Popayán and the Tierradentro ruins

Tierradentro Archaeological Park

Our last week in Colombia was a very busy one, filled with colonial architecture and pre-Hispanic ruins. We were determined to get to Otovalo in Ecuador in time for their famous Saturday market, so our time south of Cali was unfortunately limited. From Cali we took a bus to Popayán, the former seat of power and a nice colonial city.

Founded in 1537 Popayán is referred to as the “white city” and it’s clear why – the colonial town boasts chalk white building after chalk white building. The town is very well preserved and has plenty of churches and a nice town centre, focused around Parque Caldas. The most important buildings around Parque Caldas include Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción and the Clock Tower. Referred to as the nose of Popayán and completed in 1682, the clock no longer keeps time and has been stuck on the same time for many years.

Popayan with Belen and La Ermita churches in the background

Popayan, the White City

The Cathedral and Clock Tower

Food at Mora Castilla

Popayán has been home to 17 of Colombia’s Presidents, more than any other part of the country. It also hosts the largest Semana Santa (Easter) celebrations in Colombia and the second largest in the world after Seville, Spain. More importantly for us, UNESCO designated it a City of Gastronomy, the only city thus recognised in Latin America. It goes without saying that we had to try some of the local cuisine. We visited Mora Castilla, a restaurant that specialises in tapas sized portions of the regional cuisine.

We weren’t sure what to order, so the lovely owner recommended a few dishes for us and we followed his exact recommendations. The food was absolutely delicious; we had local tamales, carantanta con hogao, patacón con queso, empanadas de pipián, all washed down with salpicón payanés and champus. Everything was so good that we just couldn’t say no to dessert; there were two options on the menu and we got one of each. The desserts did not disappoint either! We had a really tasty local version of lemon cake and a “postre Eduardo Santos”. The owner told us the story behind the latter: apparently when former president Eduardo Santos visited Popayán a banquet was prepared for him, but the dessert they had prepared somehow got ruined, so they threw together a dessert with whatever ingredients they could find in the kitchen, with a surprisingly delicious result! The president like the dessert so much that he asked what its name was; since it didn’t have one, they named it after him.

Catedral Basilica Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion

Sarah in a doorway

Iglesia del Carmen

Although Popayán is a pretty colonial town, after an afternoon we had seen enough to satisfy our curiosity. We enjoyed our short time there, but have to admit that the highlight of our visit was definitely our dinner at Mora Castilla. We were in Popayán from Saturday afternoon until Sunday morning, the city seemed to be pretty empty of people, especially on Sunday – nothing was open and only police were on the streets.

Painted tomb at Tierradentro

From Popayán we took a direct bus to San Andrés de Pisimbalá, the town next to the pre-Hispanic ruins of Tierradentro. The bus trip was not as bad as we had read – sure it was bumpy and windy at times, but not nearly the near death experience we had read online. We were however quite impressed by the enormous amount of dust that our backpacks had gathered during the trip there. This entire area used to be a no go zone for tourists. Guerrilla activity and fighting deterred all but the most adventurous of visiting this region. But now that tourists have started trickling into the area to visit the famous burial grounds roads are being built, replacing the dirt tracks that used to be the only route to these towns. Although it is still not exactly a smooth ride, it demonstrates that peace brings prosperity.

We stayed at La Portada in San Andrés for two nights in order to visit the Tierradentro Archaeological Park, which was named UNESCO world heritage in 1995. The visit involved a long hike to visit all the excavated tombs on a circuit through the mountains, with stunning scenery as a backdrop. These tombs – also called hypogea – have only been excavated recently; while some initial work was done from the 1930s – 1950s, most of the excavation took place between the 1960s and the 1990s. Work here is ongoing; we passed several burial tombs that are known to exist but are yet to be excavated. In Gold Museums around the country you can see some of the artefacts that were found in these burial tombs, but seeing the tombs in person is a very different experience.

We had beautiful views on this hike

Inside a hypogea

Paintings and carved faces in this tomb

Black vulture that followed us for a while…

We decided to do the circuit anti-clockwise, visiting the most important site (Segovia) first and avoiding a really steep one hour uphill climb. The entire circuit took us a little over 7 hours of hiking – the trail was tough but worthwhile, as climbing the many mountains afforded some spectacular views of the Colombian Andes. We shared the views with wild horses and black vultures (the fact the vultures were circling us most of the hike is a bad indictment on our fitness level). The friendly guards who look after the tombs double as guides and provided us with a lot of useful information about the hypogeas.

Tierradentro means “Inside the Earth”, an appropriate name for these burial tombs. To access each we had to descend a number of stairs – big stairs that were challenging for us to descend and climb, we can only imagine how difficult it would have been for the indigenous people at the time of construction who were a lot shorter. According to one of the guards nobody really knows why they built such big steps. The tombs are located between 2 and 7 metres underground and not much is known about them. Almost all the ones we saw had columns carved out of the walls, many with figures carved into the columns and a number still decorated with red and black paint. Most of the tombs had lighting to help appreciate their attributes, but those that lacked lighting were at times eerie.

Figures carved into the tomb columns

Sarah enters the tomb

Sarah looking at the sculptures

The Archaeological Park also has a couple of pre-Hispanic anthropomorphic sculptures carved from volcanic rock, representing dignitaries and deities, which are located at the El Tablón site. After visiting this site we went back to the town of San Andrés, where we had a big lunch at La Portada before embarking on the second and most strenuous part of the hike in the archaeological park. This part of the circuit leads to Alto de Aguacate, the hightest point of the hike, which provides stunning views. A lot of visitors to the Park don’t go as far as El Aguacate because the hike up there is quite demanding (and the walk down is tough on the knees!) and because most of the tombs found up there were raided by guaqueros (tomb raiders) and are therefore not as well preserved. However, we found the views during the hike to be so breathtaking that it was well worth the effort to get there. We were absolutely exhausted and pretty dusty when we finally got back to town, but quickly recovered after a shower and a beer!

Views during the last part of the hike

Tierradentro is not a popular tourist destination and it is a bit off the beaten track, which meant that we had the place to ourselves for the most part. There were only a handful of tourists visiting the Archaeological Park while we were there, making the experience even more special.

