Costa Rica
6th of July 2020

I am sitting at the edge of a nice river run, listenting while the water splash across the rocks. I just went for a refreshing dip, the stream running…I can see a big clothing line, the product of a full bag of laundry we washed. We finished our 3 days gracie’s birthday celebrations in the Rincoln de la Vieja National Park, hiking, swimming in icy waterfalls, relaxing in hot spring while I am reflecting what the world has seen and lived in the last 6 months, we have so much to celebrate and to be grateful for. I couldn’t bring myself to write about our experiences of the last months and I, like the rest of the world, still can’t make sense of what is happening. I guess it will be difficult to explain it to our grandchildren; we have two now!...all started in March…

The first we heard just before going back to Australia to visit archulino and the kids was a big virus outbreak in China that devasted the country. A few days later, while we were enjoying our grandson the virus spread really quickly to Europe and people in mass particularly in Spain and Italy where dying. We were confused and anxious and still looked like very far away but…as news were bombarded us from all parts of the world countries started to closed their borders! So 10 days into our 24 days visit to Sydney we were faced with a terrible decision: hurry up, we need to go back to Costa Rica as they were also closing borders. Sufficient to say, we entered the country on the last flight allowed, borders closed just behind our backs. It was difficult for all to understand why we would come back here rather than stay with family in Sydney. It was clear for us when orders all over the world was “stay at home” that the only “home” we had was SalSolcito. That is our home, it has been our home for the last 6 years and the idea of loosing her to customs or anyone was really frightened. We got reunited with our home and headed off to La Herradura who has been a paradise to us just before we left. We faced, as probably lots of others, the best and the worst in people. As usual, crisis made the souls to come out. It was first the woman who owns the restaurant in the corner who so generously cut the fences of her house so we could fit in the back and then Manuel, the man who worked in the parking lot, who protected us from the ugly owner. We made that place and the people our place for the next 40 days! It was so weird that the first time we took our bikes to just go around the corner we found ourselves so unprotected and worried. As more news were coming, thousands of people dead, infections going in spike, no flights anywhere, people forced to be inside their homes, no work, no schools. It was one of those sic-fi terror movies that we so often seen and dismiss in the cinemas. The possibility to go to Sydney become grim by the minute and the chance to be with Braian and Allie for the birth of their first child (and our grandchild) was cero.

We took some courage and after those first 40 days and running from the heat we decided to go back to La Fortuna. This time, for our anniversary, we bide ride around the Arenales lake for 3 days, 120 km of hills and gravel! Ended up sleeping in a awful place (everything was closed) but we so much enjoy the freedom! In Sarcero we met El Sapito, Jorgelina y Mauri, an incredible, young and delicious couple who changed our outlook and our health habits! We owned to them how great we are feeling at the moment!

 
Playa La Langosta was our second big stayed. 12 days to pure sand , sea and beach. The only beach opened in the whole Costa Rica. We could not believe the place, it was like another world. All “gringos”, no one speaking in Spanish. Very elegant, big and stylish houses on the beach. We really had so much fun here! The big canal a few houndred meters on the beach that with the current and tide become like a water park for us! We also met Pamela and Adrian here, a vibrant, kind and hard work couple.

It was then in playa La Langosta, after being there for 10 days that one sleepless night we received via video our little Salvadore, Salvi for us!

Today, as a second wave of Corona Virus is attacking the whole world and more and more people become infected, we are making the best of this terrible situation. And while we are waiting for flights to go back to Sydney, we are going around Costa Rica again, this time taking the time to truly stay, enjoying every minute of it.

COSTA RICA

A new country! Yuppyyyyy, really excited. Particularly because everybody talks about Costa Rica!

