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Monday, 20 October 2008 |
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Before reaching Bogota we want to see the Nevado Ruiz near Manizales. The clouds prevent us from doing so but we meet 2 motorbike riders on the way who invite us to spend the night the night in a chalet in the mountain; the beauty of the place is awesome and the natural secret spring spas add to the scenery. I'll keep the name of our new friends for myself but I'd like to thank them for their hospitality and the conversation we had under the stars in a 40C hot water…
The next day we arrive in Bogota. We find a hostel in the Candelaria zone where we'll stay 2 nights. We visit the Botero museum and a few other interesting sites. In the evening we have dinner at Andres Carne de Res, a popular restaurant. We are going to celebrate my first year of travel!
1 Year travelling, it's time to stop to have a break and reflect upon the situation. First impression, 1 year is a long time! And it's not over: just a few more months to get California… 2 main ideas: it now costs me more to be surprised by a new landscape, a different culture and I miss a routine, a comfort to work in an optimised way. Yes, travelling has its delights but staying away for so long from work is beginning to take its toll. I must speed up the adventure and cross the final line.
The following day we go back on the road towards the North and spend the night at Villa de Leyva, a typical Colombian village that's used as a meeting point every week end for the least poor of the capital. The place is therefore posh but pleasant.
The following day we got lost on our way to visit some ruins just a few kilometres away and so we will only arrive to Barichara by night, another picturesque village where we cannot find accommodation due to a national bank holiday. We keep driving a few more kilometres to another pretty village called Guane where we find a welcoming hospedaje.
The following day, back to the North again. The landscapes are once again amazing and we note on the map a site of interest so we decide to follow a mountain road to reach it. We arrive in Ocaña wher we spend the night. We spend the next day visiting the park of Los Estoraques, a natural formation of peaks sculpted by erosion. Awesome! Back on the road to the North, the road is in excellent condition and so we arrive in Taganga, a fishing port near Santa Marta, before the night. We'll stay there 2 nights to prepare our visit to Tayrona, a national park by the sea: white sand beaches with palm trees dipping in the turquoise water in the heart of the jungle… We leave the car on the parking and follow a track across the jungle when the rain catches us. The following 3 days are unforgettable: beach, sun warm sea adn palm trees… always under the eyes of armed soldiers ready to shoot…
A the end of our stay we follow the coast to the North towards Rioacha. We stop in Dibulla. The following day we hire a canoe to visit a laggon with pink flamengos and a centre for the protection of turtles.
On the next day we visit Rioacha before goig back to Taganga. The road before Rioacha is a 4-lane motorway a few kilometre long. We are told it is in fact an airplane tarmac in case of a conflict with Venezuela.
We spend the night in Taganga again and go to Minca the following day to see the Sierra Nevada. Bad luck again: the clouds are hidding the peaks. From Minca we take the road to Cartagena and stop on our way in Santa Veronica because of the bad weather. The following day we reach Cartagena where we'll wait for some friends who have offered us a resting week in a high standard hotel… We are impatient to get to Cartagena!
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