Cartagena, Tayrona, Flamingos

To leave Capurganá I had to take another boat, this time to little Necoclí on the opposite side of the Golfo de Urabá. That boat ride was especially bumpy. Unfortunately the woman next to me got motion sickness and did not have the wherewithal to vomit over the side... The next two hours were just barftastic. Next I caught a pair of buses from Necoclí to Cartagena. And of course two seats over from me another woman got sick and managed to find herself a bag with holes in the bottom. Great choice lady. Making it to Cartagena took forever, and you can imagine how thrilled I was to escape public transportation for a couple days!

Cartagena is a city known for its long history as Spain's primary stronghold on the Caribbean coast. All of the treasures of the new world passed through the port city prior to crossing the Atlantic for Spain. Due to the proclivity of riches, pirates, most with ties to British or French royalty, raided the city a number of times. Sir Francis Drake was among the many that sacked the city in its early days.

Modern Cartagena has a well-preserved area of 16th and 17th century buildings surrounded by walls meant for defending against past raids. That part of the city was very beautiful, so I was sure to take some pictures, eat local sweets, visit a naval museum, and walk aboard a reconstructed pirate ship. The flowery balconies and quiet courtyards were very pleasant, and of course the medley of coconut-themed sweets I devoured was an important addition to the experience.

Besides candy and historical stuff, Cartagena also boasts a lively nightlife. This is especially true of the Getsemaní district, where tourists like myself choose to stay. The plaza in front of Iglesia de San Roque was particularly lively, with live music, food carts, and a good mix of locals and tourists. In my two days and two nights I found Cartagena to be a lot of fun!

From Cartagena I plowed eastward for Parque Nacional Tayrona, a coastal gem for hiking and enjoying the beach. After Capurganá (see last blog) you would think nothing could ever compare for beaches and jungle treks. Well, Tayrona impressed me a lot! The beaches were plentiful and scenic. I took full advantage of the jungle trail system in my two days and two nights. There were lizards galore, including what I believe was a large Tegu (massive lizard; see picture). I also saw more of the little black and white monkeys above me.

One hike I took, and highly recommend, was the "long way" to Pueblito; the ruins of a city once belonging to the Tayrona indigenous people. The hike took a few hours, but I saw so many monkeys and birds! Then I had a bit of a scare when I heard a loud and continuous roaring noise. I thought it sounded like a dying bear at first, so I approached cautiously. Finally I rounded a corner on the trail and heard it more clearly. It was a group of animals, which could only mean one thing: howker monkeys! I had to walk a long distance to finally get close, where the roar was incredibly loud. I managed to see much of the group, though they were too elusive to get a great look. One big male climbed into clear view above me and basically shouted at me for 10 minutes - it was cool. The rest of my hike was through Pueblito. The ruins were a combination of stone stairs and stone circles. There were also giant boulders all around the ruins. The Tayrona worshipped those boulders, believing them to hold some mystical power. The boulders were very impressive indeed. I perched myself on one and watched some distant birds in a big tree. Then, right on cue, a flock of 10-12 toucans flew over me and landed in the very tree I was looking at. So awesome! My shorter hike back to camp featured more boulders, a brilliant poison dart frog, and the sunset.

I also spent much of my time at Tayrona National Park soaking in the sun at Cabo San Juan de la Guía with my fellow tourists. At a lookout point nearby I made friends with a big iguana (see picture), and saw my first ever wild sea turtle in the crashing waves. The beach was amazing, even if a little crowded.

I went out at night twice in the park. The first time I saw a pair of foxes off trail, staring at me nervously. That was so cool! On my other night hike I found a snake. It was crazy though because I heard it thrash in the grass before seeing it. The snake had grabbed hold of an unlucky toad (see picture). I took a few pictures but left the snake to its meal.

Tayrona was not quite as undisturbed as Capurganá, yet still a near-perfect place for me. I am a big fan of the jungle-meets-ocean environment that takes up much of Colombia's Caribbean coastline.

