We said goodbye to our host and landlord, Yeimi. She sat reluctantly for a serious photo since I'd been joking with her, calling her boss.
Showing posts with label Colombia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Colombia. Show all posts
Thursday, October 12, 2017
Cali, Colombia - Adios!
Adios a la Jefa, Tambien (Goodbye to the Boss, Too)
We said goodbye to our host and landlord, Yeimi. She sat reluctantly for a serious photo since I'd been joking with her, calling her boss.
We said goodbye to our host and landlord, Yeimi. She sat reluctantly for a serious photo since I'd been joking with her, calling her boss.
Cali, Colombia - Food
We Tried to Try it All
You can eat like a king in Cali. This meal for two with drinks, soup and main course was less than five dollars.
You can eat like a king in Cali. This meal for two with drinks, soup and main course was less than five dollars.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Cali, Colombia - Come to Jesus
Ascent of Cristo Rey
He stands 85 feet tall and looks down on Cali from a peak on the western edge of town. Our landlord recommended a bike ride there and suggested we use Benjamin, a friend of hers who rents out bikes and serves as a guide. No fixed price, you make a donation and he uses some of the proceeds to buy books for the local school children.
He stands 85 feet tall and looks down on Cali from a peak on the western edge of town. Our landlord recommended a bike ride there and suggested we use Benjamin, a friend of hers who rents out bikes and serves as a guide. No fixed price, you make a donation and he uses some of the proceeds to buy books for the local school children.
Cali, Colombia - Maintenance
The Best Two Dollar Workout
In our quest to be in tip-top shape for the Macchu Picchu hike, we hit the gym every night at 6pm. Down the hill from us is a gym that offers classes for two bucks. I still cannot believe the prices here. Slightly different workout every day, but damned hard regardless.
In our quest to be in tip-top shape for the Macchu Picchu hike, we hit the gym every night at 6pm. Down the hill from us is a gym that offers classes for two bucks. I still cannot believe the prices here. Slightly different workout every day, but damned hard regardless.
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Cali, Colombia - Street Scenes
Many Ups and Downs
The city started at the foot of the mountains and slowly spilled into the valley. The first thing you notice is the people; Cali is more a mix of African, mulatto and mestizo than northern Colombia, a vestige of the slave trade on the southern coast where the sugar cane fields were.
The city started at the foot of the mountains and slowly spilled into the valley. The first thing you notice is the people; Cali is more a mix of African, mulatto and mestizo than northern Colombia, a vestige of the slave trade on the southern coast where the sugar cane fields were.
Cali, Colombia - World Cup Fever
They're In
The last game of the world cup qualifiers was held on Tuesday night. The whole city ground to a halt, the game was on everywhere. Colombia was taking on Peru in Lima and they needed a win or a tie with Chile losing. We watched the second half at an outdoor ice cream shop. Every employee was there with us, running into the shop to serve the odd customer and then running back out as quickly as possible.
The last game of the world cup qualifiers was held on Tuesday night. The whole city ground to a halt, the game was on everywhere. Colombia was taking on Peru in Lima and they needed a win or a tie with Chile losing. We watched the second half at an outdoor ice cream shop. Every employee was there with us, running into the shop to serve the odd customer and then running back out as quickly as possible.
Monday, October 9, 2017
Cali, Colombia - Top of Town
Our Home Base
We're staying in the historic district of Cali, in the foothills on the northwest side of town. Our house is at the top of a steep hill, across the street from a shaggy park that crowns the neighborhood. The facade is an optical illusion - it's larger inside than expected.
We're staying in the historic district of Cali, in the foothills on the northwest side of town. Our house is at the top of a steep hill, across the street from a shaggy park that crowns the neighborhood. The facade is an optical illusion - it's larger inside than expected.