The hypogeas and the hike were absolutely wonderful; another highlight of our time in Colombia! We will continue our tour of pre-Hispanic Colombia, heading to more popular San Agustin and its Archaeological Park as we continue our journey south to the border of Ecuador.

The chalk white walls of Popayan

Popayan’s theatre

Cathedral at night

Shack encountered on our hike

Inside the tomb

Amazing designs in the hypogea

Duncan in the Colombian Andes

Top 5 things to do in Panama

The Isthmus of Panama has plenty to see and do for the curious traveller. Here are our top 5 picks from our time in the country.

San Blas Islands

1. San Blas Islands

We travelled through the San Blas Islands on our way from Panama to Colombia, but tour operators also provide excursions to the islands. It is a great chance to enjoy these almost untouched islands, swim in beautiful coral, see the Kuna people and relax in the Caribbean sunshine.

Two sloths on Sloth Island, Bocas del Toro

2. Bocas del Toro

Another group of islands, the archipelago of Bocas del Toro is a popular tourist destination. Getting out to the islands to see the beaches, the marine park and Sloth Island were highlights for us. There is plenty of tourism infrastructure in Bocas and options for all kinds of traveller: parties, relaxation, wildlife and adventure are all available on these islands.

Boat carrying yachts crosses the Panama Canal

3. Panama Canal

One of the engineering wonders of the modern world, this is an easy day trip from Panama City that is well worth the effort. Try to go in the morning or afternoon to see the large boats going through the locks. There is an informative museum and video (in Spanish and English) that will help you appreciate just how incredible this Canal is and how important it is to the country and to world trade.

Plaza de la Independencia, Casco Viejo

4. Casco Viejo

The old part of Panama City is a delight for tourists. Many upmarket hotels and hostels are located here, where the beautifully maintained historical centre shows off its churches, plazas and buildings. There is a lot of history in this part of town; check out the golden altar in Iglesia de San José and Paseo las Bóvedas.

Kuna Indians, the women’s clothes are very colourful

A Kuna Indian selling her wares from a canoe

5. Costume of the Kuna Indigenous people

The women of the Kuna people have a very colourful and (to us) exotic way of dressing. This is on display both in the San Blas Islands (where the Kuna people have an autonomous government) and in Panama City (especially around Paseo las Bóvedas in Casco Viejo). We found the way they dress just fascinating!

Cali – the world salsa capital

Santiago de Cali, Colombia

With great excitement we took a flight from Bogotá to Santiago de Cali, the capital of the Valle del Cauca department; famous for salsa and infamous for its drug cartel. We had booked two nights in a hostel that offered free salsa classes called The Green House. We have danced salsa in Australia for a couple of years but the salsa in Cali is faster and the movements are quite different, which is why a some lessons couldn’t hurt– suffice to say we were looking forward to ripping it up on the dance floor!

In News of a Kidnapping Gabriel Garcia Marquez writes that “In Colombia, any gathering of more than six people, regardless of class or the hour, is doomed to turn into a dance.” Nowhere is this truer than in Cali, the world salsa capital.

Cat Park in Cali

Sarah and one of the statues

Cats at the Cat Park

Ready for customers at Parque de los Poetas

Once we arrived in Cali and had checked into our hostel, we headed out to explore the town. We were in a good location next to Río Cali, with the trendy El Peñon and San Antonio areas just across the bridge. Walking there we passed the famous Cat Park filled with 15 cat statues all painted by different Colombian artists; there are more of these sculptures elsewhere in downtown Cali along the river banks. The El Peñon and San Antonio areas is where we ate all our meals and where a lot of people stay. It also has a nice church on a hillside with decent views of the city centre.

Not many people talk about how beautiful Cali is, but we thought there were some quite beautiful buildings and a couple of nice plazas. Included in what we consider beautiful buildings are a number of theatres, including one we went into because the guard thought it was easier to unlock the doors than say no. The churches were also beautiful, including Iglesia de la Merced, Catedral de San Pedro and especially Iglesia La Ermita. The latter is next to Parque de los Poetas, a small plaza that not only has a couple of statues of poets; it is also home to about a dozen men with typewriters under umbrellas ready to tap out a poem, love letter or anything you may need. I thought that jobs like these and places like this had long ago ceased to exist, yet here they are in the shadow of Iglesia La Ermita!

Iglesia de la Merced

Catedral de San Pedro

Parque de los Poetas and Iglesia La Ermita

Parque de los Poetas

Iglesia La Ermita

We also had a look at Cali’s Museo de Oro Calima (Gold Museum). It wasn’t nearly as impressive as Bogotá’s but did have some nice pieces and a display that showed how indigenous leaders would have worn some of the items.

It would have been remiss of us to visit Cali and not dance some salsa! The hostel told us where to go; the first night we went to La Topa Tolondra, the second night to Zaperoco and the third night to Tin Tin Deo. The dancing was of a level we’d never seen before! Colombians seem to have an innate ability to dance; everyone seemed like a professional. We especially liked the first and last salsa bars we went to. We saw young and old dancing; in fact some of the fanciest footwork we saw came from a man in his 70s! People dressed to impress danced like it was going out of fashion. We had such a good time dancing and watching salsa in Cali that it made us want to seek out more places to dance elsewhere in South America.

Brujita in San Cipriano

We also went on one day trip from Cali, our destination: San Cipriano, a tiny Afro-Colombian community of around 600 people near the Pacific Coast. From Cali we took the bus towards Buenaventura (an important port city on the Pacific Coast) and got off after two hours at Zaragoza, where we crossed a suspension bridge to reach the train track. The method of getting to San Cipriano is unorthodox: there is no road access to the town and the only link to the outside world was the train, which no longer operates, so the locals have constructed these wooden carts called brujitas (meaning little witches) powered by motorbikes to get people from the bridge to the town. Some local ingenuity for you! The trip along the train track is beautiful; hemmed in by forest on both sides, it seems like a forgotten part of Colombia that few people see. When another motorbike is coming in the other direction someone (usually the brujita with least people on it) has to get off and remove the bike – there is only one set of tracks but fortunately the size of these contraptions make this a quick and painless process.