To finish up my Caribbean coastal experience I continued east, toward the Guajira Peninsula. I wanted to check out the Santuario Flora y Fauna los Flamencos, only because it is a good place to see pink flamingos. Well, I made it there on a bus and on the back of a motorcycle. It was horribly hot and dry, but I finally saw some flamingos. To escape the heat I caught the next bus to Riohacha, then transferred to Valledupar, a bit further inland.

Valledupar is the birthplace of Vallenato music, which is a mixture of European, African, and indigenous styles that has become very popular in Colombia. I heard some of the cool accordion, drum, scratcher, and guitar beats in the streets. My stay was brief but pleasant.

That concludes this blog post. I apologize if it was a little eclectic! I did a lot of things over such a short time. I wish I could have spent a few more days in each place!

Capurganá

From the town of Armenia, near the farm I stayed at, I took a bus up to Medellín. I was hoping to see what Pablo Escobar's hometown is like. Turns out it is a large, sprawling city. In my two days there I refused to adapt to the big city hustle and bustle. My mind was still set in the tranquil Zona Cafetera. I am sure I could have had some fun, but instead I focused on planning out the rest of my trip.

My next stop was recommended to me by Jefry, my good friend back at the farm. He said that the little town of Capurganá was worth a visit. He lived there in the past and had nothing but good things to say about it. I took his advice, but without looking at a map I had absolutely no idea where I was headed. Turns out Capurganá is located in a very unique part of Colombia, in the northern Choco department. This portion of the country actually juts up into Panama quite a bit, making it geographically more in Central America than South America by my visual estimation. It also borders the Caribbean Sea.

To get to Capurganá I had to get a bus up to the worst-smelling town on our planet Earth, called Turbo, and then a little boat across the Golfo de Urabá. Nope, no roads to my destination. After a mighty bumpy 2.5-hour boat journey I found myself in the sleepy coastal town of Capurganá.

I could honestly go on and on about that place. I arrived there with what I thought to be realistic expectations. My plan was to leave in a couple days. Well, I ended up staying for 6 nights! Jefry's buddy Carlos gave me a friendly welcoming, and provided me all of his local knowhow about beaches, hiking, and snorkling spots, which made my stay extra rewarding. Picture a place where the ocean is at your fingertips, and the palm trees give way to dense jungle. There are few tourists, and the locals are a relaxed group that play daily soccer matches, drink Aguila (Colombian beer) and chicha de arroz (best drink ever) all day long, and make delicious fruit juices and donuts. There are no cars, only motorcycles and horse drawn carts. If not for the blaring music emanating from the bars at all hours, this place would have constituted absolute paradise for me. I will try to keep my description brief, so here are the highlights...

First, the Bahía Aguacate (Avocado Bay) was a superb spot to snorkle in. The water is still and surprisingly clear, with a large span of coral reef close to shore. Before my trip I bought a durable camera that claims to be waterproof down to 10 meters. Up to this point I had never put it to the test, for fear of breaking it. Well, I gave it a go, and the pictures turned out decent. More important than the pictures themselves were the subjects of them: various colorful corals, and dozens of vibrant fish. I saw a puffer fish, several angel fish, a sparkly fish, and others (my fish knowledge is pathetic). It was tons of fun to chase fish around for an hour or two. I had no mouthpiece thing with my snorkle mask, which meant looking at fish and taking pictures all had to happen while holding my breath. I do not advise this method for anyone hoping to get good underwater fish photos! I went to other snorkling spots as well, but Bahía Aguacate reigned supreme.

Next on the list, the beaches. I enjoyed many a beach, since there were many to choose from. One day I hiked with my hosts to Sapzurro near the Panama border, while most other days I went to the small beach right by the Capurganá dock for lack of a reason to search for somewhere better. The sand was warm and the people were few and far between for most hours of the day. Caribbean perfection.