Cali, Colombia - Here We Come
South and Down
We took a four hour bus ride out of Armenia into the valley between the Central and Western Cordilleras to Cali, short for "Santiago de Cali." It was a smooth ride other than the young girl who vomited into a garbage bag two or three times. Cali is 2,000 feet lower, at 3,300 feet above elevation. It is definitely warmer, I was sweating in the cab from the bus station to our Cali apartment. It's not a small city - about 2.5 million people. It is bordered on two sides by mountains - some of which we plan to scale, either by foot or bicycle.
We took a four hour bus ride out of Armenia into the valley between the Central and Western Cordilleras to Cali, short for "Santiago de Cali." It was a smooth ride other than the young girl who vomited into a garbage bag two or three times. Cali is 2,000 feet lower, at 3,300 feet above elevation. It is definitely warmer, I was sweating in the cab from the bus station to our Cali apartment. It's not a small city - about 2.5 million people. It is bordered on two sides by mountains - some of which we plan to scale, either by foot or bicycle.
Saturday, October 7, 2017
Armenia, Colombia - El Valle de Corcora
Hiking the Corcora Valley
The Corcora Valley is part of Los Nevados National Park and sits next to the central ridge of the Andes, which soar to 15,000 feet. Corcora was the name of a Andean princess and means "star of water." The park was created to protect certain species, one being the Quindia Wax Palm, a tree that can grow as high as 200 feet.
The Corcora Valley is part of Los Nevados National Park and sits next to the central ridge of the Andes, which soar to 15,000 feet. Corcora was the name of a Andean princess and means "star of water." The park was created to protect certain species, one being the Quindia Wax Palm, a tree that can grow as high as 200 feet.
Friday, October 6, 2017
Armenia, Colombia - Seismic Activity
Bathing in the Hot Springs
The Andean central range rises close to 15,000 feet and was pushed there by plate tectonics and volcanic activity. Once every 20 years a huge earthquake flattens the area - the last big one was in 1999. In the intervening years it has its advantages - specifically outdoor hot springs that one can luxuriate in. Our host offers door to door hotsprings transportation but since we're cheap (ok, I'm the cheap one) we went local.
The Andean central range rises close to 15,000 feet and was pushed there by plate tectonics and volcanic activity. Once every 20 years a huge earthquake flattens the area - the last big one was in 1999. In the intervening years it has its advantages - specifically outdoor hot springs that one can luxuriate in. Our host offers door to door hotsprings transportation but since we're cheap (ok, I'm the cheap one) we went local.
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Armenia, Colombia - Country Jog
Escaping the Farm on Foot
The nearest village, El Caimo, is 5km away. After breakfast it rained for a while but once it began to clear we got ambitious. We planned to run to town, drink some coffee, hang out a bit and then run back. There was a single cafe in town - part of a rest stop.
The nearest village, El Caimo, is 5km away. After breakfast it rained for a while but once it began to clear we got ambitious. We planned to run to town, drink some coffee, hang out a bit and then run back. There was a single cafe in town - part of a rest stop.
Armenia, Colombia - Country Digs
Deep in the Country
Technically, we're not in Armenia. We're thirty minutes south, in a farming collective that is 3 miles from the nearest village, called El Caimo. You have to pass a checkpoint to get into the collective, which is composed of 40 small farms. Most grow coffee and plantains, our farm happens to specialize in aloe vera.
Technically, we're not in Armenia. We're thirty minutes south, in a farming collective that is 3 miles from the nearest village, called El Caimo. You have to pass a checkpoint to get into the collective, which is composed of 40 small farms. Most grow coffee and plantains, our farm happens to specialize in aloe vera.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Armenia, Colombia - Cross Hairs of the Coffee Trade
Goodbye Medellin
We bussed our way out, hoping to get there on time but quickly gave up hope as traffic and road works slowed us to a crawl.
We bussed our way out, hoping to get there on time but quickly gave up hope as traffic and road works slowed us to a crawl.