18th of January 2020

Lush, lush, lush. First impressions. One highway, palms everywhere and a thick bushes. The green is greener here, taller and the iguanas cross the road all the time! Our first night was not spectacular as we stopped somewhere in a bay looking for batteries for the car. But on the day after, while driving we saw a dirt road of the highway. Just mere meters in and a fresh and much needed cold stream surrounded by trees. Jump in! Quick and delicious. Continue driving and again off the main road, 500 mts away and we are in paradise. Playa Piñuela. An incredible beach, the huge forest as a backdrop, clean and nice water. We stayed here for 2 nights.

 We are spending 2 weeks with our friends Patry y Carlos exploring first the volcanos and forest side of the country and then the glorious beaches. This country looks like a perfect country for us, small enough but with lots of variety in environments and backgrounds. We could hike, go deep into forest, bath in waterfalls, enjoy the thermal springs, ride the weaves of a super transparent water, coconut palms on the beach, white sand. And yet, as much as I enjoyed it all, I can help but not feeling completely comfortable. It is by far the more “developed” country of all the Latin American countries we have been (and by that I mean the whole country rather than the capital cities) but they are so used to have tourists and US expats living here that it is not only a very expensive country but also not so friendly. Hard to explain. The roads are some of the worst we have travelled. Only 2 main roads in great condition running through the country and the rest appalling. There are no shoulders at all to park the car just for a quick bite and usually people are looking for opportunities to make money from you. I would say that the delicacies of customer service approach is being somehow deluded!

I am disappointed and waiting to see if the next few weeks bring me a different sense of what I am feeling right now.





Off to the Caribbean side, with promises of more palm beaches and beautiful waters. We spent the next weeks basking in the nice weather, not so hot, cloudy, and with furious waters! Playa Negra, Cahuita National Park, Puerto Viejo, Cocles, Punta Uva and Playa Manzanillo. What I love about the landscape was the unusual amount of trees or just huge tree trunks on the water or just laying on the beach. The mood here is very laid back, very hippy style of living, We found more Argentinians here than anywhere else. Visiting, working, living… from time to time we do engage with the local people but it is very sporadic. I adore sleeping so close to the ocean, windows open, a nice breeze coming through and the inspiring noise of waves crushing.



I have to make a stop for a super honorary mention of the Cahuita National Park. A wonderful trial, nested in between the ocean and the forest. It has everything that a hike should have and even more! Gigantic plants, uneven but flat trials, some on sand, plenty on boardwalk. It rain so bad and yet it was even prettier as the leaves and trees took a shine to it. And so many animals! We saw the oso perezozo, monkeys, racuns, squirrels, turquoise butterflies. We went from one end to the other and come back! Such was the beautiful landscape.



20th of February

Finally leaving the Caribeean side and all the crazy weather, rain, humidity, heat and more rain. We want to do more walks but the weather is not helping. We decided then to go….to the beaches on the Pacific side!!! And so we arrived at La Herradura and we couldn’t move. Took the kayak, the bikes, the big chairs, and it was paradise for a few days!

La Herradura beach

Lake Arenal

He built their house and two little cabins to complement their income. She arrived the next morning with full breakfast for all. Sitting in our home, the 4 of us and the 5 of them. Home made tortillas with cream and fresh home made bread. And organic coffee and just out of the frypan patacones (banana). A prayer fill with gratitude, a sharing of stories. “Pura vida”!

Panama- Playa Ermita

30 December 2019

I am celebrating mum’s birthday on this sleeping fishing village. Last day of the year (almost) and it feels like a year that was really really full. Well, it is not just a feeling, the year WAS really really full 😊

I am going back a week on my writing. Ready for the central America leg! Hecti was waiting for me with SalSolcito at the airport, Panama city. He had shipped her from Colombia before flying to Australia and then arrived to Panama a few days before me to pick her up and bring it to the airport. Before that we spent a week in Bs As with our parents and friends. We used to also take the time to go to theatre and restaurants but we are not doing that anymore. A pity, as I loved that part of going to Argentina but everytime we go now our friends are busy/tired and we too! Moving from one place to another in Baries has become a real nightmare.