Sarah on the suspension bridge

Our chariot to the town of San Cipriano

The journey there

A brujita de-railing to let us through

Duncan with his tube

When we arrived in San Cipriano we did the activity all tourists do here – tubing. The concept is pretty simple: you rent an inflated tube, walk about 30 minutes into the reserve and stop at a charco (entry point to the river) of your choosing and then float down the river. We went to the very last charco and spent two hours getting back to town on the slow flowing river. The water was clear and the scenery was beautiful; it is an extremely picturesque river. We navigated the tiny rapids, some of which were so small we had to stand up and carry our tubes over them a few times because we got stuck. The water was very refreshing as San Cipriano has a hot and humid climate.

The tube to go down the river

Going down the river, San Cipriano

Sarah floating down the river, San Cipriano

We were very surprised at how much we enjoyed Cali. We are very glad we extended our stay in order to visit San Cipriano, a destination with a lot of charm, beauty and friendly people. Next we head down to Popayán and the surrounding pre‑hispanic ruins as we continue south towards Ecuador.

Near the city centre, Cali

One of Cali’s many theatres

Plaza de Caycedo, Cali

Looking at Iglesia La Ermita from the bridge

Ground rushing by on the brujita

San Cipriano

San Cipriano

San Cipriano

Bridge and train tracks leading to San Cipriano

Top 5 things to do in Costa Rica: into the wild!

Come to Costa Rica for the abundant wildlife (with more than 25% of the country declared national parks and wildlife reserves containing 5% of the world’s biodiversity) and the friendly people. This country is not cheap and most activities require expensive entry fees, tour guides and paid transport. That being said, the quality of the guides and the beauty of the parks make it all worthwhile. Guides are generally fluent in English, carry only the best quality equipment and often have one or two university degrees, which helps them inform you on what you’re seeing. The guides here impressed us a lot with their knowledge and passion for their jobs.

Squirrel monkey hanging out on the wires at Manuel Antonio

1. Manuel Antonio

This national park combines everything that is great about Costa Rica: beaches, forest, reptiles, birds and mammals. Not many of Costa Rica’s national parks also have pristine beaches, yet Manuel Antonio National Park has three. Rarely is it guaranteed to see large numbers of monkeys, yet Manuel Antonio National Park has both white‑faced capuchin monkeys and red‑backed squirrel monkeys in abundance (which you will also see if you stay near the national park entrance or near the town of Manuel Antonio). We saw many dozens during our two days here. If you have a good tour guide (as we did in Mario from Costa Rica Jade Tours) then you will also learn a lot about the other fauna and flora. He made us appreciate the uniqueness of the rainbow grasshopper, the American leaf‑nosed bat and the waxed‑tail cicada – not the easiest of tasks! This place is a must see in Costa Rica. It’s popular, but for very good reasons!

Frog seen on night-time wildlife tour

2. Night-time wildlife tour

Almost every tourist destination in Costa Rica has a night-time wildlife spotting tour on offer; we chose one in La Fortuna. Night tours are a fantastic way to see a lot of wildlife you never see during the day, including many species of frogs, snakes, lizards, etc. We had an excellent tour with our highly recommended guide Geovani in his private reserve and saw different kind of colourful frogs from very close by, as well as lizards and a snake. In our opinion a night tour is a must do for anyone visiting Costa Rica!

The boat we took in Cano Negro

3. Caño Negro

From La Fortuna we also went on a day trip to Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge. This area borders Nicaragua and a visit to the area is a full day activity, but well worth the effort. Stopping to spot iguanas on the way, we traversed marsh flats before arriving at a beautiful river. On the boat we spotted so much wildlife in such a small amount of time. Sloths, caimans, monkeys, birds and lizards; the refuge was full of wildlife, plus we got to enjoy the beautiful setting of the river from the boat.

Sarah zip lining

4. Zip lining

Zip lining is a popular activity in Costa Rica and again many places have it on offer, but Monteverde is known for it so we decided to do the most adrenaline inspiring zip line there. In Monteverde you can choose which kind of zip lining you want – there are ones designed for families, for the view, for an adrenaline rush, etc. We loved our zip lining experience, especially going ‘superman’ style on the longest zip line in Latin America and jumping onto the terrifying but exhilarating Tarzan Swing. To top it off all the zip lines take you through through beautiful cloud forest, Sarah even had birds of prey flying just below her as she went ‘superman’ style on one of the zip lines!

Tour guide helping a stunned hummingbird after it flew into a window in Monteverde

5. Monteverde

By Monteverde we mean the national parks and reserves around Santa Elena and the smaller town of Monteverde. We visited Monteverde National Park and Curi-Cancha reserve. The former had beautiful forest, an amazing hummingbird garden, while in the latter we were able to spot more wildlife and we saw the continental divide. And we saw quetzals in both, so if you can, why not do both…

Iguana on the way to Cano Negro

Heron in Cano Negro

Geovani making us coffee

Lizard at Cano Negro

Volcan Arenal seen from La Fortuna

Quetzal seen in Monteverde National Park

Beach inside the national park

Sloth in Manuel Antonio National Park

Guatapé and El Peñol – an amazingly colourful town and a big rock

Guatape in Antioquia

From Medellín we took a day trip 2.5 hours east of the city to a town called Guatapé. Why does this day trip deserve its own blog? Because it’s one of the most beautiful and photogenic parts of Colombia. It is certainly the most colourful and outgoing colonial town we have ever seen!

The short bus ride through the mountains found us in this small town of 7,700 people. Founded in 1811, Guatapé calls itself the Pueblo de Zócalos – a zócalo generally means square or plaza but in this case it refers to the colourful miniature murals that you see on every home in this gorgeous town. Zócalos are divided into different categories: anthropomorphic, zoological, geometric and thematic and often focus on scenes of daily life in and history of Guatapé. Many of the zócalos were painted in the beginning of the 20^th century and have been preserved since.

Zocalos on the houses in Guatape

Zocalos

Zocalos

Zocalos

Zocalos

Zocalos

Zocalos

The town is not only known for its colours and zócalos, but also for La Piedra del Peñol, a giant monolithic rock formation located a 10 minute drive from the town of Guatapé. El Peñol is 220 metres high, reaches an elevation of 2,135 metres above sea level and there are 740 steps to climb to reach the top. We mainly visited Guatapé to climb the rock and didn’t know much about the town of Guatapé (except that is was kind of colourful), so imagine our surprise when our visual senses were completely overwhelmed by the bright colours of this colonial town. And while we had heard about the zócalos, we never would have imagined that literally every house would be adorned with them and that there would be so many different representations of animals, historic scenes, professions, pre-hispanic symbols, etc. We walked around almost in a daze admiring the colours and wide variety of the zócalos.

