Feb. 23 Day 8
Another nice breakfast and an overcast morning that didn't amount to much except for slightly cool temperatures. Today's optional activity was a hike to the pools of paradise, deep in the forest. We met our guide, Ed, and followed him to the road to catch a local bus to the trailhead. He was still learning English but was willing to try explaining things to us and as a group we were usually able to piece together what he was trying to say. The bus was surprisingly nice and not horribly overcrowded, about half of our group found seats and they were nice ones. We were only on the bus for about 10 minutes before we hopped off and started our walk.
Most of it was along well-established dirt road with occasional encounters with mules and
motorbikes. Ed paid off the local woman collecting fares and showed us some of the fruit and insects growing along the way. He also spoke about local indigenous people and how they were not allowed to intermarry between groups.
The walk was mainly level and next to a wide, shallow river. Towards the end we ascended quickly and then had to go down a steep, narrow, crumbly path to get to the water again. After hiking over rocks and sand we got to the pool.
It was worth the hike. It was long, cool, surrounded by vegetation and was fed by a waterfall at the far end. As you swam and approached the waterfall the current pushed up against you but once you crossed it and neared the base of the waterfall you could ride the current out to the main pool. Lovely location for a swim.
Meg and I held towels for each other to allow changes in and out of clothes and Ed had sandwiches, cookies, oranges and water for us. On the way back we took a much easier path that had many clusters of leaf-cutter ants crossing our way with their cargo. After we got back on the main road a guy closed the fence to the easier path and locked it, making us think that it was a pay path opposed to the less desirable free one.
The hike back was easier and quicker and Meg got some good practice on her Spanish with Ed. The bus back was just as nice and we were able to shower the sweat and dust off before lunch.
We ate, packed and were on the bus for a short ride to Santa Marta. Here the people not signed up for the Lost City Trek were to leave the group so our goodbye dinner was that night. The hotel was nice, but no Villa Margarita, and the lobby had a life-size dummy with sort of a colourful elephant's head. Apparently he is a monkey or trickster character in the upcoming carnivale.
We dropped off our laundry, settled into our room and then got an orientation tour with Filipe. The city has a large beach and waterfront promenade unfortunately shared with an active port so that swimming is not recommended. Simon Bolivar died here so there are lots of statues of him and the villa where he passed away is an attraction we would visit the next day. We saw a vendor with a whole roast pig in his glass cart and he was gradually shaving away at it and selling it. We also saw the local cathedral and went down some very active restaurant and club streets.
Later we met to go to dinner and had birthday celebrations for one of our group (although her birthday wasn't until the next day) and said goodbye to the leaving members. All along the street were entertainers who came along to do one song (young boys with some amazing percussion) or hip hop dance before passing the hat. There were also beggars, with obvious impairments or carrying children and holding out their hands, as well as people walking around with chips, cigarettes or candy. Our guide said that most beggars were Venezuelans, having fled their country and found work hard to come by in Columbia. After a coffee with some departing friends we headed back to the hotel to snooze.
Another nice breakfast and an overcast morning that didn't amount to much except for slightly cool temperatures. Today's optional activity was a hike to the pools of paradise, deep in the forest. We met our guide, Ed, and followed him to the road to catch a local bus to the trailhead. He was still learning English but was willing to try explaining things to us and as a group we were usually able to piece together what he was trying to say. The bus was surprisingly nice and not horribly overcrowded, about half of our group found seats and they were nice ones. We were only on the bus for about 10 minutes before we hopped off and started our walk.
Most of it was along well-established dirt road with occasional encounters with mules and
motorbikes. Ed paid off the local woman collecting fares and showed us some of the fruit and insects growing along the way. He also spoke about local indigenous people and how they were not allowed to intermarry between groups.
The walk was mainly level and next to a wide, shallow river. Towards the end we ascended quickly and then had to go down a steep, narrow, crumbly path to get to the water again. After hiking over rocks and sand we got to the pool.
It was worth the hike. It was long, cool, surrounded by vegetation and was fed by a waterfall at the far end. As you swam and approached the waterfall the current pushed up against you but once you crossed it and neared the base of the waterfall you could ride the current out to the main pool. Lovely location for a swim.
Meg and I held towels for each other to allow changes in and out of clothes and Ed had sandwiches, cookies, oranges and water for us. On the way back we took a much easier path that had many clusters of leaf-cutter ants crossing our way with their cargo. After we got back on the main road a guy closed the fence to the easier path and locked it, making us think that it was a pay path opposed to the less desirable free one.
The hike back was easier and quicker and Meg got some good practice on her Spanish with Ed. The bus back was just as nice and we were able to shower the sweat and dust off before lunch.
We ate, packed and were on the bus for a short ride to Santa Marta. Here the people not signed up for the Lost City Trek were to leave the group so our goodbye dinner was that night. The hotel was nice, but no Villa Margarita, and the lobby had a life-size dummy with sort of a colourful elephant's head. Apparently he is a monkey or trickster character in the upcoming carnivale.
We dropped off our laundry, settled into our room and then got an orientation tour with Filipe. The city has a large beach and waterfront promenade unfortunately shared with an active port so that swimming is not recommended. Simon Bolivar died here so there are lots of statues of him and the villa where he passed away is an attraction we would visit the next day. We saw a vendor with a whole roast pig in his glass cart and he was gradually shaving away at it and selling it. We also saw the local cathedral and went down some very active restaurant and club streets.
Later we met to go to dinner and had birthday celebrations for one of our group (although her birthday wasn't until the next day) and said goodbye to the leaving members. All along the street were entertainers who came along to do one song (young boys with some amazing percussion) or hip hop dance before passing the hat. There were also beggars, with obvious impairments or carrying children and holding out their hands, as well as people walking around with chips, cigarettes or candy. Our guide said that most beggars were Venezuelans, having fled their country and found work hard to come by in Columbia. After a coffee with some departing friends we headed back to the hotel to snooze.
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| Our swimming destination. |
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| Me with carnival creature. |
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| Santa Marta beach. |
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