Panama city struck me a weird place. Very USA. Huge shopping centers spread on one floor, the façade imitating some kind of universal studios place. All I can see is consumism, incredible tall buildings (and so many of them! I asked Hecti “how many people live here”? as I am confused) mand just a block away the place turns sour, dirty, dangerous and poverty hits you on the face. My first impression of the people is that they are very friendly, saying hello when crossing path with you, slow pace, helpful. I want to escape the city. Is also extremely hot, with 90 % humidity! I need the beach! But before we left, we managed to do a nice bike ride that took us to the Panama Channel. It is really impressive. We spent the whole afternoon waiting for the big ships to arrive so we could see the waters coming back and down, the gates, the little carriages pushing it along. And it was raining, like I found out later every single day does.

Panama city - old town

Chame

We didn’t get to the pointy end, as we were lured by the promise of a desert white sand beach! Among mosquitos and other kind of insects, we still loved this little gem. End of the road. People only during the day, very relaxing. The perfect spot for our habitual ritual of cleaning and organising that take place everytime we come back after a long trip away from Sal Solcito. We missed her and the lifestyle we created for us. And it has become the place to come back to that allow us to survive all the hours of flying , the craziness of the cites (both Sydney and baires), the work, the intensity of being and then say goodbye to the family. We stayed in Chame for 3 days! I said to Hecti that I noticed how our modus of traveling has changed. We now spend more time in some places (unheard of a few years ago!). We are moving slowly now, knowing that we only have a few months until we fly again, so why bother hurried up?

El Valle

The heat finally pushed us out, and into the valley. Looking for some bushwalk and hike we found La india dormida. 3 days later and still can’t walk! A hike of 300 mts elevation was all my heart needed to be happy and all my legs needed to be walking like a wooden puppet! We slept on a great piece of grass next to the firefighters. Huge breeze and a difficult sting from an insect had my arm swollen into a disproportion form! Getting to know then the hospital in a nearby town was another level of experience!

And so back to Playa Ermitas, considering where to go next…

We received this new year (2020!) in Playa Ermitas, playing dominos with the locals, BBQ sausages, red wine in a plastic cup, a little breeze, an absolute perfect night. We were advised of the craziness that was took place on the 1 of January. From 4 am onwards hordes of cars, people, extreme loud music and beers descended to the beach! We tried to get some sleep and when we tried to open our door it was almost impossible! We were surrounded! Walked then about 200 mts on the beach just to be able to sit quietly, enjoying the day while we waited for things to calm down. That happened around 6:00 pm and we were left with so much rubbish around us that it was really upsetting. I did grab a paper box early on and picked up every can or bottle that was left on the beach but with almost thousands of people and millions of cans it was a nonsense task.

Playa de desembarcadero

Instead of staying on the panamerican highway we continue our drive though some little towns until the heat took us back to the beach, where we found the perfect spot at Pedasi, where the boats crossed to Iguana Island.

A quick bike ride on the beautiful beach to wait for tomorrow and the promised to cross to the island…which we did! So glad that we decided to go as the water was as clear as I have ever seen and the colour of the sand as the whitest as a I ever seen and even Hecti managed to go snorkelling!

Playa Venao

Next stop…boogie-boarding.  Oh my! Haven’t done that for at least 20 years! But you couldn’t tell as helped by the glorious perfect and gentle waves we bogyboarded like pro! This beach was really great for us, the perfect laid back atmoshpera, a surfers paradaise. That night, so happy the tiredness didn’t let us sleep…hahahah One more day here, to do a power walk, arms work with our elastic bands and a glorious sunset sitting on swings on the beach.

