At Land's End

It’s been a busy week here in Colombia: a new president was sworn in, a war with Venezuela was avoided (for the moment), a car bomb exploded in the capital, a prominent politician was either executed or kidnapped in Medellin, a major airline was struck by lightning and broke into three pieces but managed to save all but one of the 121 passengers, and yours truly arrived at the Caribbean sea after ten months of snaking my way up the South American continent from Ushuaia.

THE CARIBBEAN!

I wasn’t sure what it would feel like to cover a continent from one end to the other, but now I am quite positive that it feels hot; it is a heat that is both sweaty and sticky, like a sugary popsicle melted over the counter-top. I could be sweating from the emotions of finally making it to the Caribbean, but I reckon it is just the damn weather here in Cartagena. There is no respite, twenty four hours a day of sweat….but you, kind reader, will take solace in the knowledge that I am replacing my liquids (although, I am not all that sure that ice cold Club Colombia is very hydrating).

Cartagena lives up to its reputation as a beautiful city. In many ways it is reminiscent of Havana or Santo Domingo because of the similarity in the architecture, especially the massive stone walls and fortresses constructed by the Spanish to ward off those nagging pirates, such as Francis Drake.

A typical street view in Cartagena

Aside from the inferno that they call ‘weather’ here and the architecture, there is also a similarity in the people here with the rest of the Caribbean…that being that the people here more resemble other locales in El Caribe rather than Bogotá or Medellin. MaraLuz assures me that the accents here also resemble other Caribbean Spanish accents rather than other Colombian accents…I’m taking her word on that.

Overall, Cartagena is a city of leisure…if for no other reason than that it is too hot to do anything. It encourages sidewalk cafes and a midday beer or two and boasts a varied, though expensive, cuisine. Moreover, it is said that there are some wicked beautiful islands around here to visit…but I got my eyes set on the Totumo mud volcano. What can beat a refreshing dip in a live volcano bubbling with silky mud…who needs to spend money in a day spa when you have detoxifying mud? Paradise in the form of mud!

Flower Power

Who would have thought that flowers could be so much fun! Upon arriving in Medellin a week ago, armed with the knowledge that we would be placing ourselves at the mercy of a city in the midst of its largest annual festival, I was wary of if a flower festival was worth the agony and hassle of the impossible task of finding accommodation during the weekend.

Turns out that ‘flowers’ are really just a cover and excuse to have a week long party. The city of Medellin really goes out of its way for their showcase festival: nightly free concerts in a variety of venues, amazing expositions of orchids and other flowers, a huge parade where farmers come into the city carrying an obscene quantity of flowers on their back, thousands of people looking for a good time each night and numerous other events.

Here is one poor soul with many kilos of plant reproductive power on his back

Besides me having got robbed once, Maraluz (my Peruvian traveling partner) and I have so far really enjoyed Medellin and the Flower Festival. We passed a great night out in the Zona Rosa were we encountered a group of wealthy dentists (possibly also drug lords) from Bogotá – one of the dentists decided to show off his wealth by buying a $50 bottle of rum, holding it up and tipping it upside down so that everyone could fill their cups. I reckon he went through seven or eight bottles like that while the rest of us drank merrily and danced to the local street Vallañato music. Hell, there was so much free booze going around, half of it ended up either on the ground or being thrown into the air. Such alcohol abuse!

Also of note was our outing to the parade on the last day of the fair. We went with a Kiwi that I had met previously in Cuzco, a guy with a very unusual but strong sense of humor. While in Chile he had hand made a ‘party suit’ out of lycra, or some other skin tight material, and decided that this was a perfect opportunity to sport it. So, while we two ‘square’ persons walked around a very crowded street waiting for the parade, Kiwi Scott entertained the locals in his costume while employing movements reminiscent of Jonny Depp’s character in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas while on a combination of LSD, coke, and a number of other uppers and downers. It was truly a priceless moment just to watch the locals…they didn’t know what to make of Scott: is he on drugs, is he insane, does he want money??? Some people just stared, children were terrified, others wanted photos, but the majority simply smiled with glee at the sight of what appeared to be a truly insane person who enjoys entertaining.

Kiwi Scott in his element

Now that the Flower Festival is over, we have a chance to enjoy the City of Eternal Spring as it resumes a bit of its tranquility. Not sure what exactly the day with bring, perhaps a bit of reading in the sun, a stroll downtown to have a coffee with friends, and certainly a beer or two on a terrace – this kind of stressful life is what is making me go prematurely gray.

I have also decided to officially submit my status as towards Colombia as ‘unimpeachable and undying love’.