Duncan and some zocalos

Don Quixote Zocalos

Botero Zocalos

We started with the main square and the town’s church, eventually reaching a square called Plazoleta de los Zócalos. This latter in particular was a sight to behold and became our favourite part of town. We spent the most time on this charming square, enjoying an excellent coffee (possibly the best in Colombia) from Café La Viña. The lovely staff at this café told us that at night the square is even more beautiful and we were kicking ourselves that we didn’t spend a night in Guatapé, or two nights, or three. If you haven’t figured it out by now, we really like this town.

Not just for the colonial architecture and unique colours and designs on the walls – the people are also incredibly friendly. We had a great chat with our tuk tuk driver as he took us from Guatapé to the big rock. About half the tuk tuks in this town are painted in a similar vein to the walls of the town. These are certainly the most colourful tuk tuks we’ve encountered on our travels!

Guatape’s church behind Plazoleta de los Zocalos

Plazoleta de los Zocalos

Tuk tuks in Guatape

We left our tuk tuk driver and faced the impressive monolith that is La Piedra del Peñol. We purchased our tickets and started the climb up the stairs. To our surprise we found the climb quite easy – no doubt in part due to the slow pace enforced on us due to the large number of people trying to get to the top of the rock (some with considerably more trouble than others). Eventually we made it to the top and were rewarded with spectacular views of the surrounding lake. We purchased some sliced mango with lemon juice and salt and walked around the top of the rock admiring the panoramic views.

In the 1970s a hydroelectric dam was built near Guatapé and the waterways that are visible from the top form the reservoir created by this dam, which is an important source of electricity for Colombia (the Punchiná Dam and associated San Carlos Hydroelectric Power Plant provides over 30% of the country’s energy). The views from the top were truly stunning and without a doubt worth the climb.

La Piedra del Penol

Zacola on top of the rock

View from the top of El Penol

View from half way up

Duncan having a coffee

We had purchased our ticket back when we arrived in Guatapé and we had to leave the town much earlier than we had wanted. We sincerely regret not staying the night (or a few nights) in this gorgeous town and are determined to do so next time we are in Colombia (we will definitely be back!). There is so much more to do around here: you can play paintball in the ruins of one of Pablo Escobar’s former mansions; you can swim in the lake or hire a kayak or Jet Ski; party boats and speed boats leave frequently from the shores; you can hike to waterfalls; etc. Although we would have been content just hanging around in the colourful town and relaxing. But on this trip we were fated to return to Medellín. The memory of this town will nonetheless linger and it will surely find its place in our top five for Colombia!

Sarah having her photo taken

Plazoleta de los Zocalos

Sarah

Sarah

Guatape

Sarah at El Penol

Sarah and Duncan at Plazoleta de los Zocalos

Guatape Church

El Penol

Iglesia de Nuestra Senora del Carmen

Sarah in Guatape

Medellín and Santa Fe de Antioquia

Sculpture at Plaza de Botero

We took the once daily direct bus from Salento to Medellin, a nice 6 hour bus ride through the Colombian Andes. We had booked a room in a brand new hostel, Galería Estación Hostal, in the Manila neighbourhood of El Poblado district – an upmarket, trendy area full of cafes and French/German/Peruvian/Argentinian restaurants. We had booked last minute so we were really lucky to find something so good! The hostel is one of the nicest ones we’ve stayed in too and we are proud to say we started their book exchange, leaving In Evil Hour by Gabriel García Márquez. (Speaking of Gabo, we read one of his non‑fiction works called News of a Kidnapping which was an excellent read to understand Colombia and Pablo Escobar, who came from Medellín). We really like the area of Manila and quickly made a habit of getting a delicious ham and ricotta croissant from the French bakery around the corner each morning (note to all bakers: this combination is incredible, please replicate!).

Medellín is Colombia’s second largest city and is considered to be one of the most dynamic, innovative and cosmopolitan cities in South America. It is a textile and industrial centre, lying at the bottom of a beautiful valley; hills on all sides surround the sprawling brick city. The weather was nice and warm while we were there, rarely a cloud in the sky and apparently that is how it is all year round, giving the city the nickname of The City of Eternal Spring. Medellín is also home to Colombia’s only metro system, a point of pride for Paisas (people from Antioquia).

The former Governor’s House, the metro and a poster of a Botero painting

The day after arriving we ventured to the city centre where we explored many plazas and admired the many references to and works of Fernando Botero. This Medellín born artist has certainly left his mark on his hometown having donated numerous art works to the city, transforming and improving parts of the city through his art.

Medellín used to be one of the most violent parts of the country, if not the world; while you can still see some evidence of those days – you see a few drug addicts and sketchy characters on the plazas and streets – the city has reinvented itself and crime and terrorism has plummeted. A fitting illustration of the city’s transformation can be witnessed in Parque San Antonio which features a number of Botero statues, including the Male Torso (whose female counterpart is found next to Parque Berrio) and the two bird statues. During a public concert on 10 June 1995 a bomb exploded at the Bird sculpture, killing 23 people and injuring around 99 more. The Cali drug cartel and right- and left-wing guerrilla groups were suspected of the bombing but nobody knows for sure who carried out the attack. (Botero’s son was the Defence Minister at the time and had been cracking down harshly on the drug cartels, which may be why the father’s sculpture was the target).

The Bird Sculptures at Parque San Antonio

Initially the government wanted to remove the mangled bird sculpture, but Botero insisted that it was stayed there as a reminder of the brutality of terror and violence in Colombia. The mangled bird sculpture was left as it was and in 2000 Botero donated a new bird sculpture – identical to the original ­– to the city, which was placed next to the destroyed one. The destroyed statue is now called Pájaro Herido (wounded bird), while the new sculpture is called Paloma de la Paz (Peace Dove). Both now stand side by side as a monument to violence and peace in commemoration of the victims of the attack.