Cañas

Unbelievable (would that be the proper headlines?) Continuing with our positive energy and desire to keep our fitness high it was time for our kayak to have a spin. We knew that this area had plenty of mangroves and it was a great place to paddle. We left at 11:30 our SalSolicto on the banks of a big lagoon that goes out to the ocean on one side and a couple of rivers further down on the other side. It was really hot and very windy. WE managed to paddle up to what appear to be an isle. A French couple, doing a “sea change” has bought a hostel/restaurant/huge piece of land…a turtle nursery areas a few cabanas and that is their life! We continue our paddling down to the mangroves and into the river, where our way become narrow and narrow until we couldn’t go any further. I kept saying to Hector “this looks like a horror movie, I am waiting for a monster to appear somewhere in between these branches”. Coming back at 4:00 the windy was still strong, the zig zap paddling meant longer distance to cover. Arrived back and cherished jumping on the water and staying there for a while just to refresh ourselves. We were cleaning our kayak when a couple stopped near us, the woman hurried up the shore and start talking photos of the water. (???). And then, she shows us the video…a crocodile!!!! The head almost 50 cm long!. While driving away Hecti and I laughed as our plenty of jokes but I swear just the thought of paddling/swimming there with crocodiles made me really nervous!

Nothing better that a fisherman on the deserted road selling glorious fresh fish to make me forget about the episode! We kept driving until we arrived at Playa Guanico and then to Playa Cambutal.

Las Tablas

It was then a great occasion, one that we were going to miss but with the changes we made, we are now ready for festival! “El desfile de las mil polleras” was more impressive that its name, 200.000 women dressed in typical dresses marching on the town. People from all Panama comes to celebrate, and even with the heavy heat, heavy skirts, heavy jewellery and heavy make up… the women did not disappoint!

Playas Las Lajas

Our beach crawling continues. I enjoyed this so much. We truly find every single beach very different to each other. It is difficult to explain but we do! The only problem with this one was arriving on a Sunday lunch time. I believe I haven’t seen so many local people holidaying on one stop since Cali, near the river. That and in Chile (name???). Those were the only places in 6 years! So braced ourselves for a dirty, pack Sunday while reassuring each other with “by tomorrow no one will be here”. And it was true! On Monday , minus the super loud music from the boots of one or other car (very much like disco fever) we had a maginificent beach all for us. Magnificent. Probably the best we have seen here. Water temparute I guess 26/27 degrees. Full waves ( like Necochea!), long and wide….our 3 days consisted on bike rides, waves rides, BBQ, power walk, elastic bands and relax! Pure joy.

16th of January 2020

Changing gears! After going back and forward on our heads with dates, visas, flights, etc and more etc…we took a change as we are picking Patricia and Carlos in Costa Rica! I am leaving Panama just for now, the sense that we haven’t finished here is strong. Is not only a sense, we definitely haven’t finish here! But the nature of our trip means that when B & A baby arrives and we are flying back home we will turn around and come back here to leave SalSolcito and then we will have another crack to this great country…which has been very good to us.

He come to us as soon as he saw our motorhome, helping with parking. A big guy, I guess he was from Samoa or Fiji. His mother was, but he was born in Panama. As a young man he ended up in the USA and serve in the army. He told me he had been to “hell and back” . Disarming bombs. Afghanistan, Iran (or Irak??), Siria. His memories don’t let him sleep as he dreams of a home for vets where they can heal and be whole again. No family, no partner, no children burden. An invitation to talk follows, a coffee in my home, 3 hours of non stop stories and horrors. A bit of relief, the opportunity to open up; perhaps for the first time.

November 2019

I am so aware of the time it has gone since the last time I wrote here. To say that so much has taken place since I left our home in Colombia to fly back to Australia is an understatement. Archie has grown up so much! I so loved the way he recognised us, as almost we have never been separated. This commitment that Hecti and I have made to each other to see our Archie every 4/5 month (more or less) means that I can enjoy being with him and that when I say good bye it still hurts but not as much knowing that I will be with him soon enough. Being in Australia always brings the reality back to us. I am finding more and more difficult to be myself and to enjoy being there. I need nature, the open spaces, the ever changing landscape. I need the fresh food and the physical activity. I start to feel more and more that this is not my home and my home is on wheels, somewhere waiting for me to keep moving. And talking about keep moving….I am lying in bed, in a cabin, in a ship, in Antartica! I am surrounded by 100 brilliant scientist women in the larger women expedition in history. I feel part of history and what an incredible honour is to be. I am part of the faculty of this incredible leadership program to bring change to the world. I never expected to be here and yet it feels right.