The final aspect of this place, and my absolute favorite, was the jungle. I went on a number of hikes, mostly in and near the El Cielo reserve. The trail there crisscrosses a river until reaching wading pools and waterfalls at the reserve's entrance. As I tramped along I saw tons of lightning-quick lizards, as well as my favorite poison dart frog ever (see picture). One of the lizards I continued to see was especially fast, and eventually I witnessed one run ACROSS the river. A BASILISK! I got really excited. When I went out to the same area at night I found a big one sleeping on a palm frond. I snuck up, caefully lowered the branch, and as the basilisk braced for a leap to freedom I snagged it. Somehow I avoided getting scratched or bitten - neither of which would have felt too great. I marveled at what I was holding, trying to imagine how it could possibly run across the river in front of me. Such a neat animal. Other animals I found included three snakes in one night, about a billion big toads, truly massive frogs, many scuttling crabs, and some hilarious little frogs that completely inflate when they call. In the branches above I saw lots of woodpeckers, a toucan, and a group of chattering black and white monkeys. Hiking in the jungle here was exciting because every time I could count on seeing something new and fascinating.

So that is my recap of Capurganá. A really great place to visit, and a huge surprise for me. It barely even makes it into most guide books. I hope it stays that way. I loved taking a detour from the normal tourist track through Colombia.

I would like to extend a big thank you to the people I stayed with. They were very hospitable, especially Antonio, who was always keen to talk to me about global issues. Even if a few things were lost in translation, his friendliness still shined through. And Carlos was a great guide for me on things to do in the area, so a big thanks to him as well. It was difficult for me to leave, but I had already overstayed by 3 days. Lots more of Colombia to see, and with limited time to do it! Next stop: Cartagena.

View of my favorite island

Capurganá from above

The endless reef

The only time a got a good shot of one of these guys

The aforementioned sparkle fish

Quadruple fish picture victory

                                                                     Beach at Sapzurro

A little jungle river

My favorite poison dart frog!

These guys were extremely common, but so purdy

The picture is blurry, but the dinosaur is there

Its forearms are bigger than mine

Saved this guy from being eaten by a big cane toad

One of many big crabs in the trails

My last look at Capurganá

Café con Salsa

I entered Colombia via the Ecuadorian border near the town of Tulcán. The border crossing never felt even remotely unsafe, which was fortunate. My next several hours in a bus less than comforting. The southwestern part of Colombia is known for problems with drug smugglers and "armed bandits," according to my sources. That meant that on my long journey up to Popayán my bus was stopped a few times by heavily armed police. Seeing officers with large weapons was unsettling, but perhaps necessary in one of the remaining volatile regions in what is mostly a very peaceful country.

Anyway, a night in Popayán was immediately followed by a shorter ride to Cali, the self proclaimed salsa (the dancing kind) capital of the world. The big city was hosting a massive salsa competition that weekend, so obviously I was visiting at the right time. My first night in town I joined many people from my hostel for a night out at the "salsatecas," where I did my best to not look idiotic while imitating salsa dancing. Alongside me were some tremendously skilled Colombians. SERIOUSLY, their feet moved masterfully, with a magical fluidity that inexplicably matched the  fast-paced beats. It was loads of fun, but salsa dancing is not my forte. That was made crystal clear.

The following night was the conclusion of the big salsa event in town. I joined two Irish friends from my hostel on a quest to see it in person. A long wait in a ridiculous line led to disappointment, as the venue ended up being filled to maximum capacity early in the evening. We caught a bit of the fancy footwork on TV at a nearby mall instead. Then I crossed "salsa in Cali" off my list and left the next day.

North of Cali lies the famous Zona Cafetera (Coffee Region), my next stop. In a bizarre and ideal twist of fate I landed a place to stay as a WWOOF (Worldwide Organization of Organic Farms) volunteer at a local "finca." I wanted to escape the hostel scene for a while, learn new skills, and meet a different kind of traveler.

The place I stayed was a small coffee farm called Tabanoc. The partial owners and curators of the land are Heidi and Jeffrey, two people I grew to admire greatly for their approach to life. There was also baby Oshana, Tagua the boot-fetching dog, and a troop of volunteers I have come to call close friends.