Male torso sculpture

Female torso sculpture

View of Plaza de Botero from the Museo de Antioquia

Sarah with the Cat sculpture

After visiting Parque San Antonio and Parque Berrio we went to El Parque de las Esculturas (Plaza de Botero), our favourite part of the city centre. This square boasts 23 excellent bronze sculptures by Botero in his typical style: sumptuous people and figures. Each sculpture has an estimated value of about US$2.2m and many of the sculptures were previously on display in museums in Paris, New York and Madrid, amongst others.

After admiring the sculptures, we visited the Museo de Antioquia on the same square. The museum consists of several permanent and temporary exhibitions, including and international art exhibition, a colonial and republican art collection and a large Fernando Botero collection. Botero donated more than 100 art works to the museum; not only his own works but also works by other artists from his private collection. We really enjoyed the museum and the Botero collection in particular.

Botero painting

Killing of Pablo Escobar

Poster of a Botero painting in Medellin

On Plaza Botero also stands the former Governor’s House – now known as the Rafael Uribe Uribe Cultural Centre. It was designed by Belgian architect Agustin Goovaerts and is one of the most stunning buildings in Medellín. We were told by a local that during the construction process the people of Medellín wouldn’t stop criticising the design, saying that it was ugly, too big and that it would crumble. Eventually the architect got so frustrated that he quit and left the country with the building only partly finished. Because the locals were unable to follow his plans, the rest of the building was abandoned and a simple white wall was put up to complete it, creating a European and Colombian style in this building!

From Medellín we also went on a couple of day trips; the first one to Santa Fe de Antioquia, a charming colonial town 90 minutes north of Medellín. Founded in 1541, this town was the capital of the department Antioquia before it was moved to Medellín.

Santa Fe de Antioquia main square

Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de Chiquinquira

Iglesia Santa Barbara

There weren’t many people in town when we were there, despite it being the weekend. Santa Fe has four beautiful churches, each in front of its own plaza. We walked the streets, visited the churches and enjoyed gazing at the white washed walls that seem typical of Colombia’s preserved colonial towns. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky when we visited and it became scorching hot quite quickly – the white washed walls must also have the practical purpose of keeping the houses cool.

We then took a mototaxi (or tuk tuk) to Puente de Oriente, a famous suspension bridge near Santa Fe de Antioquia located a 10 minute drive from town. The bridge – designated a National Monument of Colombia – spans the Cauca River, with two towers at either end. At the time of construction in 1887 it was the longest suspension bridge in South America and the responsible engineer, José María Villa, had previously worked on the Brooklyn Bridge. The views of the bridge and from the bridge were beautiful and definitely worth the small detour.

Puente de Oriente and the Cauca River

Puente de Oriente

Puente de Oriente

Our last day in Medellín was spent around the city centre once more. We were lucky enough to secure a spot on the very popular Free Walking Tour of the city – this is the #1 activity on Trip Advisor and is constantly booked out. We had checked on a whim after seeing that the (supposedly objective) Pablo Escobar tours we wanted to do were booked out; our timing must have been perfect as we were able to reserve our spots. This was a really excellent tour and we strongly recommend it. The focus is on the history of Colombia and Medellín and the stories our guide Carolina told us were fascinating. As part of the tour we went to areas we hadn’t considered worth the time, including the government area called Alpujarra. Carolina explained to us the meaning behind both old and new plazas, helping us see beyond the brick wonderland of Medellín.

La Basilica Metropolitana

Parque de la Luces

The Needle Building

We also met plenty of interesting characters, including the self-declared Queen of Parque San Antonio who welcomed us to the plaza with her trolley of cardboard, warning us to keep our possessions close. We learnt a lot from this tour and saw some really interesting sights. Our appreciation of Medellín was certainly augmented by the tour and by our guide.

Bandeja paisa

For lunch we found a restaurant serving the local dish of the Medellín region: bandeja paisa. Paisa refers to someone from Antioquia and the meal is almost certain to give a cardiac arrest if eaten regularly. The dish consists of a very large plate filled with white rice, red beans, avocado, fried plantain, fried egg, blood sausage, chorizo, ground meat, chicharrón, hogao and arrepa. Because we knew how filling a dish it would be, we decided to share a plate and yet we still failed to finish it!

Cable car over the brick buildings of Medellin

Cable car to Santo Domingo

To finish off the day we took the metro to the cable car that connects the hillside barrios with the rest of the city. We enjoyed the views both in the cable car and from Santo Domingo. Unfortunately another cable car that takes you to Arvi Park was closed for maintenance so we did not see the view of Medellín from that lookout.

We took the metro back, enjoying the views of churches and the brick apartment blocks dominated by the green hills of the valley. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Medellín; however, our favourite place we discovered while staying in this city was Guatapé (and El Peñol), which was our second day trip and which we will cover in another blog.

Iglesia de la Veracruz near Parque de Botero

Basilica de la Candelaria next to Parque Berrio

Santa Fe de Antiochia

An old building we discovered on our walking tour of Medellin

Plaza de Botero, Medellin

Top 5 things to do in Nicaragua

We were in Nicaragua for a short time but we really enjoyed the variety, history and beauty of the country. Here are our top 5 picks from our time in the country.

Granada Cathedral

1. Granada

This city is small and well preserved. Yes, there are many tourists and it has a polished veneer, but the architecture is so beautiful and the food is so good that it makes the top of our list for things to see in Nicaragua. Climb the bell tower at La Merced for some stunning views of the city!

Ready to go down the volcano!

2. Volcano boarding down Cerro Negro

One of the most popular activities in Nicaragua is volcano boarding down Cerro Negro. We found out it is popular for a reason as it is an absolute thrill! From León you can go with one of the many companies that offer this activity. The climb up can be difficult due to the heat, but extremely rewarding because of the gorgeous views from the top. Going down is a lot quicker than up, sliding down a steep 500m descent that is sure to provide an adrenaline rush!

Gorgeous sunset at San Juan del Sur

3. Sunsets at San Juan del Sur

San Juan del Sur is a popular beach town that boasts spectacular sunsets. Come here to do not a whole lot (or to surf). Stay on the beach or travel to beaches elsewhere along the coast. Although this coastal town is very touristy, it is worth visiting for the sunsets alone. Order a delicious macúa at one of the many beach bars and watch the sky light up in the most gorgeous colours as the sun dips down below the ocean. It is quite a sight to see!