Parents and Administration

Colombia is an enigmatic country; it finds itself on the cusp of newly acquired affluence, a growing middle class, increased security and yet struggles with a violent reputation around the world, a reduced but continuing and ever present guerilla insurgency, and interregional conflicts with neighbors - then there is the drug trade which is like a parasitic tumor on Colombian society. All this, along with amazing natural beauty and diversity and an almost-too-nice populace combines to make Colombia a place unequalled (for better or worse) in South America.

Fortunately, I was able to share a small part of the enigma with my parents. Unfortunately, with the time limits and distances between places of interest we didn’t make it that far a field. Still, after Bogotá we found ourselves in Villa de Leyva – a classic colonial town – and happened to arrive in the middle of a large local week-long festival followed by the 200th anniversary of Colombian independence. Both turned out to be semi-bizarre celebrations. Probably the highlight for me was fossicking in the arid regions around town and scoring a handful of ammonite fossils. We ended our little family reunion with a visit to a massive Catholic cathedral carved out of a gigantic salt mine – bloody thing even included all the Stations of the Cross.

In Villa de Leyva with a Colombian couple we met

So, here I am ensconced in this enigmatic country…and I have to say that I am fully enjoying it at the moment. Still abiding in Bogotá, I have begun a somewhat administrative period of my travels. I’m in the process of half-heartingly applying for English language teaching jobs (I wouldn’t mind staying here to work, but not sure I want to commit to a year…plus I’m inherently lazy) while also (more seriously) putting some applications together for jobs in the States. When all is said and done I guess I’m not crazy about living in Bogotá, so I reckon I’ll find myself on a bus to Medellin sometime this week, hopefully traveling with a Peruvian girl that I met here in Bogotá. Maybe the city of ‘eternal spring’ will show me another side to this enigma.

Colombianismo

After possibly crossing my last border here in South America I now find myself in Colombia…land of guerillas, cocaine, salsa and plastic surgery (also a lot more, I'm just trying to catch your attention. Did it work?). In fact, Cali – where I am right now – is not only the salsa capital of SA (and possibly the world) but also renowned as hosting the populace whom goes under the knife most often…incredibly even more than LA. Unbelievable. Actually, it was believable after walking around the mall today and having to duck and weave to avoid all the fake boobs poking out of the blouses!

I passed through Ecuador relatively quickly, partly from time worries, but also because I just didn’t posses the gumption to go vagabond style. I did however spend a wonderful week in Quito with my exchange brother Andy. After not seeing Andy for 12 or 13 years it was slightly surreal to hang out with him…especially because all my memories of him are from a fourteen year-old’s perspective. Now, as adults, our interactions were slightly different and much more enjoyable. Also great was meeting his lovely new wife, staying with his parents in luxurious comfort (it was a true break from the road), and while waiting to see Andy’s band catching a police chase & capture involving both gunshots and pepper spray…it was a choice night.


So…Colombia, huh. Not far to go now to the Caribbean….one endless road trip from the meeting of the stormy Atlantic and Pacific oceans, north, all the way to the calm Caribbean sea. Still, I have to make one last push to get there and in the mean time there is heaps to see and parents to meet (hopefully they make it this time). So, after a spot of salsa here in Cali it’s off to the Zona Cafeteria to soak in some aromatic java and then to Bogotá to meet the parents and, because the people are so damn nice here in Colombia, possibly look for a job teaching English.

Invalid Accounts

Dear blog. I´m sure you´ve been on the edge of your seat waiting to hear of exciting Ecuadorian exploits....well, the wait will have to continue. I did spend a great four days on a farm in Vilcabamba with some fascinating people who are trying to change the world...but the more recent truth is that I have been basically out of action for the past week with serious back and neck pain culminating in excrutiating migranes. I´m not even sure how it came about in full...all I know is that I am sick and bloody tired of being an invalid. At least there are football matches to pass the time.

So, I´m heading to Quito tomorrow to visit with my ´long lost Ecuadorian brother´ Andrés, who I haven´t seen in twelve years or so...and possibly a visit to the hospital. Yipee and boo hoo.

The Marathon Border

There is nothing fast about traversing the border between Peru and Ecuador in the remote outpost of La Balsa. However, it did prove interesting and, although long, a beautiful journey.

I left from Chachapoyas, Peru – the capital of the Amazonas province in northern Peru. Actually, Chachapoyas proved to be one of my most favorite places in Peru. Almost no-one goes to Chacha, probably because it is so far from all the gringo highlights in southern Peru…but Chacha mystifies the inquisitive traveler with literally hundreds of jaw-dropping things to do and see. I also happened to show up in town on the eve of the biggest festival that the town hosts…always a good omen.