Coveñas

Yes, yes and yes…back to the beach and the ocean. To breathe again. No matter how much I have come to enjoy the mountains and the bush there is still this deep connection we have with the ocean that is irreplaceable. And the water here! I think I have never felt the water so hot! It is impossible to refresh yourself! Coveñas is a laid-back beach town, or at least laid back during the off season which suits always perfect to us as we can have water views from our windows and sleep with the beautiful sound of waves. And I am glad no one is here as the furthes we move to the north the more touristic the places are the less friendly people have become. Not here, we were welcomed by everyone.

Cartagena

The really impressive things about this city is the fortress that rounds the old town that looks like Disney, the contrast between the really rich and the really poor and the suffocating heat that doesn’t give you a rest day or night. The first time we visited the old town was very surprising. As we entered the walled city a different place opened up to us. It looked magic and it was late in the afternoon and a Saturday! Lots of locals were around, a huge music festival taking place. Perfect! We also did very nice bike rides and others not that nice going back and forward to the shipping agent. It was great that it give us the possibility to really explore the city and really there is no much prettiness to see. The nice area, the rich area, the touristic area. The promenade, the shopping, the tall and new buildings…same same same

We stayed on the beach, of course. But this time with so many other travellers. El Laguito has become a mix of a stopover, permanent or quasi permanent place to rest for gypsies. A place to wait for the crossing to Panama, a "going back point" for travellers from South-America that are not crossing,  a place for a good mate, nice chats, interesting people, gather information

Tyrona National park

A week after arriving in Australia, after knowing that Salsolcito has arrived well in Panama and Hector was on his ways, I finally relax and it daunt on me that I have left Colombia and with that the South American leg. Ugh. A sense of emptiness and fulfilment at the same time. I feel so sad. All the pictures of this so loved and so mistreated continent. We had been so blessed by its people, their sound, their colors, their food, their welcoming, their warmth. Never ever we felt uncomfortable, unsafe, not loved. And the nature, the incredible nature that is so imposing. The Uyuni salt lake in Bolivia, the Amazon trip in Peru, the whole Patagonia experience with the rawness, Torres del Paine, Flying above the Nazca lines, beaches for ever in Brasil, Chapada Diamantina , Machu Pichu and the Incas trial, the volcanoes in Ecuador, el Colca trial and the sunrise with the condors, our friends coming and going, our little hidden treasure the 9 Cascades in Naranjales, San Pedro de Atacama desert, Tyrona national park, the Seven Lakes in south of Argentina and Huamuaca Cerro de los 7 colores, Cabo Polonio in Uruguay and the town of Colonia, Mendoza (all of it!), cute little towns around the Eje Cafetero. We lived so much, we enjoyed so much, we immersed so much…for ever in our hearts!

Guatape

We had a ball here! First of all, dressed in my best Sunday clothes we strolled in this super cute town. All home fronts so colourful, a fitted description of this place as it is called the “city of plinths”. Very happy that we got here on the weekend as the town lights up! On Monday we did a biathlon! Morning kayaking and afternoon a ride with our new bikes! A pity that the path was so up and down that I did most of my ride walking! That night, while we were cooking I said to Hecti: “we do know how to live life”…. and I didn’t exaggerate a bit. I still can’t believe this opportunity, to live life at our fullest; to be healthy and to be active. We enjoyed so much these times.

La Chorrera

Guauu, this was a bit more difficult than expected but absolutely rewarded. The walk took us 6 hours of ups and down to reach the highest waterfall in Colombia…. and we couldn’t be happier!

Bogota

Only one full-day, a big walk to get immerse in this huge city! Walked on the beautiful old town and spend the afternoon in the flea market. Bogota is every bit what a big city should be: noise, busy, high rises, very poor areas, huge traffic.