Roof of Leon Cathedral

4. León

This fiercely liberal city is sure to impress. The city is a bit rougher around the edges than conservative Granada, but that is exactly why many people like it. The country’s history is visible on every corner in León and the many churches are worthwhile visiting. Our favourite views of the city are from the stunningly bright white rooftop of the cathedral, such an incredible sight! Inside the cathedral you can also find the burial site of famous poet Ruben Dário.

Ometepe, Nicaragua

5. Watch the wildlife and the scenery at Ometepe

Kayaking in the shadow of volcanos, catching monkeys red handed stealing bananas, watching the uraccas hanging out in the trees, there is plenty to see on the island of Ometepe. Get out of the towns and head to the beaches or fincas to make the most of your time here. There is plenty of birdlife, marine life and mammals in Ometepe. Either rent a bike or scooter, take a kayak tour or just go for a walk to see some of the wildlife while enjoying the views of the two volcanos.

La Zona Cafetera – Colombia’s coffee region

Valle de Cocora – Eje Cafetero

We left Bogotá for Manizales in the heart of the Zona Cafetera (also known as Eje Cafetero or the Coffee Axis of Colombia), which includes the departments of Caldas, Quindío and Risaralda. It was a lot easier leaving Bogotá this time than it was on New Year’s Eve as there were no queues. The nine hour bus ride to Manizales took us through the windy, mountainous roads of central Colombia. Once we arrived in Manizales we took a cable car across a valley to Villa Maria and a taxi to our accommodation, The Secret Garden, which is located off a dirt path in the mountains overlooking lush farm land.

The Secret Garden, Manizales

Manizales Cathedral

We don’t normally book accommodation so far out of town, but we only decided to visit Manizales last minute and hadn’t realised that there was the Feria de Manizales – an 8 day festival that’s been celebrated every year since 1951 and includes lots of bull fighting, drinking and a beauty pageant. We wanted to go there because we had tickets to the Super Concierto that finishes the festival, featuring Marc Anthony – an artist we like because he sings a lot of our favourite salsa songs.

Manizales was founded in 1849 and is the capital of one of the country’s smallest departments: Caldas. Because of its topography (being in the Andes there are plenty of valleys and steep hills) the city made a cable car to glide over it all, providing us with great views.

Manizales’ Cable Car

There were seas of people in Manizales for the festival. Live music, street performers, street vendors of all descriptions and theme park rides were strewn throughout the city. We walked through the mass of people for hours, checking out the beautiful churches – including the Gothic Cathedral, the city’s symbol – and other parts of the city until we walked down to the city’s stadium for the concert.

Manikins at the feria…

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Aguadiente

The concert

When we got to the venue we decided to get a beer, but were surprised to find out that there were only two drink options: aguardiente or rum, by the half bottle… On the recommendation of the bar staff we went with aguardiente, as the rum is supposedly quite potent. It wasn’t our favourite drink, but who cares when you’re surrounded by enthusiastic Colombians in a stadium with vallenato and salsa singers performing. Nobody gets into concerts like Colombians; it was one big singalong as everyone knew all the words to every song. Moreover, they were getting very emotional. You know the expression “Sing like no one’s listening”? Come to a Colombian concert to see what they mean. It made for a fantastic atmosphere to hear Silvestre Dangond – a Colombian vallenato singer (music typical of the country’s Caribbean coast) – and Marc Anthony.

Church in Villa Maria

If the crowd went wild for Silvestre Dangond, they went berserk for Marc Anthony. His was an amazing performance; he had great stage presence and above all a fantastic voice. We left the stadium after his performance but from a couple of blocks away, where we were waiting for our taxi, we could clearly hear the whole performance of the last act, a popular reggaeton artist. We got home late so the next day was one of sleeping, reading and relaxing.

Salento and the crowd for the festival

Our next town was Salento, a place of colonial charm and beautiful buildings. Unbeknown to us there was another festival on in Salento and we had arrived for the final day! We got off the bus after traveling from Manizales through Pereira to Salento and after a quick search and some negotiating we found a room in a pension with a cute 3 month old puppy. With that sorted we set out to explore the festival.

Buskers in Salento

Once again there was a sea of people, although not quite as many as in Manizales. The main square had temporary bars and restaurants and a wood chopping competition set up, along with souvenir and artisanal stores. Buskers were playing music in the street, people were drinking and shopping and having a great time. Colombians were dancing in the street without a care in the world.

We walked through Salento admiring the beautiful, colourful buildings. All the window frames, shutters, balconies and their balustrades have different colours, creating a vibrant atmosphere. This type of architecture is called bahareque, which consists of one- and two-storey houses with balconies, white walls and colourful doors and window frames. We also once again saw plenty of ponchos, hats and scarves around the town.

Locals hanging out in Salento

Originally the town was the site of a penal colony for political prisoners known as Barcinales, but in 1854 a proper town was established on the site following a flood nearby. Most of the buildings date from this time – especially on Calle Real which leads up to the mirador from which you have great views of the whole town.

Valle de Cocora

The next day we went hiking in the Valle de Cocora. This was the most surprisingly lovely hike we’ve done so far. Having seen pictures we did not expect to enjoy the hike as much as we did, nor did we expect the kind of scenery that we encountered. Please trust us when we say that the photos do not do justice to the majesty of this valley.

The Cocora Valley was incorporated into the Los Nevados National Park in 1985 when the Quindio wax palm – Colombia’s national tree – became endangered as it was being cut down with much fervour for Palm Sunday celebrations. The protection of Cocora Valley protects the wax palm, which is everywhere in this part of the national park. The wax palms are truly impressive. They stand like silent sentinels over the valley, providing some contrast to the rolling hills and mountains.

Sarah among the wax palms

One of many rickety bridges

The hike around the valley takes about 6 hours and reaches a height of 2860 metres above sea level. We took a jeep from Salento early in the morning. Duncan had to ride on the outside to get there as they don’t leave until every space is taken, both inside and outside the vehicle. The jeep stops right near the entrance of the loop hike through the valley, which starts near a trout farm. From there we walked through the valley and the forest, over wooden suspension bridges and steep trails.