After a few days in Chacha, with a visit to Kuelap – an archaeological ruin only slightly less amazing than Machu Picchu (but with no tourists…we had the entire place to ourselves), and a hike to the Gotca waterfall – the third highest in the world, I decided to trade in Peru for Ecuador.

Dawn at Kuelap (on top of hill to right)

Instead of taking the most traveled crossing, on the coast, or the second crossing with a good road and high traffic, I choose a much more remote border crossing with shitty roads and next to no traffic. In fact, it turned out to be a bit of an epic adventure just to get from Chachapoyas, Peru to Vilcabamba, Ecuador. Here’s a synopsis:

Number of days: 2
Hours inside a vehicle: 17
Kilometers traveled: 312
Vehicles: 4 collectivos (shared car taxis: think as many people jammed in the car as possible), 3 moto-taxis, 1 open-bed truck, 1 bus, 1 pedestrian bridge
Armed checkpoints: 3 official, 1 unofficial
Dead animals: one dead chicken….reckless driving is a killer
Coconuts shared with border official: 2
Near death experiences: uncountable

Explanation: lots of different vehicles taken over multiple days…needless to say it was uncomfortable. I also encountered, aside from the normal police/army checkpoints, two blokes stopping cars at a makeshift speed bump in the middle of nowhere in Peru. One had a shotgun and the other a rifle with a scope (I suppose in case anyone decided to run)…they definitely did not belong to the government, but they were asking for donations of monetary value. It’s remarkably easy to give money to guys with guns. Also, in one of the vehicles we managed to tenderize a chicken for someone’s dinner…not surprising considering the speed the driver took the very narrow dirt road with very steep cliffs sprouting up around each corner accompanied by a semi operated by a suicidal driver coming from the opposite direction. To top it off, after walking across the bridge to Ecuador (and having to knock house to house to find the immigration officer – on both sides of the border) I helped the immigration officer crack open some coconuts so we could reap the benefits of the juice. It was a pretty laid back border.

All in all, in anyone finds themselves traveling and encountering tedium at the easiness of transportation, or boredom for that matter, than I suggest trying the border crossing less traveled. It will put a skip back in your step…or, at the hands of your eighteen year old chauffer, you’ll drive fifty km/h too fast through a dangerous curve in the pothole ridden gravel road and end up in a tumbling ball of metal and flesh bouncing three hundred meters to you death, ending your journey in the pristine river flowing through the bottom of the valley – either way you’ll be at peace at the end of the journey.

Now, (finally) in Vilcabamba (a town that boasts extreme longevity in its population) I have encountered a tough decision…go and work for some days on a farm owned by really fascinating people who are ‘planting a seed crystal for a new civilization’ or find somewhere to watch the world cup with hundreds of fanatical Ecuadorians. Damn, I’m no good at these choices.

Hiking in Huaraz

To travel in a country with as much diversity as Peru is truly wonderful…the diversity I am referring to in this case is geographical. It’s amazing to be so close to the equator yet wake up in the morning with glaciers in every direction and ice on your tent.

I am writing from Huaraz, Peru in the Cordillera Blanca…the largest mountain range outside the Himalayas and the largest tropical range in the world. There are over 22 summits breaching the 6000 meter barrier (that’s 20,000 ft for you imperialists) and countless more over 5000. In fact, this place hosts the world’s largest supply of tropical glaciers and some of Peru’s best Andean vistas.

To take advantage of this natural adventure land I went on a four day trek through the cordillera, huffing and puffing and swearing to every deity I know to make it up to the pass at 4750 m and dreaming of fires as I shivered in my tent at only slightly lower elevations. The pain was well worth it, though, and the trek proved to be one of the best I’ve done here in South America.


On my second night I camped with some French trekkers at a cold 4250 meter campsite. In the morning, just as I was soaking in the first aromas of my coffee, I was alerted to a cow prowling around my tent. As I ran over to scare it off it ran away with something in its mouth. A chase ensued…although a short one – the cow had a lot more breath at that altitude than I did. Five minutes later I lay there panting and swearing at the cow and she just stared at me while eating my favorite t-shirt…completely eating it. The French couple obviously found the whole episode to be hilarious.

All in all it was a great trek in a most beautiful area…and to top it off, I finished the trek last night with one of the most popular street snacks here…a kebab of cow heart – I just wish it was from the cow who ate my shirt.