Zipaquira

I didn’t want to pay such an expensive ticket to get into the salt cathedral and even less to pay their parking. But we ended paying much more - financially and emotionally - as we spent the whole afternoon dealing with the parking police that took our SalSolcito to the depot!

The cute nice little old towns

Guatavita - Nemocon -Villa de Leyva - Raquira - Balneario La Gloria (Las Gachas) - Barichara -Guane - Mompox

I was really surprised… totally! I don’t know what I was expecting but certainly did not expect to find such beautiful laid back out of the history books colonial, big stones pavements towns! Each one of them romantically crafted; most of them pure white walls with orange roofs, some of them only two colors (green and white); the breathtaking churches, the mountains and valleys just around… it did feel like some of the places in Europe in so many ways. You get a sense that time stops still over there and for a moment it looks like nothing has changed much from the last 100 years, including the horse carriers. Villa de Leyva was very hip, lots of craft shops, very upmarket, plenty of museums. Balneario la Gloria had this great walk on the valley that finished in the water holes; pure, cold, crystalline water running down the cascades, through the stones; Mompox with her long promenade along the river and the most distinctive iron fence windows - no two are the same!- Guatavita with the “Mallorca” feel and its great lagoon and Barichara with its great walks (the one we did took as to Guane - we come back in this tiny colourful bus). All this time was magic, unexpected and super enjoyable... now is time to continue travel until we get to the ocean!!!!

April 2019

Two days ago, I saw in facebook that we celebrated 5 years since we got SalSolcito…5 years! It feels like ages when we were travelling through Europe and on the other hand it feels like we had always being living like this. Very difficult to explain. As Hecti keeps saying “this is our life, not a holiday, just life”. And I am reflecting on this, sitting on a lower chair, a deserted park, in any town really near Medellin after a nice cold shower from the back of our car.

Our life is now 3-5 months at a time. If it was unexpected and unplanned before, it is not totally unexpected and unplanned. Archie (and other potential grandchildren) has meant we can only go a few months at a time.The logistics of how and where to leave our SalSolcito, airports to fly to Aus, potential work to go back to, parents getting more needy in Baires… well… as I said, only a few months at a time!

Going back to Aus, working 10 hours a day every single day and enjoying Archie any moment has been tough… in the body and in the mind. As much as I love (and I love it a lot) working, the stress of projects plus city living does take a toll on us, and in me in particular. But, and it is a big big but, there is no complain, just enjoying the opportunity to be back often to be with our kids. And the goodbyes are not that dramatic anymore, as we have made a commitment to see them every 5 months 😊.

So, we reunited with SalSolcito in Quito, she was in perfect condition. Great! It is funny how the smallest routines become part of our everyday going. We always wash the curtains of our home before going anywhere and then there is something magical about putting them up when we start going again. Like actors who rehearse before the grand-opening, knowing that there is going to be a function every day after. It is a routine that sooth the mind and helps to bring us down after the often long long fly back.

Museo del Carnaval - Pasto

We crossed to Colombia as soon as we were ready, with the hope of going to Pasto to fulfil a promise that I gave to this family the past November. And so, after only 2 days in Colombia I found myself in front of 400 middle school girls participating in workshops about violence during courtships (and of course intra-family)… how can I describe this experience? Powerful, impactful, full. To open up discussions about this area, that I have worked on for so many years back in Aus, to be able to share the knowledge, and to essentially bring words of hope that there are choices, there is another way, there is an opportunity for them to be free, to be what they want to be… Oh! It was very special. The funny thing was how we were treated by this beautiful family, with so much care and love. An experience to remember.


Back to Cali, and back to our friend for another round of love before moving again to the "Eje cafetero"; this time for a fun day…

It has been raining tons every single day around 2pm. Still, we wanted to do the San Cipriano “way”. This can only happen when needs and lack of resources gives birth to innovation! Picture this: a motorbike on a platform on a rail tracks. Train that it doesn’t work anymore and leave the communities in an isolated way. Not anymore! These funny mods of transport means that locals can go to school and to the markets for food and on top of that money make by tourists interested in trying it! It was crazy, fast, scary and exciting all at once…and we loved it!