Cocora Valley – this place is gorgeous

We made a detour at the half way point to a hummingbird garden called Acaime. We saw many different types of hummingbird, including the Long‑tailed Sylph which we had been hoping to see. The long tail and iridescent colours of this bird were amazing to see and we think it must be one of the fastest and most beautiful hummingbirds we have encountered.

Long-tailed Sylph hummingbird

Hummingbirds

Long-tailed Sylph flying

Long-tailed Sylph

Walking through different types of forest we emerged towards the end of the trail surrounded by the famous wax palms. These plants can reach up to 60 metres high and we had to constantly check where our feet were before craning our necks up towards the sky to see these impressive trees. We finished the walk tired but very happy. It was one of the best things we’ve done in Colombia and we didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as we did.

Tejo – try to hit the gunpowder

That night we rewarded ourselves with a beer and a game of tejo – Colombia’s national sport. This game predates the conquistadors (although they were the ones to add gunpowder to the mix). Think of petanque or lawn bowls with gun powder and you’ll start to get the nature of this game. We saw people playing it in Manizales but only played it ourselves in Salento. The aim of the game is to get to throw a metal disk in our as close as possible to a circle on a wooden board filled with clay. You get points by getting the disk stuck in the clay closest to the metal circle, getting the disc inside the metal circle, or by exploding one of the four triangles of gun powder that are on the metal circle.

Time for Tejo!

The game is a lot of fun; add some beers and raucous shouting from the locals and you can imagine why people love this sport!  We were rubbish on our first goes but we still managed a couple of explosions. Although we have to admit they made us play on the practice/kiddie court, the distances on the real court are a lot longer. We enjoyed it so much that we plan to play more of it elsewhere in Colombia.

After tejo we went for dinner to try some of Salento’s famous trout. Trucha (as it’s called Spanish) is on every menu in town and there doesn’t seem to be much difference between restaurants when it comes to the preparation. We had Trucha Dorada (baked trout) and Trucha al Ajillo (trout in a cream and garlic sauce). It was delicious! It came with patacones – twice‑fried sliced green plantains that came with a pineapple sauce – another tasty staple of Colombia.

View while walking to the finca

Being in the coffee region we offcourse also had to go explore a coffee finca and learn about the bean varieties of the region. Colombia is the third largest producer of coffee (after Brazil and Vietnam) and is the second largest producer of the high quality Arabica coffee bean. Its coffee is renowned throughout the world and La Zona Cafetera is the producer of the majority of Colombia’s coffee. The ideal conditions for producing washed Arabica coffee are found above 1200 metres above sea level but below 2000 metres, which is why La Zona Cafetera – in the Colombian Andes – is such a good area for producing this kind of coffee. The landscape and coffee making process here also contributed to its inclusion as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Coffee at Finca El Ocaso

We decided to go to Finca El Ocaso to participate in their coffee tour. This tour put our coffee tour in Guatemala to shame, it was an excellent tour and highly advisable in this coffee region. Finca El Ocaso is a 32 hectare coffee plantation sitting at 1780 metres above sea level. The finca was a lovely one hour walk from Salento in the direction of Armenia and we had beautiful views of the hillsides and plantations during our walk, which was once again accompanied by a dog that enjoys the company of tourists – we christened him Pedro.

The coffee tour took us through the different bean varietals in Colombia and how different types of coffee plants have been tried and developed to resist diseases (such as Caturra, Tabi and Variety Colombia). We then picked a couple of red coffee beans from the plants (not many were ready to be picked so our take was pitifully small) and took them to be skinned and washed. We were then shown the drying area and finally the traditional way coffee was ground and served (similar to in Costa Rica it is a method involving socks!).

Salento, Colombia

This was a great last activity in the Zona Cafetera and a really fun and informative coffee tour. We loved our time here, especially in Salento and in the Valle de Cocora. Next up is Medellín, a city that has reinvented itself and where we plan to do a couple of day trips.

Salento, Colombia

Duncan overlooking Cocora Valley

Top 5 things about El Salvador and Honduras

Sarah at West Bay

We only stayed two weeks in the small country of El Salvador and 10 days in Honduras but we really enjoyed our time in both. In El Salvador we decided not to visit the coast after reading blogs and speaking with people who had travelled there, even though it is often the only place people go to when visiting El Salvador. We think that’s a shame, so here are our top 5 things we loved about El Salvador and Honduras.

Making pupusas at Pupuseria Sugey

1. The people of El Salvador

El Salvadorians are some of the friendliest people we met on our travels so far. Consistently in every part of the country we visited we found them to be charming, happy and laughing, helpful, willing to involve you in their lives. We met many wonderful locals on our travel through El Salvador and they have the top spot on our list.

Us diving!!

2. Roatán in the Bay Islands

The Bay Islands in Honduras are home to amazing beaches and incredible diving. We went to Roatán Island and stayed in West End in order to get our Open Water PADI certification. The reefs around the island are just gorgeous and the area has been protected for many years, so there is a huge amount of marine life to see. Learning to dive in Roatán was definitely a highlight of our time in Central America!

Church at Juayua

3. La Ruta de las Flores

We based ourselves in the wonderful town of Juayúa to explore the Ruta de las Flores in El Salvador. It was our first destination in the country and immediately became hard to beat. Our favourite towns to visit on this route were Apaneca, Ataco and Ahuachapán, all for different reasons. The food festival in Juayúa on the weekend was also a really great experience. Add to that a fantastic hostel and it is no wonder that this town was by far our favourite on the Ruta de las Flores.

Duncan jumping while Sarah looks on

4. Parque Nacional El Imposible

Jumping down waterfalls in Parque Nacional El Imposible was both frightening and exhilarating. We booked the very popular waterfall jumping tour with Hostal de Mama y Papa in Tacuba, El Salvador. This 5 hour tour takes you through the country’s largest national park and involves jumping down 7 waterfalls, the highest jump being 12 metres!

View of Coatepeque Lake on the walk up Santa Ana volcano

5. Volcán Santa Ana and La Casa Verde

We loved our time in Santa Ana in big part because we stayed at the best hostel we’ve come across, La Casa Verde. From the town we visited the volcano, also called Santa Ana, which was definitely a highlight of our time in El Salvador. During the hike up the volcano we had stunning views of Coatepeque Lake and Izalco volcano and even though we didn’t have the best weather at the top of the volcano (it was windy, cloudy and freezing!) our patience was rewarded when the thick clouds cleared a little for us to see most of the stunning crater lake the volcano is renowned for.

