommended that we meet up with upon our arrival in Ecuador. Graham owns a ten acre plot of land above the town of Ibarra, where he is running a nursery and is planning to begin the international sale of decorative plants. He is currently living with an Ecuadorian lady, Lourdes, and together they have made our experience here amazing, to say the least. We were given an incredibly beautiful place to park the van, access to the bathroom and our own shower, and the opportunity to play an incredible classical guitar that Graham’s neighbor made here in his workshop. On top of this, we were treated to a fresh trout dinner, and then the next morning we went fishing in the pond for tilapia, a delicious fish that we fried up and enjoyed with a local fruit juice, tomate del arbol (tree tomato…not to be confused with its juicy, ground-dwelling cousin which shares the same name). Nima and I even learned to ride the motorcycle that Graham keeps on the property for local transport. Finally, we took Graham’s truck way up onto the mountain for an unobstructed view of the city and a snow capped volcano in the distance. Thanks Graham and Lourdes!
Our game plan from here is to pick up the pace and check out Quito and the Cotopaxi volcano before heading down to the coast to see the ocean again and get back into surfing. From there, we will cross into Peru and head south as we race the rapidly approaching Patagonian winter. Well, thanks to an incredible Colombian experience, morale is at an all time high, and our fearless Norwegians, Marit and Stine, have adjusted nicely to the van life! So thanks to everyone (especially Barabara, Cami, and Luke…our faithful PayPal donors) who is following the trip, and remember that next time you hear of Colombia to think not of the movie Blow, but of beautiful women, abundant coffee, and a warm hearted people.
A la orden!
Jeremy