Filandia

This cute little town, similar to Salento, is where we got together with other 5 motorhomes/vans for a chat, a mate (all Argentinians) and a bit of chit-chat. It is difficult for me to socialise and even worse to attempt to plan something with other people. Even though there is so much in common with other travellers I feel worlds apart. It could be the age, the different cycle in life, different needs or ways to travel, or what I like to do. I found myself wanting to be with others and then not at all. I must say that similar stuff happened to me in Aus; this time around I did not meet with many people; only 2. I feel very disconnected emotionally from others. I wonder if things will change when we back for good….

Medellin

This huge city did connect with us with its story of suffering and rejuvenation. It is true that there is so much still to do and that in several parts the government has all but given up in the fight for control with regards to drugs. The “Museo de la Memoria” reminded us of a past of just around the corner. The decades of the 60 throughout the 70, 80, 90 and 00 is still very fresh. I still remembered seeing clips of the violence here, doubted at one point “the most dangerous city in the world”. We visited “Comuna 13” infamous because it was the most dangerous place where at any given point there were 5 different militias fighting against each other. 80.000 people living in precarious conditions, a 2002 attack from the government bombing from helicopters and a massacre that resulted… this on top of the thousand of kidnappings, car bombs, homicides and the lot that was part of every day life for the people in Medellin. La comuna today is flourishing thanks to the artistic movement, to the incredible graffiti plastering the walls telling of the dark stories on top of that the breakdance and hip hop, the music and the poetry. It is a new beginning, still so much to do.

Santa Fe de Antioquia

Loved walking thought the streets of this little colonial town. The cobble stones on the streets and the street tiles on the pathway give a perfect frame for the white walls of the houses. But it was so hot (36 degrees?) that we could feel the heat (more like fire!) so we escaped after a delicious tamarind with fresh lemon juice.

Looking at fincas to stay the night and go for a swim, we were totally welcomed by a new place of “food track - containers” surrounded by gorgeous garden, tall tress and a delicious (still hot!) swimming pool!

January 2019

Salento

I did love this little town! All colorful, and prepared still for the holidays season, plenty of shops. The town become alive at night even though we were late for the “ferias” (carnavales). We were driving on the "eje cafetero". Such a great drive, a big new highway in the canyon, the intensity of the greens, and exquisite "fincas" with stables all over the place. From here we drove to Cocora Valley and did a great walk! Soaking wet, going up to 2,800 mt, to be closer to the tall palms; then all the way down to the river and crossing many bridges made me feel like Indiana Jones. 6 hours, 12 km... and we are dead!

Manizales

Finally on time! We catch up the yearly ferias here. Never seen so many people together on the same spot! Hundreds and hundreds walking elbow to elbow through the streets, all the shops, all the food! Interestingly enough, with such a crowd, I never felt unsafe ??

Tatacoa Desert

We thought that Road Runner and the Coyote were going to appear at any moment! It was like a Disney set... such as incredible and unreal this desert is. Funny formations and colors, we did a walk under a sunny 40 degrees…and sadly couldn’t stay to see the starts as I become sick from the heat

somewhere on a night on a petrol station, near the desert of Tatacoa.

I am writing this after so many days without writing, reflecting back in what has been already such a great experience in Colombia. The country did not disappoint us a bit, and it was no an exaggeration when other travellers told us many many times about the Colombian people. We have had so incredible experiences so far. Where the Brazilians were helpful and intense and so friendly, the Colombians… well, they treat you like you are family! They entered our home without asking permission for example, just saying... ”I want to see your place”... and up they do! You can hear the music coming from every house, every corner. They are interested in us; they want to get to know us. We have seen countless cars just followed us and stop for a chat. And in the streets, they do wave us as we do pass thought the roads.