West End, Roatan

Bogotá and Zipaquirá

Cathedral of Bogota

Santa Fe de Bogotá is Colombia’s sprawling capital. Formerly the Muisca capital Muequetá before their defeat to the Spanish conquistadors, this is a city full of history and appropriately boasts an impressive number of museums and art galleries.

Sarah in front of the Cathedral of Bogota

We dedicated five days to the country’s capital, staying at an AirBnB in the Chapinero district – one of the safest in the city. We were impressed by a number of things in Bogotá: you can have alcohol delivered to your door; the bus system is pretty good and linked into Google Maps; there’s a great taxi app for mobiles that guarantees a safe taxi journey; there are plenty of cafes; the local cuisine is delicious. But there are plenty of things that detract from the experience: outside the historic centre the buildings are uninspiring; turn down the wrong street of a normal neighbourhood and you’ll find yourself surrounded by drug addicts and prostitutes; crossing the city can take a long time; you have to constantly watch your personal belongings.

 

Ajiaco

We made the most of the museums in Bogotá, many of which are free and located in beautiful buildings in the La Candelaria district (the historic centre) of the city. This area is fine during the day, but at night it becomes extremely dodgy and can be quite dangerous. We were there one evening before going to a friend’s place (where we had an amazing Colombian dinner of arepas, empanadas and ajiaco – a soup made with chicken and three types of potato and a Bogotá specialty – washed down with Colombian beers) and just waiting outside a nice bar we had patronised you could see and sense the danger; quite unsettling. But that is to be expected when 30% of Colombians live below the poverty line and in 2013 the country had a Gini coefficient of 53.9 – the highest level of inequality in South America (no figures available for Guyana, Suriname or Venezuela). We have seen more people living on the streets and begging for money here than anywhere else on our travels.

Botero Art Gallery

Botero Art Gallery

Botero Art Gallery

Fortunately the attractions during the day make up for the perilous evenings. Our first art gallery was the Botero gallery. Fernando Botero is a Medellín artist who could be mistaken as the patron saint of all things chubby. His works are famous and we loved both the well-known pieces and discovering his other works, including sculptures and sketches. On top of his own works the museum also contained an impressive selection of paintings and sculptures by other artists, including Picasso, Miró, Degas, Dalí and Monet.

Gold Museum, Bogota

Gold Museum, Bogota

Gold Museum, Bogota

Gold Museum, Bogota

Gold Museum, Bogota

The real treasure of Bogotá was visiting the Museo del Oro (Gold Museum), boasting an impressive collection of pre-Colombian gold artefacts alongside detailed description of their cultural significance and uses. The Gold Museum was at the very top of our to‑do list in Colombia and we were not disappointed! The craftsmanship of the gold is incredible. And surprisingly the museum is almost free (only 3000 pesos, or under US$1) and we really enjoyed it.

Most famous artefact in the Gold Museum, Bogota

Pablo Escobar’s motorbike

The other museums and galleries we went to were alright but nothing special compared to the Museo del Oro and the Museo Botero. In the same building as the latter – a beautiful 17^th Century house – are the Casa de Moneda and the Museo de Arte del Banco de la República, a gallery showcasing mostly Colombian artwork. We also went to the Museo Histórico de la Policía, which most people visit to see the possessions Pablo Escobar had on him when he was killed by police in Medellín in 1993, but unfortunately it was a sadly unimpressive museum.

Behind the Cathedral of Bogota

Plaza de Bolivar and the Cathedral of Bogota

La Candelaria church

The district of La Candeleria is the historic centre and therefore contains the most impressive buildings of Bogotá. On the whole the capital is a brick and cement jungle, so we tried to appreciate the architecture in the historic centre as much as possible. Our favourite square was Plaza de Bolívar, which has a statue of Simón Bolívar in the centre (a gigantic Christmas tree was next to it when we were there), the Cathedral of Bogotá and the National Capitol building (which houses Congress). It is also covered in pigeons, interspersed with llamas and their handlers seeking out interested tourist.

From inside the cathedral looking towards Plaza de Bolivar

Colegio Mayor de San Bartolome from the early 1600s

From Bogotá we also took a day trip to the town of Zipaquirá, the salt capital of Colombia. The purpose of this trip was to see the famous Salt Cathedral, which is located inside a disused salt mine. The town was founded in 1600 and our first stop off the bus was the Plaza de la Independencia, a beautiful square with buildings that all have blue doors, white walls, and brown and red balcony rails. The Zipaquirá Cathedral located on this square is really beautiful, both inside and out.

Zipaquira Cathedral

Zipaquira

Inside Zipaquira Cathedral

Beautiful balconies and doors around Plaza de la Independencia in Zipaquira

We walked up to entrance of the Salt Cathedral, following the crowds the way up. The Salt Cathedral – opened in 1995 – extends 180 metres underground and the church itself is quite amazing. All the sculptures, including the 16 foot cross, are carved from the salt walls of the former mine. Some of the sculptures are really impressive.

The cross and archangel are sculpted from the walls

Inside the Salt Cathedral

Us in this massive underground cathedral

But the salt cathedral truly is a combination of the beautiful and the bizarre. We found it quite odd that we smelled popcorn at one point while walking through the cathedral. Turns out that in a part of the former mine close to the nave of the church they actually do sell popcorn. There is an entire area within the church filled with tourist shops, a café and a movie theatre, giving this attraction a real theme park feel. You can buy beauty products, food, jewellery and souvenirs, etc. It kind of took away from the church itself. Add to that the tour guides on their megaphones talking to massive groups of people and it is no wonder there was no-one praying inside this Catholic church. Still, this is something to see and Colombians love it so much that they voted it as the most important of the ‘7 Colombian Wonders’ in 2007.

Odd thing to have in a cathedral…

Odd thing to have in a cathedral…

Next we will head to Manizales located in Colombia’s coffee region, the subject of our next blog. We will be back to Bogotá for a day on our way back though, when we will hope to visit Montserrate hill to admire the views of the city.

Llama and the cathedral

National Capitol building

Zipaquira Cathedral seen from near the Salt Cathedral