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Medellin, Colombia - Food
You Will Never Go Hungry Here
Medellin checks all the food boxes for me. Cheap, plentiful, various and cooked from scratch. This is the national dish, bandeja paisa, which can be roughly translated as "country platter." Rice, beans, fried egg, slice of avocado, fried plaintain, chain link of deep-fried fatty pork, blood sausage and a chorizo. Dodo and I combined could not finish this.
Medellin checks all the food boxes for me. Cheap, plentiful, various and cooked from scratch. This is the national dish, bandeja paisa, which can be roughly translated as "country platter." Rice, beans, fried egg, slice of avocado, fried plaintain, chain link of deep-fried fatty pork, blood sausage and a chorizo. Dodo and I combined could not finish this.
Medellin, Colombia - The Hood
Visiting La Moravia
We booked a walking tour called "Barrio Transformation" and toured one of the Medellin's most notorious neighborhoods - La Moravia. It's built on and around the city's garbage dump and was once known as Pablo Escobar's "assasin's cradle." This is a photo of how it used to look.
We booked a walking tour called "Barrio Transformation" and toured one of the Medellin's most notorious neighborhoods - La Moravia. It's built on and around the city's garbage dump and was once known as Pablo Escobar's "assasin's cradle." This is a photo of how it used to look.
Medellin, Colombia - Transport
Top Class
Medellin, built in a valley surrounded by mountains, was once relatively small. In the 80s and 90s, hundreds of thousands of rural migrants, displaced by the civil war, fled the countryside and built whole makeshift neighborhoods on the hillsides surrounding the city. The public transport system adapted ingeniously. In the valley, there is an elevated subway line.
Medellin, built in a valley surrounded by mountains, was once relatively small. In the 80s and 90s, hundreds of thousands of rural migrants, displaced by the civil war, fled the countryside and built whole makeshift neighborhoods on the hillsides surrounding the city. The public transport system adapted ingeniously. In the valley, there is an elevated subway line.
Monday, October 2, 2017
Medellin, Colombia - Smaller Towns
Marinilla and Guatape
As part of our rock climb trip, we got to tour two small towns. Marinilla on the way to the rock and the colorful town of Guatape after our climb.
As part of our rock climb trip, we got to tour two small towns. Marinilla on the way to the rock and the colorful town of Guatape after our climb.
Medellin, Colombia - Climbing the Rock
AKA "El Penol de Guatape"
We booked a day trip to a giant rock two hours west of Medellin in the town of Guatape. The idea, as crazy as it sounds, was to climb 77 stories to the top for what is billed as "incredible views" of the surrounding lakes. The rock is a chunk of granite pushed up into the air from plate tectonics. Two-thirds of it is beneath the ground.
We booked a day trip to a giant rock two hours west of Medellin in the town of Guatape. The idea, as crazy as it sounds, was to climb 77 stories to the top for what is billed as "incredible views" of the surrounding lakes. The rock is a chunk of granite pushed up into the air from plate tectonics. Two-thirds of it is beneath the ground.
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Medellin, Colombia - Botero
Museo Antipoquia
This is not the Botero museum per se, but his work dominates. He is the most famous artist from Medellin and has donated many of his paintings, drawings and sculptures so they can be viewed together.
This is not the Botero museum per se, but his work dominates. He is the most famous artist from Medellin and has donated many of his paintings, drawings and sculptures so they can be viewed together.
Saturday, September 30, 2017
Medellin, Colombia - Pain
Working Out at 5,000 Feet
We found a gym in our neighborhood giving one hour classes for 4 bucks. I signed up for an 11am High Intensity Interval Training class, which I am familiar with from NY. Bursts of very intense exercise with 20 seconds of rest between each. I told Dodo she didn't have to join but her machismo got to her. She puffed up and stuck up her nose "I can work out too!"
We found a gym in our neighborhood giving one hour classes for 4 bucks. I signed up for an 11am High Intensity Interval Training class, which I am familiar with from NY. Bursts of very intense exercise with 20 seconds of rest between each. I told Dodo she didn't have to join but her machismo got to her. She puffed up and stuck up her nose "I can work out too!"
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