Tabanoc is very much a work in progress, and that makes it the perfect destination for volunteers. The wide array of projects I helped with kept my time at work varied and interesting. I assisted with the construction of a bridge, selecting and setting in the pieces of a stone floor, weeding, clearing a field for corn, playing with goats, and picking coffee. None of that work was particularly glamorous, though always satisfying to complete.

What makes volunteering at a small farm like Tabanoc so worthwhile (other than the awesome people, beautiful setting, and endless learning opportunities), is the free time. We only worked about 5 hours per day, and had Sunday(s) off. In my time off I mostly relaxed, which was absolutely perfect! My afternoon nap routine will be hard to break. I also participated in a sweat lodge ceremony, known as Temazcal on my free Sunday. It is a Mexican tradition for purification of body and mind, and some of the locals participate in it every two weeks. I thoroughly enjoyed it, despite the intense heat. The cultural experience felt genuine, with a mixture of pleasant aromas and song floating through the scorching air. Give it a try if you do not mind a little sweat, dirt, and introspective thought.

Another aspect of Tabanoc that was extra special to me was the food we ate. I need a lot to fuel me throughout the day, and committing myself to eating no meat during my stay was frightening at first. Those worries subsided quickly. Breakfasts consisted of staples like fresh fruit or delicious corn "arepas," which somewhat resemble thick little tortillas. Lunch varied a lot, and was always very healthy and satisfying. In the afternoons, after nap time, we enjoyed a host of sweet breads, pies, and cakes, generally banana or avocado themed. My peers had serious skills in the baking department! The local (and I mean LOCAL) coffee was also a good touch. Plus we had an endless supply of bananas to eat whenever we pleased (all the time). Oh, and then there was dinner. Dinner was always terrific. Feasts that come to mind include pizza night and sushi night. Jeffrey's sushi was the stuff of legend! Most of my contributions in the kitchen were as a dishwasher, and that was fine by me.

Of course me coming to a lush green environment meant there was more to do than pick coffee, eat like a king, and nap in a hammock. There were acres and acres of dense forest divided by two cascading rivers, all waiting to be explored. I did the only thing I could think of - I went out at night. With my host Jeffrey leading the way I got to hike in the hills and along the riverbanks of Tabanoc in the dark. I spent 4 of my nights out and about. Just as I had hoped, the forest had a bounty of animals after sunset. We found pesky moths, sleepy butterflies and birds, bats, tarantulas, freshwater crabs, many a frog, and a dangerous little snake. There were 10 to 15 species of frog, mostly fairly common looking varieties (for South America). And then there were the glass frogs! We discovered 3 types: red-spotted, black-spotted, and white-flecked. All of them were seen sitting atop leaves beside the river, looking like the funky little aliens they are. Jeffrey and I admired their bright colors, crazy eyes (see picture), and transparent skin. Each one was an exhilarating find for both of us. They were the clear highlight of each night out, except for the final one...

My final night at Tabanoc I was sitting around shooting the breeze with my friends. Then we all heard a funny noise a short distance away in the forest - night monkeys! Jeffrey confirmed it to be their typical sound, and so he and I quickly launched out into the forest for a glimpse. It took some time, and lots of clambering around, but we saw some. One was high up in the trees, its oversized eyes shining from our headlamps. It moved around adeptly, though nervously, as we looked on. Another was close to the river and a bit trickier to see. Just to see them at all was a fortunate occurence. It felt like an appropriate send-off for me. (Sorry if you cannot see the monkey in my one really dark picture.)

Leaving Tabanoc proved difficult. I had already extended my stay from 7 to 10 days, and I would have stayed much longer if I was not on the timeline created by other obligations, such as my flight home. The friends I made were a truly fascinating bunch. We all hailed from different countries and backgrounds. I learned a lot from everyone, and I am not just saying that. These were well-travelled individuals with great stories and real life experience to back up their views on life. We shared many good moments. Saying my goodbyes was sad. These people mean a lot to me now! I have a feeling some of us will find ways to reconnect in the future.

With little time to dwell on my farewells I now head north for the Caribbean coast. I have been looking forward to this part of my trip since Day 1 back in April!